What to Watch for as LouCity Aims to Clinch Players' Shield Versus Miami FC
USL Louisville City FC

What to Watch for as LouCity Aims to Clinch Players' Shield Versus Miami FC

Published on October 10, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Saturday could be a historic night for Louisville City FC as Miami FC pays a visit to Lynn Family Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

If LouCity (20-1-6, 66 points) earns just a point against last-place Miami (6-15-6, 24 points), the club will win a second-consecutive Players' Shield title, awarded to regular-season champion in the USL Championship. Louisville City would be the first club since Orlando City SC in 2012 to win the Shield in back-to-back seasons.

For LouCity head coach Danny Cruz and his group of players, though, it's just another game.

"We have not discussed (the Players' Shield). We've made sure that the emphasis is on the tactical side of the game, the mentality going into Miami here at home and continuing to make (Lynn Family Stadium) a fortress," Cruz said, later adding, "(The Players' Shield) is not our goal. It is not something that we're speaking about here during the regular season."

Even if LouCity were to lose Saturday, which would end a six-game winning streak and 13-game unbeaten run, the club could still clinch silverware. If the Charleston Battery drop any points versus the Colorado Springs Switchbacks on Saturday (7:30 p.m.), Louisville will claim the Players' Shield.

It would cap what has been a historically great regular season.

Louisville has lost just one league game all year. If the club can survive the final three regular season games without another setback, LouCity would become the first team since the 2015 Rochester Rhinos (17-1-10) to finish a season with just one loss. It would be the fourth time in the modern USL Championship, which dates to 2011, in which a club finished with one or fewer losses.

Additionally, LouCity is chasing a league record. If LouCity can take six points from its final three games, the club would overtake that same Shield-winning Orlando City team from 2012 (2.38 points per game) to become the most dominant regular-season team in league history.

Still, it would all be academic unless LouCity brings home the USL Championship title in November - according to Cruz and his players, at least.

"The biggest thing when you are winning the Shield is it mean's that the playoffs run through Lynn Family Stadium, and that's something that's important to us and that is something that we discuss," Cruz said.

"That's the big goal for every season is winning the last game of the season," defender Kyle Adams said. "For us it's more just about hosting in the playoffs. So, if we do this this weekend, we know every game will be at home in the playoffs, so I think that's the biggest thing for us."

Follow Along

- The match will air live locally on MyTV 58 and ESPN Louisville's AM 680/FM 105.7.

- If streaming, download the free WDRB+ app to watch the local feed in Louisville or ESPN+ for the national feed.

- For starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter. Also, find the club at louisvillecityfc on Instagram and Louisville City FC on Facebook.

Story Lines...

Keep Louisville Weird: The game is 'Keep Louisville Weird' night in partnership with the Louisville Independent Business Alliance. Louisville City players will debut a commemorative pregame warmup shirt featuring local landmarks and the Keep Louisville Weird logo.

20 wins: Louisville City FC has won 20 games in a season for the third time in club history. No other USL Championship club has done it more than twice. All three seasons with 20 or more wins have come under head coach Danny Cruz, in 2022, 2024 and 2025.

The laundry is done: LouCity has had clean sheets in four of its last five games. That equals the best defensive run from last season, when LouCity posted four shutouts in five league games from April 20 to May 25. LouCity has not posted five clean sheets in a six-game span since 2022.

Davila dropping dimes: LouCity midfielder Taylor Davila has nine league assists this season. If he should register one more, he would become the first LouCity player with 10 or more assists in the regular season since Brian Ownby in 2021. He would be the fifth player in club history to hit the mark.

Home sweet home: Louisville City has not lost a USL Championship regular season game at home since June 22, 2024, a stretch of 23 games. If LouCity closes out the regular season home slate (Oct. 11 vs. Miami FC and Oct. 25 vs. Hartford Athletic) without a loss, the streak would equal the fourth-longest home undefeated streak in USL Championship history. The Richmond Kickers hold the record, with a 33-game unbeaten run at home from 2012 to 2014.

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 10, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central