What to Watch for as LouCity Aims to Clinch Playoff Berth Versus New Mexico United
USL Louisville City FC

What to Watch for as LouCity Aims to Clinch Playoff Berth Versus New Mexico United

Published on August 22, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC forward Phillip Goodrum
Louisville City FC forward Phillip Goodrum
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Ben Johnson)

Louisville City FC has the chance to clinch a berth in the 2025 USL Championship playoffs with a win Saturday night against New Mexico United. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. at Lynn Family Stadium.

If only it were that simple.

While LouCity must win Saturday to clinch, the boys in purple will also need Rhode Island FC, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Miami FC to all either lose or tie.

It's only a matter of time, though, before Louisville will punch its 11th straight playoff ticket.

And for a playoff berth to be on the line this early in the season is a testament to Louisville's success in 2025.

This Louisville City FC (14-1-5, 47 points) squad is remarkably out-pacing the club's historic 2024 season, in which it averaged 2.24 points per game. This year, it's a 2.35 clip - on pace to finish with around 70 points in the standings.

And they've done it in a different fashion. In 2024, LouCity blitzed teams with a flurry of goals, often winning high-scoring boat races. This year, it's been a more refined approach. Louisville is the league's highest scoring team but also its second-stingiest on the defensive end - a year after conceding 43 times in 2024, LouCity has allowed just 17 goals this season.

On paper, New Mexico United (8-8-2, 26 points) is a formidable foe, more than capable of stalling LouCity's march toward the postseason. But given recent form, LouCity seemingly has the leg up.

New Mexico led the Western Conference as recently as July 7, but "The Black and Yellow" have lost five of their last seven games, including an ongoing five-game winless run, and have since dropped to sixth in the West. The club is now in a weekly fight for the playoff positions in what is the more competitive of the two conferences - just eight points separate third-place San Antonio from last place Las Vegas out West.

With school back in session in the Louisville area, the game is Teacher Appreciation Night at Lynn Family Stadium. Promotions include discounted tickets and drink specials for teachers, as well as a teacher supply drive for educators at neighboring Lincoln Elementary Performing Arts School.

For tickets and more information, visit LouCity.com/teachers.

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 national coverage.

- 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...

Thrice as nice: LouCity put four goals away in last week's 4-2 win at Miami FC. It marked the first time in club history that LouCity has scored four or more goals in three straight USL Championship regular season games, having scored also four against North Carolina FC and the Charleston Battery.

Team of the Week: The USL Championship awarded three Louisville City players with places on the league's Team of the Week following the win at Miami: midfielder Taylor Davila, forward Phillip Goodrum and defender Aiden McFadden.

Top of the charts: In scoring four goals at Miami FC, Louisville City FC moved past the Charleston Battery as the league's highest-scoring team. With a brace in the game, forward Phillip Goodrum moved into the Golden Boot lead as the USL Championship's top scorer, with 12 goals.

Styles make fights: Saturday's game pits teams on the opposite ends of the possession spectrum. New Mexico United averages 62.9% possession, the highest mark in the league. LouCity, meanwhile, has made of habit of winning with low possession totals, including back-to-back wins with less than 35% of the ball. With 44.9% possession on average, Louisville ranks 19th out of 24 teams in the league.

Intimidation factor, or lack thereof: While LouCity boasts the best home crowd in the USL Championship, New Mexico United is familiar with what a packed stadium looks, feels and sounds like. New Mexico leads all of the USL in average attendance at 10,141. A season-high 15,247 fans showed up for a July 12 date with the Charleston Battery.

Wonder - what ever happened to that - kid: New Mexico United's roster includes one of American soccer's 'what if' stories of recent years. A decade ago, midfielder Gedion Zelalem was pegged as the next 'wonder kid' for the United States Men's National Team. A youth player at England's Arsenal FC, he made senior appearances for the Gunners in the UEFA Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup. Along the way Zelalem generated hype and headlines, like this from The Guardian: 'The view from London: How Gedion Zelalem could transform USMNT'. Zelalem never managed to earn a cap for the US, though. Now 28, he is in his first USL Championship season.

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics

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



Images from this story

Louisville City FC forward Phillip Goodrum
Louisville City FC forward Phillip Goodrum
(Ben Johnson)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 22, 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