USL Louisville City FC

LouCity Carries Stout Defense into Midweek Matchup

Published on March 22, 2022 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC defender Amadou Dia
Louisville City FC defender Amadou Dia
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)

Last season, Louisville City FC put back-to-back clean sheets together only twice: once in the regular season and again to open the playoffs. Two games into its 2022 campaign, however, LouCity is already on a shutout streak as signs of an improved defense show themselves.

It's not just that the boys in purple are preventing opponents from scoring. They've given their foes little hope for anything other than a bagel - a trend they'll look to take on the road when traveling to play New York Red Bulls II at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The clubs will meet at MSU Soccer Park on Montclair State University's campus after LouCity closed down Miami FC in a weekend win at Lynn Family Stadium. The visitors tried only 4 shots with an expected goals total of 0.33. In its Week 1 victory, LouCity held Atlanta United 2 to 6 shots with 0.26 xGoals.

"I talked a lot last year about how we didn't concede a lot of chances, but we were conceding goals," said Head Coach Danny Cruz. "Anytime you have a shutout...the way we choose to play, it's collective. That zero isn't just because of the goalkeeper or just because of the defenders.

"If you look at (forward) Wilson (Harris), the guy runs himself into the ground. It starts there, and you look at how our goalkeeper and the back line have been playing and the ground the midfield covers. I can't speak highly enough of the group at the moment.

"But the challenge is to understand we're not where we need to be yet. We're going to continue to get better every day - continue to stay humble - and get the results that are necessary."

Backing up Cruz's words, Kyle Morton is one of two goalkeepers across the USL Championship with multiple clean sheets. But he's tied for 19th on the saves list having only needed to stop a trio of shots.

Cruz didn't make lineup changes from Week 1 to 2. Given the New York trip's a midweek contest, rotation is likely this time.

Particularly defensively, LouCity touts plenty of depth behind a starting center back core of Wes Charpie and the 16-year-old academy product Josh Wynder. All-League defender Sean Totsch and European newcomer Ian Soler are both options, while Manny Perez and Ray Serrano have proven to be versatile additions to this year's squad.

A spate of yellow cards Saturday - LouCity and Miami FC totaled nine on the night - led to Cruz giving his bench some earlier chances anyway.

"It certainly dictated some of our subs," Cruz said. "...The guys that came on did an excellent job. We get another goal, and they close the game out. This is what a team is. We just said it in (the locker room): Whether you started, whether you dress, whether you don't dress - we don't get to a result like this without the group throughout the week."

Following the Red Bulls II game, it's another quick turnaround to LouCity's next home game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against rival Indy Eleven.

Follow along...

- For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter and Louisville City FC on Facebook. Also find us at louisvillecityfc on Instagram.

- Wednesday's game will air on MyTV and stream via ESPN+ and the WDRB Now app. Listen to live radio coverage from Jeff Milby and Casey Whitfield on ESPN 680/105.7 or at ESPNLouisville.com.

Story lines

Know the foe: New York Red Bulls II - the only USL Championship club to have already played three games - are 1-2-0 under new head coach Gary Lewis, who succeeded the highly successful John Wolyniec. As with LouCity, Red Bulls II defeated Atlanta United 2 by a 1-0 score. But New York was shut out in its two losses to Miami FC and Loudoun United. Forward Jordan Adebayo-Smith scored the lone goal thus far after tallying 4 last season for his former club, the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Picking right back up: Midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo scored a career-high 9 goals in 2021, while forward Brian Ownby numbered 5 goals and a career-high 9 assists. The momentum appears to have spilled over into 2022 with DelPiccolo netting the first half opener in LouCity's weekend victory over Miami FC before Ownby used his speed down the right side to create a another goal for the club in the second half.

Impact signing: After netting a game-winning goal in his club debut in Week 1, forward Wilson Harris found himself involved in another key chance Saturday. DelPiccolo's 36th-minute first shot caromed off Harris, who was ultimately credited with an assist as DelPiccolo fired in the rebound. Harris is expected to see extended time at striker as Cameron Lancaster - LouCity's leading scorer in 2021 with 21 goals - recovers from a hamstring injury.

He's the Man(ny): Billed as a versatile offseason signing, Manny Perez has lived up to expectations, first with a USL Championship Team of the Week performance in the opener. Perez continued to show superior ability on the ball from the right back spot on Saturday when he slotted a ball in behind to Ownby, setting up the assist on a decisive second goal. Perez also led LouCity with 4 dribbles completed and competed 91.7% of passes in the final third.

Sweet 16: Following in the footsteps of USL Championship Young Player of the Year Jonathan Gomez, defender Josh Wynder has the look of LouCity's next great teenaged sensation. The 16-year-old has gone a full 90 minutes in both of LouCity's games thus far, leading the team in passing accuracy (89.7%) and ranking second behind fellow center back Wes Charpie in touches (76) in the Miami win.

One to watch: Forward Jorge Gonzalez, signed to a permanent LouCity deal after playing for the club on loan last season, hasn't yet registered a goal or assist. But he's knocking on the door. Gonzalez on Saturday completed 14 passes in the final third, tried 6 crosses and created 3 chances, all team highs. His average position was farther back on the pitch than only the goal scorers DelPiccolo and Ownby, according to Stats Perform.

Between the posts: Through two games, Kyle Morton's duties in goal have gone much like those who preceded him. LouCity's goalkeepers aren't often called upon, but they have to come up big in key moments. Morton thwarted a one-on-one counter in the Atlanta victory and saved both shots on target Miami presented him, a solid start for a player twice named a finalist for USL Championship Goalkeeper of the Year.

Youth movement: For the first time Saturday, multiple LouCity Academy products finished a game on the field together with Wynder getting the start and midfielder Carlos Moguel Jr. coming on as an 86th-minute substitute. Four players have completed the club's path to pro, with defender Owen Damm a rookie this season and Elijah Wynder - Josh's older brother - out on loan to USL League One's FC Tucson.

Home fortress: Chilly game night temperatures haven't prevented Lynn Family Stadium from upholding its reputation so far this season. Attendance has averaged 8,582, and LouCity has continued a run of just one home loss dating back to when COVID-19 capacity restrictions lifted last June. After Wednesday's game at Red Bulls II, the boys in purple turn right around to host rival Indy Eleven at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

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Images from this story

Louisville City FC defender Amadou Dia
Louisville City FC defender Amadou Dia
(Connor Cunningham)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 22, 2022


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