LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) - A new era ideally feels different. It should usher in the change you are looking for.

For Racing Louisville FC, there is still a whole season for the club to deliver under new head coach Bev Yanez. But in her debut as the permanent head coach, a far too familiar feeling was the result instead.

Louisville raced out a 2-0 lead in the first 20 minutes against the Orlando Pride in Racing's season opener on Saturday, but watched the advantage disappear in a 2-2 draw. Orlando scored the tying goal in the 86th minute while playing with 10 players after watching Kylie Strom leave due to a red card, which was from earning a second yellow card in the 62nd minute.

"Obviously, we wanted to walk away with three points," Yanez said. "But I want to acknowledge the fact that how hard the group worked, and I told them from the get go, it's not going to be perfect on day one."

The start for Racing practically was perfect. First-round pick Reilyn Turner made her first career start and an instant impact in her debut, launching a long assist to Elexa Bahr, who chipped the first goal of the match in the 13th minute.

It only took six minutes for Louisville to find the back of the net again, as Bahr found Uchenna Kanu to make it 2-0.

"In the beginning, we were definitely on top of them," Bahr said.

"We got on the right foot quickly in the game," Kanu said. "We settled and we started playing our style."

But you could sense a shift after an Elli Pikkujämsä own goal in the first half got Orlando back into the match. The visiting team ended up winning the possession battle, taking it over late in the first half.

Even after Strom was sent off later, Orlando continued to apply pressure. Eventually, Summer Yates broke through to capitalize on a late set piece and spoil Louisville's season opener.

"I think for us, it's continuing to stay in the game and continuing to gain momentum back," Yanez said. "I say it quite frequently: Momentum constantly changes in games. And the way that you continue to build yourself back into it is to take care of the ball and continue to find that momentum tank being filled back up."

"We just have to keep it 100 and stay on top of each team as we go on," Bahr said.

"It's up to us to recognize that earlier in the games and just adjust to whatever challenge that we might have," Kanu said.

Losing in this sort of fashion is a sore spot for the club as it tries to break through in its fourth season. Last year, Louisville tied for the NWSL lead with nine draws.

There were multiple two-goal leads that Racing couldn't hold, which ended up costing Louisville its first-ever playoff spot in what was a tight postseason race.

Now, it is far too early to think Racing is in for the same fate. The club did not even start captain Jaelin Howell in the first half due to an ongoing injury recovery, but she did sub on in the second half and looked ready to be back to full strength. Another midfield star in Ary Borges was also unavailable.

Plus, new pieces like Bahr and Turner did not waste time showing their potential.

But for now, Yanez and her staff have to find a way to flush this familiar feeling so Louisville can launch in her first season.

"Our effort is a controllable," Yanez said. "I thought we controlled that very much so today. But I think for us, it's just continuing to find ways, continuing to push in every aspect, continuing to stay checked in in every aspect to ensure that obviously, we close games out. But again, I 100% believe we can't knock the effort of the group today. And for me, I'm very proud of that."

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