What to Watch for as LouCity Visits North Carolina FC
June 19, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release
Louisville City FC forward Phillip Goodrum
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)
If the saying "familiarity breeds contempt" is true, Louisville City FC is in for a contemptuous week starting with Friday's 7:30 p.m. kickoff at North Carolina FC.
It will be the first of two meetings between the clubs within just eight days. Friday's USL Championship regular season game will be followed by a USL Jägermeister Cup clash at Lynn Family Stadium on Saturday, June 28.
Sandwiched between those two matches is a midweek visit to Loudoun United. Louisville and Loudoun have already met three times over the year's first 17 games - across the regular season, USL Jägermeister Cup and U.S. Open Cup.
And it doesn't end there. LouCity will face North Carolina for a third time in early August, and then there's the USL Championship Playoffs. All three clubs are currently in playoff positions with LouCity in first, Loudoun in third and North Carolina in fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Familiar foes, indeed.
Louisville City is coming off of a productive seven-day home stand during which the boys in purple claimed nine points with three victories, most recently a 4-2 win over Birmingham Legion FC. Phillip Goodrum led LouCity with four goals on the week, including a hat trick on Saturday.
North Carolina had a four-game winning streak snapped last time out with a 2-1 loss at Rhode Island. The club is captained by former Louisville City defender Paco Craig, adding to the familiarity between the two sides.
That June 28 USL Jägermeister Cup clash is LouCity's next home game. It will be Fellowship Night at Lynn Family Stadium. For tickets and more information, visit LouCity.com/fellowship.
Follow Along
- The game will air live locally on WDRB and ESPN Louisville's AM 680/FM 105.7.
- If streaming, download the free WDRB+ app to watch the local feed in Louisville or login to the CBS Sports Golazo Network 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...
Hat trick history: Goodrum became the sixth player in club history to score three goals in a game, with Saturday's feat the ninth LouCity regular season hat trick. Matt Fondy (2015), Chandler Hoffman (2016), Cameron Lancaster (2016, 2021) and Enoch Mushagalusa (2022) each have hat tricks, while Wilson Harris' three goal performance on April 6, 2024, was the most recent hat trick for City before Goodrum. It was the second hat trick of Goodrum's career.
Hat trick of assists: With three assists on Saturday, all to Goodrum, LouCity's Taylor Davila became the 23rd player in USL Championship history to record three assists in one game and the second in LouCity history. Enrique Montano equaled the feat against the Harrisburg City Islanders on August 12, 2015. Additionally, Davila became just the second player in league history to assist all three goals of a hat trick.
Happy Birthday, Phillip: Goodrum turns 28 on Friday. In an early birthday present, the USL Championship named him the league Player of the Week following his hat trick. Davila also made the Team of the Week.
Defense first: Friday's game will pit two of the best defensive teams in the USL Championship. LouCity has conceded nine goals this season, tied for the fewest in the USL Championship. North Carolina isn't far off that pace with 13 goals conceded, tied for the sixth-best mark in the 24-team league.
Wacky times at WakeMed: LouCity's last visit to WakeMed Soccer Park was a memorable one. The boys in purple took a 6-4 victory in August in a game which featured three own goals, the most in a single game in USL Championship history. It also marked the second-ever time LouCity conceded four goals and still won, equaling a 6-4 victory over New York Red Bulls II in 2018.
Playoff rematch: LouCity ended North Carolina FC's 2024 season, eliminating the club in the opening round of the USL Championship Playoffs, 3-2. North Carolina took the lead 11 minutes in through Oalex Anderson, but LouCity scored three goals unanswered to take control. Bryce Washington's stoppage time goal for North Carolina was merely consolation.
Images from this story
 Louisville City FC forward Phillip Goodrum (Connor Cunningham) |
United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 19, 2025
- Roots Look to Bounce Back in Birmingham for Meeting with Legion FC - Oakland Roots
- Match Preview: Republic FC at Rhode Island FC - Sacramento Republic FC
- Preview: Hounds vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- Preview: Rowdies at Pittsburgh - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- New Mexico United Defender Kalen Ryden Undergoes Successful Surgery - New Mexico United
- Match Preview: North Carolina FC vs. Louisville City FC - North Carolina FC
- Global Sports Leader Elevate Joins Republic FC Stadium Development Team - Sacramento Republic FC
- What to Watch for as LouCity Visits North Carolina FC - Louisville City FC
- Athletic Looks to Earn Three Points against Third Place Loudoun United - Hartford Athletic
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Other Recent Louisville City FC Stories
- What to Watch for as LouCity Visits North Carolina FC
- Eintracht Frankfurt, Aston Villa Set for July 26 Friendly at Lynn Family Stadium
- Goodrum's Hat Trick Propels First-Place LouCity to Third Win in a Week
- What to Watch for as LouCity Hosts Birmingham Legion FC
- LouCity Finally Conquers Rhode Island to Take Sole Possession of First Place
