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USL Louisville City FC

LouCity Can't Crack the Athletic in Scoreless Draw at Hartford

June 3, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC battles the Hartford Athletic
Louisville City FC battles the Hartford Athletic
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Hartford Athletic)

Louisville City FC and Hartford Athletic played to a scoreless draw Saturday night after both sides lost key attackers early due to injury.

LouCity's Brian Ownby (26th minute) and Hartford's Elvis Amoh (29th minute) exited in quick succession while appearing to favor hamstrings. In their absence, both sides failed to hit the back of the net at Trinity Health Stadium in Connecticut.

It'll be City (6-3-3, 21 points) that leaves more disappointed with the result. While the boys in purple are now unbeaten in seven of their last eight USL Championship games, the Athletic (2-7-3, 9 points) entered last in the Eastern Conference. The hosts' 24 goals conceded were also most across the league going into the weekend.

"They haven't done what they did tonight one time this year," said coach Danny Cruz. "They dropped off completely and played in a 5-4-1...So they put a lot of numbers behind the ball, made it difficult for us to break down and played for transition. Their game plan was clear, and (they) obviously came away with a point."

LouCity controlled 60.8% of Saturday's possession, numbered season-high 532 passes and registered 73 final third entries, according to Stats Perform. But City went the game's duration without taking a shot on target.

Despite the statistical imbalance, Hartford claimed the better of chances while forcing goalkeeper Oliver Semmle into three saves on the night. Semmle most notably denied former LouCity forward Antoine Hoppenot at point-blank range, thwarting a 34th-minute corner kick to the back post. He then turned Hoppenot away again just before the half on a stab at the near post.

A sixth clean sheet on the year tied the rookie out of Marshall University for the league lead in shutouts.

"I thought he was excellent tonight," Cruz said of Semmle. "His management of the game was good. He had one or two good saves, and it doesn't surprise us at all. He has a lot of quality. It's a big reason we brought him here. We didn't feel he was someone who wasn't going to be ready or anything like that. We were happy with his performance tonight, and we've been happy with his performances so far this year."

Hartford, meanwhile, went with a new goalkeeper in Joe Rice, who logged his first minutes of the season - a change made with the Athletic's defense struggling. LouCity didn't test him, coming closest on a crafty set piece in the 18th minute. Dylan Mares tapped a free kick through Oscar Jimenez's legs and to Wilson Harris, whose shot rolled wide left.

Paolo DelPiccolo saw a shot in the box blocked in the 77th minute, and City had one more chance to win it four minutes into second half stoppage time when a half clearance landed to Tyler Gibson near the top of the box. That try sailed wide left as well.

"I think we've been really good defensively," Semmle said. "Offensively, we want to be better. When it clicks and we start scoring goals, we're going to start winning more games.

"...We're disappointed, obviously. We want to win these games. We want to get points. We have a high standard, and I think we can do better in the final third. But as I said, I think once we score, it starts clicking, we get the momentum and we start winning games."

This marked the first instance of LouCity dropping points against Hartford since the club began play in 2019. The boys in purple were 5-0 in prior meetings.

Lack of finishing touch continues to be an issue for the boys in purple, who are fourth in the Eastern Conference and well within the top spot. But they've scored only 12 goals in as many gams this year, with a -1 goal differential.

LouCity will look for the right offensive gear next weekend when returning home to Lynn Family Stadium, hosting Memphis 901 FC for an 8 p.m. Saturday kickoff.

"The group is in a good position," Cruz said. "We're going to go back home, we're going to continue to work on the attacking side of the ball, and we'll look forward to another tough test on Saturday. You're a game in hand from behind atop the East, and you just got your sixth shutout in 12 games. I'm confident in this group."

Game Summary: Hartford Athletic vs. Louisville City FC

Date: June 3, 2023

Venue: Trinity Health Stadium

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Weather: 58 degrees, cloudy

Scoring

Hartford Athletic (0, 0, 0)

Louisville City FC (0, 0, 0)

Lineups

Hartford Athletic: 13 - Joe Rice, 50 - Niall Logue, 28 - Conor McGlynn, 3 - Kaveh Rad, 29 - Antoine Hoppenot, 16 - Matt Sheldon, 8 - Juan Pablo Torres, 5 - Triston Hodge, 19 - Luke Merrill, 77 - Andre Lewis (69' 7 - Prince Saydee), 9 - Elvis Amoh (29' 17 - Kyle Edwards)

Subs not used: 1 - Richard Sanchez, 6 - Beverly Makangila, 10 - Danny Barrera, 14 - Ash Apollon, 22 - Robin Lapert

Head coach: Tab Ramos

Louisville City FC: 28 - Oliver Semmle, 13 - Amadou Dia, 4 - Sean Totsch, 6 - Wes Charpie, 19 - Oscar Jimenez, 12 - Tyler Gibson, 22 - Dylan Mares (63' 77 - Enoch Mushagalusa), 5 - Rasmus Thellufsen (90'+1 23 - Elijah Wynder), 9 - Jorge Gonzalez, 10 - Brian Ownby (26' 36 - Paolo DelPiccolo), 14 - Wilson Harris (63' 17 - Cameron Lancaster)

Subs not used: 18 - Danny Faundez, 67 - Owen Damm, 8 - Carlos Moguel Jr.

Head coach: Danny Cruz

Stats Summary: Hartford Athletic / Louisville City FC

Shots: 5 / 9

Shots on Goal: 3 / 0

Possession: 39.2% / 60.8%

Fouls: 10 / 20

Offside: 1 / 0

Corner Kicks: 3 / 7

Discipline Summary

Hartford Athletic:

77' Antoine Hoppenot (yellow)

Louisville City FC:

73' Enoch Mushagalusa (yellow)

82' Tyler Gibson (yellow)

Referee: Luis Diego Arroyo

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics




Images from this story

Louisville City FC battles the Hartford Athletic
Louisville City FC battles the Hartford Athletic
(Hartford Athletic)		   

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