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USL Louisville City FC

LouCity Rolls Past SKC II with Four-Goal Outburst

August 19, 2020 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC celebrates a goal against Sporting Kansas City II
Louisville City FC celebrates a goal against Sporting Kansas City II
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Bee Buck Photography)

For the first time in 2020 - and at just the right time - Louisville City FC's on a winning streak.

The attacking midfield came alive Wednesday night as Corben Bone registered a brace and Napo Matsoso continued racking up statistics in a 4-1 rout of Sporting KC II at Lynn Family Stadium.

It all started with LouCity's leading striker, Cameron Lancaster, pouring in his fifth goal of the year. That ranks him third across the league behind only Indy Eleven's Tyler Pasher and Phoenix Rising's Junior Flemmings, who have tallied eight goals apiece.

Wednesday's pulled LouCity into a tie for second on points with Saint Louis FC in the USL Championship's Group E. At the end of a 16-game season now halfway done, the top two advance to the playoffs.

"Yeah, we can feel it," coach and sporting director John Hackworth said of LouCity's momentum. "We've played better. We've gotten back-to-back wins at home, and we've had a lot of problems that we worked really hard on trying to solve. We all know that we've made progress, and that's the key. Now you feel that you're moving it forward in a positive way. You're getting results, and the goals are starting to fall.

"It doesn't mean we're done. There's so much that we can improve on tonight, and we're going to talk about all those things, but we got a little bit of our swagger back for sure."

This game arrived one week later than scheduled after a member of the Sporting KC II organization tested positive for COVID-19. LouCity used the extra time wisely, defeating Loudoun United FC by a 2-0 score last weekend to establish momentum.

The boys in purple didn't let up with just one change made to their lineup four days later.

In the 11th minute, midfielder Antoine Hoppenot crossed to Lancaster, who settled the ball with his chest in the center of the box, then fired past SKC II's keeper.

The lead doubled in the 29th minute with a breakout moment by midfielder Corben Bone. On a nice flick from Lancaster, he found space and finished with a laser for his first goal with the club.

Bone also rounded out first half scoring in the 35th minute after Matsoso split defenders, then delivered a cross that needed only a touch of the right foot to give LouCity a commanding lead at the break.

"I've been wanting to get one, and it finally happened today," said Bone, who played previously for Major League Soccer's FC Cincinnati. "It was good get one and then two."

SKC II did offer an answer in the 32nd minute. The boys in purple, who didn't sufficiently clear out a free kick, paid for it when defender Sam Raben out-jumped his marker for a headed goal. That was all, however, the visitors offered.

Matsoso shut the door on their hopes out of the locker room. Hoppenot booted a lengthy cross, midfielder Brian Ownby ducked to avoid it, and Matsoso put the ensuing try away. Contact was less than ideal, but the shot spun in nonetheless to mark LouCity's highest scoring output in 2020.

"Our midfield three are really working hard right now, and you just have to give credit to the whole team," said Matsoso, who scored for the second straight game. "Everyone has switched on and everyone understands what their plan is for the game and so far. It has been good."

The boys in purple needed just nine shots to score their four goals, and they lost the possession battle with Sporting KC II holding 59.3% of the ball. But that's no matter when you're up three goals late and on a three-game unbeaten streak.

From here, LouCity has a week off before hosting Group E-leading Indy Eleven at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26. The clubs played to a 1-1 draw when they first met earlier this month.

Game Summary

Date: Aug. 19, 2020

Venue: Lynn Family Stadium

Kickoff: 8 p.m.

Weather: 80 degrees, mostly sunny

Man of the Match: Napo Matsoso

Attendance: 4,850

Scoring

Louisville City: (3, 1, 4)

Sporting KC ll: (1, 0, 1)

Goals

Louisville City FC: 11'- Cameron Lancaster left footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Antoine Hoppenot with a cross. 29'- Corben Bone right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Cameron Lancaster. 36'- Corben Bone right footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Napo Matsoso with a cross. 53'- Napo Matsoso right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Antoine Hoppenot with a cross.

Sporting KC ll: 32'- Sam Raben header from the center of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Dillon Serna with a cross following a set piece situation.

Lineups

Louisville City FC: 39- Ben Lundt, 15- Pat McMahon (90' 8- Akil Watts), 4- Sean Totsch, 3- Alexis Souahy, 19- Oscar Jimenez (70' 42- Jonathan Gomez), 80- Devon Williams (90' 5- Jimmy Ockford), 36- Paolo DelPiccolo, 13- Corben Bone, 29- Antoine Hoppenot (79' 9- Luke Spencer), 17- Cameron Lancaster (45' 10- Brian Ownby), 27- Napo Matsoso

Subs not used: 1- Chris Hubbard, 77- Jason Johnson

Head Coach: John Hackworth

Sporting KC ll: 55- Gavin Krenecki, 88- Sam Raben, 48- Kaveh Rad, 33- Danny Barbir (55' 39- Petar Cuic), 40- Dillon Serna (55' 65- Isaiah LeFlore), 44- Camden Riley, 46- Jake Davis (74' 72- Ryan Fessler), 32- Christian Duke, 99- Jaret Townsend (55' 96- Wilson Harris), 34- Dominik Rešetar, 23- Tyler Freeman (66' 80- Fredinho Mompremier)

Subs not used: 42- Remi Prieur, 35- Duval Wapiwo

Head Coach: Paulo Nagamura

Discipline

Louisville City FC: 38'- Oscar Jimenez yellow card; 90+3'- Sean Totsch yellow card

Stats Summary: Louisville/Sporting KC ll

Shots: 9/8

Shots on Goal: 6/2

Saves: 1/2

Corner Kicks: 3/4

Fouls: 13/14

Offside: 1/5

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics




Images from this story

Louisville City FC celebrates a goal against Sporting Kansas City II
Louisville City FC celebrates a goal against Sporting Kansas City II
(Bee Buck Photography)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 19, 2020


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