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USL Louisville City FC

LouCity Stumbles in Tightly Contested Loss at Tampa Bay

September 9, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC battles the Tampa Bay Rowdies
Louisville City FC battles the Tampa Bay Rowdies
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Tampa Bay Rowdies)

There has been no tougher Eastern Conference destination for Louisville City FC than Al Lang Stadium, and the trend continued in Saturday's latest showdown against the host Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Tampa Bay forward Cal Jennings scored a goal in both halves of a 2-1 victory at the hosts' venue, where LouCity has won once in six tries dating back to its first visit in 2017.

This latest defeat served as a setback in an otherwise solid run of form for City. The club entered the weekend on a two-game winning streak, looking to challenge higher up the table on Match Day 28 of 34 leading into the USL Championship Playoffs. And there were chances to even the score late, namely Maarten Pouwels' 71st-minute pass in the box to Dylan Mares, who couldn't quite link up for a would-be equalizer.

"It was two good teams tonight," said coach Danny Cruz. "There's times I've walked away - I've come into this press conference and been fuming about lack of work rate or lack of mentality." That wasn't the case Saturday, with Cruz adding, "But we now have to learn from this game."

The sides played to a contentious 90-minute outcome that saw a combined 31 fouls whistled - five of them yellow card offenses by the boys in purple. The physicality provided a jolt to open the second half as LouCity quickly won back possession, leading to its goal.

Wilson Harris carried a lengthy dribble into the Rowdies' half before delivering a grounded shot from distance that rolled in the far corner. That, however, was the lone conversion for City on a night when Tampa Bay's Jennings remained one of the league's top threats.

Jennings scored for a fifth straight game, finishing into an empty net in the 39th minute after Oliver Semmle came off his line but failed to make contact. He also buried a 61st-minute cross from Jake Areman to mark the game-winner.

"The biggest thing for me was, a lot of times this club - this team - has prided itself on critical moments in the final third and defensive third," said defender Sean Totsch. "I think tonight, (Tampa Bay) just did a little more as far as those critical moments, whether it was getting on the end of a cross, finishing a chance or getting back and making a block."

Semmle was otherwise solid, making four saves, the majority of them in quick succession following Harris' leveling strike. LouCity also threatened early, with Wes Charpie's flicked-on header requiring a diving save in the second minute before Ray Serrano hit side netting on a shot in the box in the 16th.

"I still thought in the second half we had enough chances to tie the game up, but then there in the last 10, 15 minutes, it was nowhere near good enough," Cruz said. "That's something we can work on. There's a lot of positives we can take from the game, but it wasn't the result we're looking for."

City (12-9-7, 43 points) tallied 1.37 expected goals, according to Stats Perform, only a tick off Tampa Bay's 1.48. But lack of finishing continued an up-and-down campaign for the boys in purple, who have lost nine games in a single season for the first time - yet are currently in position to host their playoff opener.

The second-place Rowdies (16-7-5, 53 points) continue to chase Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC - also a winner Saturday - atop the East. LouCity will get its rematch with Tampa Bay on Oct. 14 in a Lynn Family Stadium regular season finale that could impact postseason seeding.

First, City will draw focus back to its lone September home game next Saturday against San Diego Loyal SC.

Game Summary: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Louisville City FC

Date: Sept. 9, 2023

Venue: Al Lang Stadium

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.

Weather: 83 degrees, clear

Scoring

Tampa Bay Rowdies (1, 1, 2)

Louisville City FC (0, 1, 1)

Goals

Tampa Bay Rowdies:

39' Cal Jennings (Aaron Guillen)

61' Cal Jennings (Jake Areman)

Louisville City FC:

46' Wilson Harris (Ray Serrano)

Lineups

Tampa Bay Rowdies: 1 - Connor Sparrow, 33 - Aaron Guillen (48' 8 - Jake Areman), 3 - Forrest Lasso, 19 - Freddy Kleeman, 2 - Conner Antley (34' 21 - Dayonn Harris), 22 - Jordan Doherty, 4 - Lewis Hilton, 7 - Yann Ekra, 14 - Charlie Dennis (79' 30 - Ariel Martinez), 26 - Cal Jennings (79' 9 - JJ Williams), 98 - Joshua Perez (79' 16 - Jake LaCava)

Subs not used: 15 - Phil Breno, 77 - Lucky Mkosana

Head coach: Eric Wilde

Louisville City FC: 28 - Oliver Semmle, 32 - Kyle Adams, 6 - Wes Charpie, 4 - Sean Totsch, 15 - Manny Perez (83' 11 - Niall McCabe), 23 - Elijah Wynder, 8 - Carlos Moguel Jr. (46' 12 - Tyler Gibson), 36 - Paolo DelPiccolo (46' Brian Ownby), 9 - Jorge Gonzalez (67' 22 - Dylan Mares), 7 - Ray Serrano (67' 90 - Maarten Pouwels), 14 - Wilson Harris

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

Head coach: Danny Cruz

Stats Summary: Tampa Bay Rowdies / Louisville City FC

Shots: 14 / 14

Shots on Goal: 6 / 5

Possession: 54.3% / 45.7%

Fouls: 14 / 17

Offside: 3 / 4

Corner Kicks: 6 / 3

Discipline Summary

Tampa Bay Rowdies:

37' Forrest Lasso (yellow)

86' JJ Williams (yellow)

Louisville City FC:

5' Carlos Moguel Jr. (yellow)

21' Paolo DelPiccolo (yellow)

43' Wes Charpie (yellow)

72' Elijah Wynder (yellow)

77' Kyle Adams (yellow)

Referee: Elijio Arreguin

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics




Images from this story

Louisville City FC battles the Tampa Bay Rowdies
Louisville City FC battles the Tampa Bay Rowdies
(Tampa Bay Rowdies)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 9, 2023


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