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USL Louisville City FC

What to Watch for with LouCity at FC Tulsa

July 9, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC will on Saturday night make its return to FC Tulsa's ONEOK Field, where the boys in purple are looking to extend a five-game unbeaten streak in a matchup of clubs near the top of the table.

With kickoff set for 8 p.m. ET, LouCity enters having won four of its last five games, most recently posting a dominant 4-2 victory last Friday at Sporting KC II.

The theme of this undefeated run as been offense with 15 goals scored by the club over five games. Back on June 19, in its prior visit to FC Tulsa, LouCity scored all three of its goals in the opening 10 minutes of a win. At SKC II, the boys in purple made it three goals in 11 minutes during a second half spurt resulting in a Kyle Greig brace, plus goals by Brian Ownby and Alexis Souahy.

Since LouCity's first trip to Oklahoma, FC Tulsa has registered two wins, a loss and most recently a scoreless draw with local rival OKC Energy FC. Those results put Saturday's host side third in the USL Championship's Central Division standings. LouCity's second, two points behind Birmingham Legion FC with a game in hand.

This weekend's matchup marks the last game at FC Tulsa this season for the boys in purple, who host the final two legs of the series Aug. 14 and Sept. 3 at Lynn Family Stadium.

Here's what to watch for on Saturday...

Follow along...

- For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter, Louisville City FC on Facebook and louisvillecityfc on Instagram. Live stats can be found at LouCity.com/match-center, plus don't forget to download our official app.

- On the WBKI-TV (The CW)/ESPN+ streaming call: Mike Watts (play by play) and Jackie Manning (color).

- And for ESPN 680/105.7 on the radio: Jeff Greer and Casey Whitfield.

Notes to know

Efficient offense: Early this season, LouCity's performances were marked by frustration over plenty of chances but few goals resulting. That hasn't been the case lately. The boys in purple have numbered 21 goals - second-most in the USL Championship - off 153 shots, which ranks sixth in the league. Their plus-nine goal differential is also best in the Central Division, six more than Birmingham.

On the other side: Don't let FC Tulsa's last result fool you. Saturday's foe has also put the ball in the back of the next aplenty with three players ranking near the top of the USL Championship in goals: Joaquin Rivas and Rodrigo da Costa both have five, while Dario Suarez has scored four. Da Costa is the creator to watch for with three assists also to his name this season.

Unstoppable Ownby: Since a June 12 start to LouCity's unbeaten streak, the winger has tallied two goals, three assists and a team-high seven successful crosses, contributing to a goal every 68 minutes he's been on the pitch. Ownby is on pace to record his 20th assist with the club, currently sitting on 17, and at 93 appearances in league games is seven away from becoming the seventh player to hit 100 in purple.

JoGo blazes a trail: Dual-international left back Jonathan Gomez, who has spotted up on the wing opposite Ownby, has been just as creative as of late. Gomez counts to his name over LouCity's last five games two goals and two assists, plus had another pass deflected on his way to creating what could have been a third assist. The 17-year-old is on the radar for both the United States and Mexico national teams as he eyes joining a European club for 2022.

Milestone moment: Greig's pair of goals scored at SKC II put him at 60 for his career in the USL Championship. Since signing with LouCity the week of a May 22 victory over San Diego Loyal - and scoring the game winner in that contest - the veteran forward has filled in well as star striker Cameron Lancaster missed time first due to a hamstring pull and last weekend as a precaution due to a concussion. Greig's three goals on the season are tied for second on the team behind Lancaster's five.

Creative Corben: Midfielder Corben Bone has been another repeat contributor to LouCity's offense as of late. His 26 chances created leads the boys in purple and ranks second across the USL Championship - a number boosted when he notched two assists at SKC II. Two games back, he also redirected a late equalizer to help LouCity play rival Indy Eleven to a 3-3 draw June 26 at Lynn Family Stadium.

Between the posts: Is a position battle brewing? Goalkeeper Parker Siegfried made his first start in goal last weekend, doing so in a familiar setting after a brief loan spell back in the spring with MLS' Sporting KC. He made four saves in lieu of Louisville native Chris Hubbard, who had played every other minute this season between the posts. coach Danny Cruz could elect to play either keeper Saturday in the return to FC Tulsa.

Defense responds: That change in goal may have come as a result of some defensive form unlike LouCity. The boys in purple had conceded 10 goals in nine games going to SKC II, where Souahy found himself back in the starting lineup and Wes Charpie shifted to the right along the back line. Though the club allowed two more goals, the late tally by SKC II came with the good guys holding a 4-1 lead, one of those goals coming from Souahy in his first tally since the 2019 season.

New Digs: LouCity continues to settle into its new $15 million training facility, a complex fewer than two miles from Lynn Family Stadium that includes a locker room space, weight room, dining hall and media/film room in addition to multiple pitches. The facility - built by AML Construction and operated by ASM Global - also houses the NWSL expansion side Racing Louisville FC, youth academies and back office staff.

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