
Hackworth Focused on Early Intensity
July 25, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release
When Louisville City FC takes on Loudoun United Sunday night at Audi Field, the stadium likely won't be the only thing that appears like an MLS club, some of the players might be as well.
"Very similar to Bethlehem Steel," Louisville City coach John Hackworth said. "Anytime you are playing an MLS team, you deal with professional players that are on the younger side, but they are not in that club unless they have a lot of quality and a lot of potential to be in the first team. With Bethlehem Steel, you saw a bunch of guys who played with the first team that played in Slugger the other night. And I think we will have the same thing when we go to Audi Field because we will see a bunch of DC United players mixed in with young guys. So, it's the same kind of presentation for us."
Figuring out opposing lineups can be tricky when facing MLS affiliated USL Championship teams, but Hackworth said Louisville City must focus on bringing home three points from its DC road trip.
"We have to control what we can," Hackworth said. "I still think our quality and our experience should come but it can't come out if we don't bring the effort and mentality that we are continually talking about."
Louisville City fell 1-0 to Bethlehem Steel last Saturday. The Boys in Purple surrendered a goal to their opponents for the seventh match in a row, a trend Hackworth wants to see end.
"Trying to get our intensity, our mentality right from the very start so that we start at our maximum and we finish at our maximum," Hackworth said. "Obviously, you have to manage the match, but when it comes to the intensity and mentality. I think if we control us playing at 100 percent of that effort, 100 percent of our focus and concentration, that's where we've made mistake this year."
Goalkeeper Chris Hubbard said he likes what he has seen from his teammates so far this week in training.
"It was a frustrating result, that's for sure, but everybody came out here and put their work in today," Hubbard said. "Really high intensity, good quality, so it was the right response. We just gotta carry in through the rest of the week and into Sunday."
Hackworth said he wants to see his team carry over their intensity from training to the game field.
"I've said this before; this is a great group of guys to work with and they are great to work with because they bring such a positive mentality to how they train and how they work," Hackworth said. "We just have to bring the same thing to games. The unfortunate thing is, I think our fans and obviously when you are in this sport on the Saturdays or Sundays whatever the match day is, that's the time where the spotlight is on you and everyone gets to have a judgement and perception. For me, that start of the game against Bethlehem Steel was not indicative of what these men are capable of and what they do on a daily basis."
Louisville City and Loudoun United kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Audi Field. The game will be broadcast locally on WBKI and streamed online on ESPN+.
The radio broadcast with Kevin Kernen and Jeff Greer will be on 840 WHAS starting at 6:45, originating from the LouCity Watch Party at El Nopal Blankenbaker.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 25, 2019
- Match Preview vs. RGV FC Toros - Las Vegas Lights FC
- Republic FC Academy Forward Rafael Jauregui Called Up to U.S. Under-15 Boys' National Team - Sacramento Republic FC
- Preview: Nashville SC Takes the Pitch at Nissan Stadium against Indy Eleven on Saturday - Nashville SC
- OCSC Host Sacramento Republic for Second Annual Beerfest - Orange County SC
- North Carolina FC Returns Home to Face Atlanta United 2 on Saturday - North Carolina FC
- STLFC Signs Academy Player Nikiphoros Vlastos to Professional Contract - Saint Louis FC
- Match Preview: #NYvTBR - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Foxes Sign Former U-23s Midfielder Suleiman Samura - Fresno FC
- Championship Look Ahead - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Orange County Gets Hot to Stop Reno 1868 - Orange County SC
- Hackworth Focused on Early Intensity - Louisville City FC
- El Paso Locomotive FC Continues Development of Youth Soccer in the Borderland Region - El Paso Locomotive FC
- Guenzatti Named to Championship Team of the Week - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Indy Eleven Becomes First Professional Soccer Club to Partner with Learfield IMG College Ticket Solutions - Indy Eleven
- Nashville SC Acquires Forrest Lasso on Loan from FC Cincinnati - Nashville SC
- Late wonder goal undoes Republic FC's second-half comeback - Sacramento Republic FC
- Tacoma Defiance Earns 4-1 Home Victory over Las Vegas Lights FC - Tacoma Defiance
- Lights FC Lose Tough Road Battle at Tacoma - Las Vegas Lights FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Louisville City FC Stories
- LouCity Defeats North Carolina to Stay in the USL Cup Knockout Hunt
- LouCity's Home Game against North Carolina Postponed to 6 p.m. Sunday
- What to Watch for as LouCity Meets North Carolina FC in USL Jägermeister Cup
- LouCity Signs Morris to New Multi-Year Contract
- LouCity Tops Loudoun for Third Time this Season in Remarkable Fashion

