LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Russia's invasion of Ukraine has left a good many international players with contracts in the country looking to find new spots, after FIFA ruled that foreign players and coaches could void their deals.
One of those players who did, is headed to Racing Louisville FC. The club announced on Tuesday that Sh'Nia Gordon, who starred at West Virginia University, will join Racing from CSKA Moscow.
She had spent the past seven months in Moscow with the two-time Russian Women’s Football Championship winners and UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers.
She has agreed to a two-year contract with Racing.
“This is my first time being back in America in two and a half years, and I’m really excited,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to play in the NWSL, but first I wanted to play overseas. That’s why I went to France – that was my dream. But long-term, I always thought about returning to America, and this was just perfect timing.”
A 24-year-old from Ocklawaha, Florida, Gordon comes to Racing with a goal scoring and playmaking pedigree. Before her time with CSKA, she totaled 7 goals and 4 for French club Dijon FCO in a ninth-place finish in the top flight over the 2020-21 campaign. In the 2019-20 season, she played 16 matches as a first-year professional for French first-division side FC Metz, where she scored three goals.
“Sh’Nia is a winger with great pace and power,” Racing coach Kim Björkegren said. “I saw her already a couple of years ago, and this last year she played for CSKA Moscow, a team we played against in the Champions League with my former club. She has proven her level in different leagues, and we’re excited to see her in the NWSL with us.”
Gordon is expected to arrive in Louisville before Friday’s 7:30 p.m. opener against the KC Current at Lynn Family Stadium.
She joins a talented attacking corps that returns leading scorers Ebony Salmon (6 goals) and Cece Kizer (5 goals) in addition to Nadia Nadim, who still is recovering from knee surgery, and local product Emina Ekic. This past offseason Racing also added 2019 World Cup winner Jess McDonald, the league’s fourth all-time scorer and top assists producer, as well as college All-American Kirsten Davis.
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