USL Louisville City FC

LouCity Withstands Weather to Earn Point vs. Pittsburgh

Published on April 28, 2016 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC vs. the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Rain
Louisville City FC vs. the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Rain
(Louisville City FC)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville City FC rescued a point in the final minutes of a rain-soaked night, drawing the visiting Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 2-2, in the four-hour, lightning-delayed match. A pair of equalizing goals - the first by USL scoring-leader Chandler Hoffman and the second by central defender Conor Shanosky - knotted the midweek ESPN3 and MeTV game.

"Tonight really shows what this Club and city are made of," Louisville City FC coach James O'Connor said. "From the great work of Louisville Slugger Field's grounds crew, to the supporters to our team: We're all drenched, but we showed our spirit."

Pittsburgh opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a counter attack and a finish from striker Romeo Parkes. LouCity went into the locker room after halftime down, 1-0, despite seeing the advantage of the half's possession. O'Connor said he felt his team controlled the match from start to finish.

"I thought we totally dominated the game," O'Connor said. "I thought we pushed from the first to the 90th minute. I thought we created some really great chances."

After a second lightning delay - the first one was in the first half - LouCity pushed for an equalizer. O'Connor's side spent a lot of time in their attacking half, and it paid off in the 57th minute.

Hoffman equalized - for his seventh goal in the last four games - in the second half off of a cross from midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye. Kaye put the ball into the air for Hoffman. The striker out-jumped Pittsburgh goalie Hunter Gilstrap and looped the ball home off his head. Hoffman said equalizing, and scoring for four straight games, felt great.

"These goals, the one's I'm able to finish off, are a product of the team's work," Hoffman said. "That's the job I've come here to do as a forward: To score. But the service has set me up well and it's paying off for everyone."

LouCity spent nearly the entire second half on attack and kept most of possession yet again, but conceded on a penalty kick in the 75th minute after Scott Goodwin was called for a foul in the box and was shown a straight red card. Despite Pittsburgh's late goal, LouCity continued to press, and, again, it paid off.

Ten minutes after Pittsburgh's go-ahead goal, Shanosky scored his first goal of the 2016 campaign. The former D.C. United man smashed the ball home after a scrum resulting from a Kadeem Dacres cross. Shanosky complimented Dacres' creativity said he was happy to provide the equalizer, and ultimately point-saving goal.

"It's super fortunate that I'm the one in the right spot and get to finish it off to tie it up," Shanosky said. "Brilliant by Kadeem; he really started that off for us. It was lucky that I was on the end of it."

Wednesday was the second time in three matches that LouCity has been forced to play with 10 men. Despite the challenges, O'Connor's team has managed to grab an impressive four points from those fixtures. O'Connor said he admires the spirit his team has shown time and time again in the face of adversity.

"Hats off to the players," O'Connor said. "When you go a man down and play like we did there at the end, having gone through the weather delays, the rain, the whole nine yards, I think our players deserve incredible credit for tonight. They've been phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal."

LouCity now embarks on a two-match road trip with visits to MLS-affiliates Bethlehem Steel (3 p.m.) on May 1 and Toronto FC II (7:30 p.m.) on May 4.

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Louisville City FC vs. the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Rain
Louisville City FC vs. the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Rain
   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 28, 2016


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