LouCity Collars the 'Hounds, Extends Players' Shield Lead
USL Louisville City FC

LouCity Collars the 'Hounds, Extends Players' Shield Lead

Published on September 13, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC on game night
Louisville City FC on game night
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Saif Greco)

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

For the 12th time in its history, Louisville City FC marched into Highmark Stadium and emerged unscathed against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, this time delivering a 2-0 defeat to the hosts in their house.

Louisville (17-1-6, 57 points) is 7-0-5 all time against the Riverhounds at "Fort Highmark." The 12-game streak is a USL Championship record unbeaten run for a visiting opponent.

"Ultimately it comes down when you come to Pittsburgh, to have a mentality ... and I thought in the second half we had that," head coach Danny Cruz said.

The win clinches a top-two finish in the Eastern Conference for Louisville City, guaranteeing that both the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal and Semifinal will be played at Lynn Family Stadium, should LouCity advance.

It also pushes Louisville ever closer to a second straight Players' Shield title - the second-place Charleston Battery dropped points Saturday with a 3-3 draw at the Oakland Roots, extending Louisville's lead to six points.

"(It's about) not taking our foot off the gas pedal," forward Adrien Perez said of the end of the season. "We have good momentum ... we just gotta keep pushing one game at a time, getting ready for playoffs."

In a series between Louisville and Pittsburgh that has seen four scoreless draws, including the season's first meeting in May at Lynn Family Stadium, the first half of Saturday's affair felt familiarly dull. The two sides combined for just five shots, with one attempt on target for each.

Things changed in the second half, for Louisville at least - and it was the changes that made the difference.

Cruz made three substitutions at the half, and LouCity responded quickly. Kevon Lambert marked his return from international duty with a goal, opening the scoring by finishing from close range after a corner kick in the 50th minute.

Substitute Adrien Perez capped things off in the 87th by capitalizing on a quick break to sit the 'Hounds down in defeat. Fellow second half sub Jansen Wilson earned an assist on the play.

"It was a great feeling to be able to get on the scoresheet again," Perez said. It was his first goal in league play since March.

"I thought the guys executed the changes in the second half excellent. I thought the guys that came on did a fantastic jobs changing the game," Cruz said. "I thought in the second 45 we were very, very good."

It was just the third time this season Pittsburgh has conceded multiple goals at home, and the first time LouCity has scored multiple goals at Pittsburgh since a playoff victory in 2019.

"In these matches here (at Highmark), we know it's always going to be a battle. It's about set pieces and a little bit about transition, and that's where the two goals come from tonight." captain Brian Ownby said. He made his first start since November 2023 in the win.

Damian Las returned in goal after three games sidelined with injury to record Louisville's third clean sheet in the last four games, making four saves in the process.

"(Defense) was an emphasis going in to this season about where we wanted to improve coming from last year, and I certainly think we've done that up to this point," Cruz said, noting that there's, "always room for growth in that phase of the game."

"Those three center backs were just monsters tonight," Ownby said.

LouCity now returns home after sweeping three straight games on the road.

The Las Vegas Lights will come to Lynn Family Stadium for Noche Latina, a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. For tickets and more information, visit LouCity.com/nochelatina.

Game Summary: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Louisville City FC

Date: September 13, 2025

Venue: Highmark Stadium

Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET

Weather: 73 degrees, clear

Scoring

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (0, 0, 0)

Louisville City FC (0, 2, 2)

Goals

Louisville City FC:

50' Kevon Lambert (Sean Totsch)

87' Adrien Perez (Jansen Wilson)

Lineups

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: 1 - Erick Dick; 22 - Guillaume Vacter, 5 - Sean Suber, 16 - Roberto Ydrach, 13 - Luke Biasi (70' 12 - Charles Ahl), 15 - Bradley Sample, 2 - Danny Griffin (c), 3 - Perrin Barnes (45' 8 - Junior Etou), 14 - Robbie Mertz (87' 20 - Jason Bouregy), 10 - Bertin Jacquesson (69' 7 - Chase Boone), 9 - Augustine Williams

Subs not used: 17 - Brigham Larsen, 28 - Illal Osumanu, 31 - Jacob Randolph

Head coach: Bob Lilley

Louisville City FC: 1 - Damian Las; 2 - Aiden McFadden (45' 13 - Amadou Dia), 32 - Kyle Adams, 24 - Josh Jones, 4 - Sean Totsch, 83 - Brandon Dayes (72' 23 - Sam Gleadle), 17 - Taylor Davila, 31 - Kevon Lambert, 11 - Niall McCabe (45' 16 - Adrien Perez), 10 - Brian Ownby (c) (78' 7 - Ray Serrano), 53 - Cameron Lancaster (45' 25 - Jansen Wilson)

Subs not used: 12 - Danny Faundez; 3 - Jake Morris, 27 - Evan Davila, 80 - Hayden Stamps

Head coach: Danny Cruz

Stats Summary: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC / Louisville City FC

Shots: 15 / 7

Shots on Goal: 4 / 4

Expected goals: 0.44 / 0.11

Possession: 63.8% / 36.2%

Fouls: 11 / 14

Offside: 2 / 3

Corner Kicks: 7 / 3

Discipline Summary

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC:

48' Robbie Mertz (yellow)

Louisville City FC:

31' Aiden McFadden (yellow)

37' Taylor Davila (yellow)

Referee: Elvis Osmanovic

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics

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Images from this story

Louisville City FC on game night
Louisville City FC on game night
(Saif Greco)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 13, 2025


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