What to Watch for as LouCity Travels North to Face Indy Eleven
USL Louisville City FC

What to Watch for as LouCity Travels North to Face Indy Eleven

Published on August 29, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC forward Brian Ownby
Louisville City FC forward Brian Ownby
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)

***Over the years, Louisville City FC has had some memorable moments at Michael A. Carroll Stadium, home to rival Indy Eleven.

The two sides will meet there again at 7 p.m. Saturday.

There was the original U.S. Open Cup clash of 2015, the Antoine Hoppenot last-gasp equalizer in the 2019 Eastern Conference Final, the Jake Morris goal to clinch the Players' Shield in 2024 - lots of purple-tinted celebrations at the home of the boys in blue.

On Saturday there's the potential for more: LouCity (14-1-6, 48 points) needs merely a point to clinch its 2025 USL Championship playoff berth. It would be the 11th-straight postseason for the winningest club in USL history.

That chance will come against an Indy Eleven team that will be eager for a celebration of its own.

Last week, Indy (6-9-5, 23 points) came from behind to beat Miami FC 3-2, ending a four-game losing skid in league play. That losing run also included a USL Jägermeister Cup exit at the hands of the Greenville Triumph, a League One club.

The Circle City squad is in eighth place in the Eastern Conference - the final playoff spot. Its current form comes on the heels of back-to-back first round exits in the playoffs, and the club hasn't advanced in the postseason since 2019, when LouCity's Hoppenot and Co. turned dreams of hosting the USL Championship Final into a nightmare.

To boot, Indy hasn't secured a win against its most proximate rival since August 31, 2022 - nearly three years ago - and generally the "L.I.P.A.F.C." rivalry hasn't been much of a contest: LouCity owns the series at 11-5-7 all-time, across all competitions, outscoring Indy by 16 goals in the process.

Louisville will be hungry to return to form following an uncharacteristic 0-0 draw at home to New Mexico United last week. The stalemate ended a three-game winning streak which saw LouCity pour in 12 goals.

Beyond clinching, Louisville also needs a result to strengthen its Players' Shield defense. Saturday's draw allowed the second-place Charleston Battery to pull within one point of Louisville atop the USL Championship standings.

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...

Clinching scenarios: Louisville City would clinch its playoff place with a tie or a win at Indy, but it might not even come down to that. If Rhode Island FC drops points versus the Charleston Battery on Saturday, LouCity would punch its postseason ticket regardless of the outcome in Indianapolis. Both games kick off at 7 p.m.

Goose egg: In Saturday's 0-0 draw with New Mexico, Louisville was held scoreless for just the third time across all competitions this season. That equals last season's shutout total - the second-fewest times LouCity has been shutout in a single season in club history.

Carlos takes a left turn to Albuquerque: Earlier this week, LouCity sent midfielder Carlos Moguel Jr. to New Mexico United on loan for the remainder of the USL Championship season. LouCity head coach Danny Cruz said the move "will help Carlos continue to grow as a player" before he returns to Louisville next season.

Turf monsters: LouCity's next three games are all on artificial turf - at Indy, at Rhode Island FC and at the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. LouCity has just one loss on turf this year with a 4-1-2 record.

Long time, no see: Saturday's tie saw a trio of lesser-used LouCity players called into larger roles. Backup goalkeeper Danny Faundez made his first league start since April 20, 2024, an earned LouCity's first clean sheet since July 4. Brian Ownby played 24 minutes off the bench, by far the 35-year-old's longest stretch of game action since returning from an injury that sidelined him all of 2024. And Adrien Perez returned to the field for the first time since June 14 due to injury, playing seven minutes off the bench.

A century of Dia: In the draw vs. New Mexico, LouCity defender Amadou Dia made his 100th USL Championship regular season appearance for the club. He became the 10th player in club history to hit that particular milestone. Overall, Dia has played 118 competitive matches for Louisville across all competitions. Notably, Dia is also two appearances away from 200 in the league across his career.

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics

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Images from this story

Louisville City FC forward Brian Ownby
Louisville City FC forward Brian Ownby
(Connor Cunningham)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 29, 2025


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