Elli Pikkujämsä rejoined the Racing Louisville starting lineup for tonight’s 8:30 p.m. ET kickoff against the Houston Dash in UKG NWSL Challenge Cup group stage action.
Pikkujämsä replaces Abby Erceg, who did not make the trip with the team out of an abundance of precaution after being listed as questionable with a knee injury. The 23-year-old Pikkujämsä is the only change to Racing’s lineup from the 2-0 win over Chicago last weekend.
Racing (4-0-0, 12 points) has a bit of club history at stake with the match in Texas: Louisville can clinch a place in the Challenge Cup semifinals with a win, draw or even loss, which would cement Racing’s first berth in an NWSL knockout tournament of any kind. The Louisvillians also have a shot at securing home-field advantage for at least the Sept. 6 semifinal round.
You can review Racing’s Challenge Cup semifinals qualification scenarios here.
Tonight marks Pikkujämsä’s 10th start across all competitions and second in the Challenge Cup. It will be the 16th appearance for the Finnish international, who scored her first NWSL goal in the regular-season win over Kansas City on July 7.
Julia Lester remains in the starting lineup and will pair with Pikkujämsä at center back, partnering with Lauren Milliet and Carson Pickett along the defensive back line. This will be Lester’s 10th start of the season and third start in the Challenge Cup.
Captain Jaelin Howell once again will anchor the midfield, patrolling the middle of the park with Jordan Baggett and Kayla Fischer. The trio has started the past three games together since the departures of Ary Borges and Savannah DeMelo for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Baggett bagged her first Challenge Cup goal last time out, slotting home a cross from Kirsten Davis for what proved to be the game-winning goal. Fischer scored her first professional goal when Racing last played Houston, a 3-0 win in Louisville on June 14.
Up front, red-hot winger Paige Monaghan leads the line in tandem with Davis and Parker Goins. Monaghan has scored in three consecutive games, tying Goins as the only player in Racing’s young history to find the back of the net in as many appearances. The 26-year-old Monaghan has already set new career-highs with four goals and two assists across all competitions. Goins will make her second consecutive start.
Nadia Nadim is available as a reserve. Ella Shamburger, who recently signed as a National Team Replacement Player, is on the substitutes bench for the first time since joining Racing.
Jordyn Bloomer and Jess McDonald were previously listed as out on the player availability report. Borges, DeMelo, Wang Shuang, Uchenna Kanu, Thembi Kgatlana and Alex Chidiac are all at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Racing Team Sheet at Houston
1 – Katie Lund
16 – Carson Pickett
15 – Julia Lester
4 – Elli Pikkujämsä
2 – Lauren Milliet
6 – Jaelin Howell (c)
9 – Kayla Fischer
19 – Jordan Baggett
5 – Paige Monaghan
22 – Kirsten Davis
21 – Parker Goins
Substitutes: 99 – Olivia Sekany; 3 – Zaneta Wyne, 10 – Nadia Nadim, 12 – Ella Shamburger, 13 – Emina Ekic, 17 – Maddie Pokorny, 25 – Rebecca Holloway, 26 – Taylor Aylmer, 31 – Riley Parker
