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USL Louisville City FC

What to Watch for as LouCity Opens Playoffs at Memphis 901 FC

October 20, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC huddle
Louisville City FC huddle
(Louisville City FC, Credit: David Mucker)

A budding rivalry will renew in the postseason Saturday when Louisville City FC travels to play Memphis 901 FC in the 2023 USL Championship Playoffs.

Their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET at AutoZone Park in Tennessee, where LouCity has one last chance to reverse its fortunes amid an up-and-down season.

Defending Eastern Conference champion City returned most key pieces from 2022's team that set club records for points earned and total wins. This year, however, the boys in purple hit unprecedented numbers in the other direction - fewest points and most losses in team history.

That downturn has fifth-seeded LouCity (14-12-8, 50 points) opening the playoffs on the road for the first time. Established in 2019, fourth-seeded Memphis 901 FC (14-10-10, 52 points) meanwhile will host a playoff game for just the second time in its young history.

Recent meetings between these two have been contentious. Last year, both sides won away, with 901 FC handing LouCity its only loss over the season's final eight regular seaosn games en route to City's USL Championship Final appearance. This year, Louisville drew at Memphis in April before again dropping the home leg of the series.

LouCity qualified for the playoffs for a ninth straight season after eight teams from both the Eastern and Western conferences advanced. Top-four sides host their conference quarterfinals, while clubs with higher regular season point totals earn home games for ensuing rounds.

The single-elimination playoffs returned to a fixed bracket format this year, culminating in the Nov. 12 final. Either No. 4 Memphis or No. 5 LouCity will move on to meet the winner of No. 1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC versus No. 8 Detroit City FC in the Eastern Conference Semifinal round.

Follow along

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

- If streaming, download the free WDRB+ app to watch the local feed in Louisville. ESPN+ also streams the home feed of all USL Championship games not selected for national TV.

- 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.

Player availability report

Amadou Dia (questionable)

Kyle Morton (out)

Ramzi Qawasmy (out)

Jordan Scarlett (out)

Story lines

Around the East: In addition to LouCity at Memphis and Detroit at Pittsburgh, two other games round out the other half of the Eastern Conference bracket. The No. 2-seeded Tampa Bay Rowdies host No. 7 Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday, and No. 6 seed Indy Eleven travels to play No. 3 Charleston Battery on Sunday.

New pieces: As LouCity searches for its best 11, coach Danny Cruz will have more options this weekend. Defender Wes Charpie returns from a yellow card accumulation suspension, while outside back Amadou Dia recently returned to full training from a longterm injury. Forward Enoch Mushagalusa was also recalled from a loan and made a substitute appearance in last Saturday's regular season finale.

Milestone goal: Cameron Lancaster pulled a goal back for LouCity late in a 3-2 loss last weekend to the Tampa Bay Rowdies, curling in a shot from distance two minutes into stoppage time. It marked Lancaster's 80th USL Championship goal, good for third on the league's all-time scoring list behind only the retired Dane Kelly (106) and active Neco Brett (81).

Playoff Ownby: Who could step up as the postseason begins? Start with No. 10. Brian Ownby's eight playoff goals are tied with San Antonio FC's Santiago Patino for the most among active USL Championship players. Lancaster is third on the list with six goals, among them the game winner in LouCity's 2017 league final.

Thank you, fans: Lynn Family Stadium wasn't the usual fortress for LouCity this season in terms of wins and losses. But crowds grew nonetheless, with the club averaging record attendance of 10,549 through its 17 regular season home games. That number was boosted by the 12,230 on hand for the finale against Tampa Bay - second-highest attendance of the year.

Ironman season: Defender Sean Totsch, three years running a member of the USL Championship's All-League First Team, is in contention for another nomination after completing the 2023 regular season having played every minute for LouCity. This is the second time Totsch has accomplished the feat, also doing so in 2021.

League leader: LouCity's rookie goalkeeper, Oliver Semmle, finished the season with 12 clean sheets. That's the joint-highest number of shutouts in the league, leveling him with Louisville native Trey Muse, who stars for the Charleston Battery. Semmle signed with LouCity off a national championship-winning career at Marshall University.

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics




Images from this story

Louisville City FC huddle
Louisville City FC huddle
(David Mucker)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 20, 2023


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