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USL Louisville City FC

Loucity Caught Off Its Game In Loss At New Mexico United

September 30, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC in action
Louisville City FC in action
(Louisville City FC, Credit: New Mexico United)

Louisville City FC lost both a game and a bigger-picture opportunity Saturday in its 2-0 defeat at New Mexico United.

Paired with a Memphis 901 FC loss earlier in the evening, LouCity had the opportunity to jump to fourth on the Eastern Conference table - and into a hosting position for the USL Championship Playoffs - with a win or draw.

Instead, the boys in purple failed to capitalize after seeing two New Mexico players sent off, leaving the hosts shorthanded most of the second half at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque.

"The entire evening was a disgrace," said coach Danny Cruz. "I don't think it had anything to do with tactics. I think it had everything to do with desire, heart and quality on the ball. There's no other way to describe it - not representative of the club.

"...We learned a lot tonight, that's for sure, as a staff. For me, there's no other word to use but disgraceful."

Two regular season games remain for LouCity (14-11-7, 49 points). The club is locked into the playoffs but looking to improve its seeding, remaining even on points but behind in the tiebreaker with fourth-place Memphis.

It could have been a different story, with City controlling its destiny for the fourth spot, had Saturday gone better.

United's Shanyder Borgelin exited in the 53rd minute after receiving a second yellow card for a late challenge on LouCity's Paolo DelPiccolo. Nicky Hernandez was then dismissed in the 75th minute, also on a second yellow, for excessively celebrating his goal.

The boys in purple tried seven shots after New Mexico dropped to nine players but none landed on target.

"A lot of things went wrong today - on the ball, off the ball, on the top, in the back, everywhere," said goalkeeper Oliver Semmle. "We really have to fix those issues. The playoffs start in (three) weeks. This was not good at all - really bad. It was embarrassing what we showed today."

This marked LouCity's first trip to New Mexico, which had more than 11,000 in attendance. United (11-14-7, 40 points) are in a race to make the playoffs, now sitting just a point out of the eighth-place cutoff in the Western Conference thanks to Saturday's win.

Harry Swartz opened scoring in the 32nd minute, converting with help from a deflection in the box. Hernandez doubled the lead in the 74th minute by curling in a shot on the counter against the run of play, as LouCity had held 67% of possession in the quarter hour leading up to his strike.

Hernandez donned a mask from a member of the New Mexico supporter section, leading to his second yellow card and dismissal. But City didn't take advantage of the opportunity, getting shut out for the first time in its last seven games.

LouCity will play its final two regular season games at home, starting next Saturday when Hartford Athletic visits for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff and again at the same time Oct. 14 against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

"I want to see a group that's going to fight from zero to 90 minutes, because we have the quality to win every single game," Cruz said. "But when our mentality isn't right - when our mentality isn't where it needs to be - you see performances like you saw tonight.

"It was absolutely a lost opportunity. We were aware on the sideline when that (Memphis) game ended. But at the end of the day, if you don't have a group that's willing to fight from zero to 90, you're not giving yourself the best chance to win the game.

"More importantly, for me, what I expect of a team that's on the field and representing Louisville City is when they walk off the field you know nothing is left on the field."

The single-elimination USL Championship Playoffs open the weekend of Oct. 21-22.

Game Summary: New Mexico United vs. Louisville City FC

Date: Sept. 30, 2023

Venue: Isotopes Park

Kickoff: 9 p.m. ET

Weather: 76 degrees, windy

Scoring

New Mexico United (1, 1, 2)

Louisville City FC (0, 0, 0)

Goals

New Mexico United:

32' Harry Swartz (Shanyder Borgelin)

74' Nicky Hernandez (Amando Moreno)

Lineups

New Mexico United: 26 - Andrew Thomas, 5 - Josh Suggs, 22 - Kalen Ryden, 16 - Will Seymore, 15 - Arturo Astorga, 43 - Justin Portillo (78' 4 - Sam Hamilton), 33 - Harry Swartz (58' 8 - Nicky Hernandez), 10 - Amando Moreno (82' 17 - Greg Hurst), 7 - Sergio Rivas, 19 - Zico Bailey, 49 - Shanyder Borgelin

Subs not used: 12 - Ford Parker, 11 - Santi Moar, 20 - Jacobo Reyes, 25 - Daniel Bruce

Head coach: Eric Quill

Louisville City FC: 28 - Oliver Semmle, 6 - Wes Charpie, 4 - Sean Totsch, 32 - Kyle Adams (76' 7 - Ray Serrano), 15 - Manny Perez, 36 - Paolo DelPiccolo (64' 22 - Dylan Mares), 8 - Carlos Moguel Jr., 19 - Oscar Jimenez (46' 67 - Owen Damm), 9 - Jorge Gonzalez (46' 23 - Elijah Wynder), 10 - Brian Ownby, 14 - Wilson Harris

Subs not used: 18 - Danny Faundez, 12 - Tyler Gibson, 5 - Rasmus Thellufsen

Head coach: Danny Cruz

Stats Summary: New Mexico United / Louisville City FC

Shots: 10 / 13

Shots on Goal: 3 / 3

Possession: 44.2% / 55.8%

Fouls: 12 / 11

Offside: 4 / 1

Corner Kicks: 2 / 5

Discipline Summary

New Mexico United:

16' Shanyder Borgelin (yellow)

53' Shanyder Borgelin (yellow)

59' Justin Portillo (yellow)

70' Nicky Hernandez (yellow)

74' Nicky Hernandez (yellow)

Referee: Corbyn May

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Images from this story

Louisville City FC in action
Louisville City FC in action
(New Mexico United)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 30, 2023


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