What to Watch for as LouCity Hosts Minnesota in U.S. Open Cup
USL Louisville City FC

What to Watch for as LouCity Hosts Minnesota in U.S. Open Cup

Published on May 6, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC defender Aiden McFadden
Louisville City FC defender Aiden McFadden
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)

Louisville City FC will put its nine-game unbeaten record on the line as the boys in purple play host to Minnesota United FC (5-2-4 overall) of Major League Soccer at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Lynn Family Stadium in the 110th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Annually one of the high points of the soccer season, the U.S. Open Cup is America's longest-running national soccer championship, giving clubs of all sizes the chance to compete against one another, from MLS and the USL Championship down to amateur clubs.

LouCity (7-0-2 overall) has pulled off a "Cup-set" against an MLS opponent before in the tournament. In 2018, Louisville defeated the New England Revolution 3-2 in in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32.

All time, LouCity is 1-6-0 against MLS clubs in Open Cup matches.

LouCity last hosted an MLS opponent in 2022, when Nashville SC came to Lynn Family Stadium and took a late, 2-1 win. That's the only other time a team from America's top men's soccer division visited Butchertown.

Louisville will also have the advantage of a few days' rest: The boys in purple defeated Lexington SC, 2-0, last Thursday while Minnesota was in action on Saturday, defeating Austin FC by a 3-0 score in MLS regular season play.

Both sides are among the early contenders in their respective leagues. LouCity is in second place in the USL Championship's Player's Shield race, while Minnesota is in seventh in MLS' Supporters' Shield standings. Both clubs are in second place in their respective conference standings as well.

Follow Along

- Live national coverage will stream on Paramount+.

- The game will air live locally on ESPN Louisville's AM 680/FM 105.7.

- 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...

Still unbeaten: LouCity's nine-game unbeaten run to start the campaign is the second-longest to open a season in team history following a 13-game stretch to start the 2022 campaign. LouCity is one of just two teams across the American men's professional soccer to not suffer a loss in 2025, across all competitions, along with Philadelphia Union II of MLS Next Pro.

Third time's the charm?: LouCity has made a run to the U.S. Open Cup's Round of 16 twice previously, including a trip to the quarterfinals in 2018. LouCity last advanced to the Round of 16 in 2022. If LouCity advances past Minnesota, they will face either St. Louis City SC or Union Omaha at Lynn Family Stadium on May 20 or 21.

Off the mark: LouCity forward Phillip Goodrum scored his first goal of 2025 last time out against Lexington, finding the bottom corner from distance. It was his first goal since the 2024 regular season finale on October 26. Overall, Goodrum has now scored five goals for Louisville City and 49 in his USL Championship career.

Former North Star star: Louisville City head coach Danny Cruz will have the rare experience of coaching against one of his former clubs on Wednesday. A midfielder during his playing days, Cruz played primarily with the Houston Dynamo and Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer, but he spent the 2016 season playing with Minnesota United, then of the North American Soccer League. Cruz made 23 starts in 24 appearances for the Loons, registering three assists. As a head coach, Cruz has never faced one of his former clubs before.

Young coaches: Louisville City's Cruz and Minnesota's Eric Ramsay are two of the youngest coaches in American men's professional soccer. At 35, Cruz is the second-youngest head coach in the USL Championship behind the 34-year-old former LouCity striker Luke Spencer of FC Tulsa. Ramsay, meanwhile, is the youngest head coach in MLS at 33 and holds the distinction of being the youngest permanent head coach in MLS history; he took the job at age 32 in February 2024.

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Images from this story

Louisville City FC defender Aiden McFadden
Louisville City FC defender Aiden McFadden
(Connor Cunningham)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 6, 2025


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