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The stakes continue to rise for Racing Louisville (6-10-7, 25 points) as they head to the nation's capital for a Sunday showdown at 5 p.m. at Audi Field, facing off against the second-place Washington Spirit (15-6-2, 47 points).
With only three regular-season games remaining, Louisville sits in ninth place, just one position outside the playoff spots. Meanwhile, Washington has already secured its postseason slot but is still fighting for home-field advantage, needing just a point to clinch their first home playoff match since 2021.
Last week, Racing Louisville had their two-game home winning streak halted by a 2-0 defeat to the playoff-bound Kansas City Current. Despite the loss, Louisville's playoff hopes remain alive, with three points now separating them from Portland and Bay FC, who occupy seventh and eighth positions, respectively.
The Spirit are also looking to rebound after a recent 2-0 loss to the undefeated Orlando Pride. During that game, Washington conceded on a penalty – narrowly missed by keeper Aubrey Kingsbury – and suffered an own goal from an unfortunate deflection off a Spirit defender.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
How to watch Washington Spirit vs Racing Louisville online - TV channels & live streams
In the United States (US), the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Racing Louisville will be available to watch and stream online live through NWSL+.
Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
Washington Spirit vs Racing Louisville kick-off time
| Date: | Saturday, October 12, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 5:00 pm ET/ 2:00 pm PT |
| Venue: | Audi Field |
The NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Racing Louisville will be played at Audi Field in Washington D.C., United States.
It will kick off at 5:00 pm ET/ 2:00 pm PT on Saturday, October 12, in the US.
Team news & squads
Washington Spirit team news
Much like recent matches, the Spirit had to field a heavily adjusted starting lineup, missing several regular starters. Among the changes, undrafted rookie Heather Stainbrook made her first professional start after coming off the bench in seven prior appearances for the team. Additionally, Paige Metayer took on a forward role, marking her presence at every position across the field for Washington this season. Another highlight was Jenna Butler's NWSL regular season debut; initially signed as a National Team Replacement player (NTR) over the summer, she entered the game during second-half stoppage time.
Late in the match, Spirit captain and former top draft pick Andi Sullivan suffered a knee injury that was later confirmed as an ACL tear, ending her season prematurely.
Washington Spirit possible XI: Kingsbury; Carle, McKeown, Morgan, Krueger; Morris, Hershfelt; Ratcliffe, Santos, Rodman; Hatch
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Kingsbury, Bosselmann, Barnhart, Collins |
| Defenders: | Krueger, Butel, Wiesner, McKeown, Carle, Heilferty, Morgan, Butler, Hudson |
| Midfielders: | Bethune, Morris, Santos, Sullivan, Brown, Hershfelt, Stainbrook, Metayer |
| Forwards: | Rodman, Silano, Sarr, Ratcliffe, Kouassi, Kuhlmann, Hatch, Ricketts |
Racing Louisville team news
Under head coach Jonatan Giráldez, the Spirit have suffered only two losses since early July. Ashley Hatch, the 2021 NWSL Golden Boot winner, has been Washington's most consistent scoring threat recently, netting three of the team's last five goals. Her efforts include a brace in a commanding home win over the Houston Dash.
On the Racing Louisville side, Katie Lund and Abby Erceg have each played every single minute of the 2024 regular season. They are among just six NWSL players to log 2,070 minutes this year, with North Carolina's Casey Murphy and Kaleigh Kurtz being the only other pair of teammates to achieve this feat.
Racing Louisville possible XI: Lund; Milliet, A. Wright, Pickett, Erceg; Fischer, DeMelo, Borges, Flint; Turner, Kanu
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Lund, Bloomer, Sekany |
| Defenders: | Milliet, A. Wright, Pikkujamsa, Jean, Pickett, Erceg |
| Midfielders: | Howell, DeMelo, Borges, Fischer, Kurosaki, DiGrande, Pokorny, Baggett, Flint |
| Forwards: | Motlhalo, Sears, Clegg, Goins, K. Wright, Bahr, Kanu, Turner, Balcer |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 11/05/2024 | Racing Louisville 1-2 Washington Spirit | NWSL |
| 04/06/2023 | Washington Spirit 1-1 Racing Louisville | NWSL |
| 02/04/2023 | Racing Louisville 2-2 Washington Spirit | NWSL |
| 06/08/2022 | Racing Louisville 1-1 Washington Spirit | NWSL |
| 18/06/2022 | Washington Spirit 2-2 Racing Louisville | NWSL |