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USL Louisville City FC

What to Watch for When LouCity Hosts Birmingham Legion FC

March 29, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC huddle
Louisville City FC huddle
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)

Danny Cruz understands that in the same way his own squad looks forward to games at Lynn Family Stadium, away teams are itching to play in the USL Championship's nicest venue. The Louisville City FC coach just doesn't want opponents to leave quite as happy as they arrived.

LouCity hosts Birmingham Legion FC at 4 p.m. Saturday in the second of three straight home games for the boys in purple. It's a crucial stretch that could signal Lynn Family Stadium's days as a stronghold have returned.

Entering the 2023 season, City was 24-4-2 with a +45 goal differential in 100% capacity games at the Butchertown neighborhood fortress, which opened amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the club went 8-6-3 in last year's home games.

"Teams want to come here to play because it's Lynn Family Stadium," Cruz said, "but I want them to leave here not wanting to come back, and that's a big thing. I think we have a group that has the ability to do that, and it's about making sure we perform well."

LouCity is off to a 2-0 start to the season, winning at El Paso Locomotive FC before last weekend's home opener. City cruised to a 3-1 victory over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in a very pre-2023 sort of day at Lynn Family Stadium.

The Birmingham game is billed as Family Day with an afternoon kickoff and halftime Easter egg hunt in the BlueOval SK Fan Zone. Next weekend, the boys in purple will host rival Indy Eleven on CBS in the USL Championship's first network-televised game.

Should City sweep its home stand, the club would equal 2018 - when going on to win a second straight league title - for its best-ever start.

Follow along

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

- If streaming, download the free WDRB+ app to watch the local feed in Louisville. ESPN+ or Golazo Network 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

Brian Ownby (out)

Story lines...

Top of the table: LouCity didn't play in Week 1 of the regular season but still finds itself atop the Eastern Conference standings ahead of multiple clubs that have already numbered three games. Detroit City and Hartford Athletic are also 2-0, but City's +3 goal differential is breaking the early tie.

Know the foe: Birmingham enters Saturday at 1-1, defeating Phoenix Rising FC before last weekend's loss at Hartford. Both score lines were 1-0, with the Legion's tally at Phoenix an own goal. However, Birmingham figures to be threatening having made the playoffs in all five of its prior seasons. The attacking ranks include the lightning-fast Tyler Pasher and veteran Enzo Martinez.

Red-hot Serrano: Ray Serrano may well have played his best game in a purple shirt last weekend against Pittsburgh. The forward was unlucky not to get an assist when his through ball was deflected on its way to Wilson Harris for the opener. He later earned City's game-winning penalty kick and scored a goal of his own six minutes into second half stoppage time.

Two in two: Harris appears to be on a heater. The third-year LouCity striker scored twice March 9 as the club closed preseason against USL League One's Knoxville SC. Harris scored again in the March 16 season opener at El Paso, at age 24 becoming the fastest player to hit 50 career USL Championship goals, before adding another goal against Pittsburgh.

From the spot: It has been since June of 2021 that LouCity failed to convert a penalty kick, and Sean Totsch ran the streak to 22 straight attempts against Pittsburgh. First choice penalty taker once belonged to Cameron Lancaster, but the role has shifted Totsch's way in recent seasons. He sent the Riverhounds' goalkeeper the wrong way for a 65th-minute go-ahead goal to spark his signature "tucked in" celebration.

No changes: Six LouCity newcomers have started both of the club's games to open 2024, with coach Danny Cruz declining to make changes from game one to two. In a sign of depth, that means tenured City players such as Amadou Dia, Wes Charpie, Jorge Gonzalez, Niall McCabe and Carlos Moguel Jr. are battling to get back into the lineup.

Key delivery: Rookie Evan Davila, signed out of a preseason trial, has subbed on in both LouCity games and registered his first career assist late against Pittsburgh. He settled a ball over the top with a silky first touch and crossed to an open area from the right side. Serrano sprinted to the ball and finished to get Davila, out of the University of California, in the stat book.

Midfield maestros: With LouCity sporting a 5-2-3 formation, those two - Elijah Wynder and Taylor Davila, Evan's older brother - commanded the middle of the pitch against Pittsburgh. Wynder went 4-for-4 on tackles and won six duels, while Davila won possession a team-high 11 times and created three chances, most of anyone on the field.

Academy addition: LouCity recently signed Kentucky Country Day School sophomore Hayden Stamps to a USL Academy contract, permitting him to train with and play for the first team this season. Stamps also dressed and took up a spot on the bench against Pittsburgh, taking advantage of a new league rule. Up to two players under age 17 can be rostered for home games without taking a spot from a professional.

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Images from this story

Louisville City FC huddle
Louisville City FC huddle
(Connor Cunningham)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 29, 2024


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