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USL Louisville City FC

Challenging Atlante FC Friendly Doubles as Hispanic Celebration

July 14, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC defender Oscar Jimenez
Louisville City FC defender Oscar Jimenez
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Chris Humphries)

Fans will be treated to a unique show on and off the field Saturday as the Louisville City FC welcomes Mexico's Atlante FC to Lynn Family Stadium for an 8 p.m. international friendly.

Attractions will include authentic Hispanic entertainment and cuisine leading into an expectedly tall sporting task after Atlante finished third in the second-division Liga de Expansión's 2022-2023 MX season. Saturday's visitors open a new campaign later this month already boasting a preseason win last weekend over first-division Mexican powerhouse Club América.

Off the pitch, Lynn Family Stadium's Fan Zone at the north/waterfront end of the venue opens at 6 p.m. featuring a $2 beer happy hour and performance by Ohio Valley Wrestling's luchadores. All stadium gates open at 7 p.m. with live music from local band +Flow featuring in the seltzer garden on the east side.

Food trucks on site will include Gustavo's, I Love Tacos, Las Gorditas, Las Platas and Tacos Feliz. A number of regular Lynn Family Stadium concession stands will serve traditional fare such as Buñuelos, a fried dough fritter, from regular funnel cake maker Moutoux's, and empanadas from Caffe Classico in the grab-and-go concession area behind the Estopinal End.

Tickets and more information are available at LouCity.com/Atlante.

This marks LouCity's second-ever international friendly following a visit from second-division German club FC Kaiserslautern on June 21. The boys in purple fell by a 2-1 score but also celebrated the debuts of a number of LouCity Academy standouts.

City could similarly turn to its youth for minutes Saturday as the club makes this the third of five games played over just a 15-game span. The boys in purple turn around to travel to Detroit City FC in a USL Championship game on Wednesday night.

"You look at it kind of how Kaiserslautern came in," said LouCity defender Sean Totsch. "It was an opportunity to go stress-free soccer, enjoy it and play some really good football - play the game we love and in front of some good fans.

"I'm excited to see the different fan base that comes in for it. I know there's a lot of different Latin communities doing events and stuff around it. It'll be really cool, and hopefully it just grows the fan base and the love and support of the club and city."

Coached by Mario García - who played his entire 15-year career for the club - Atlante features a roster made up of mostly domestic talents. One exception is forward Daniel Lajud, a 13-goal scorer last season who ranked third in the league's Golden Boot race.

Mexico City-based Atlante's origins date back to 1916. The Colts, as they're nicknamed, have won Copa Mexico three times and the Concacaf Champions Cup (now known as the Champions League) twice in addition to numerous league titles.

LouCity-Atlante will air locally on MyTV 58 and ESPN Louisville's 680/105.7. TV with national streaming coverage on ESPN+.

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Images from this story

Louisville City FC defender Oscar Jimenez
Louisville City FC defender Oscar Jimenez
(Chris Humphries)		   

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