USL Louisville City FC

What to Watch for with LouCity vs. FC Tulsa

August 13, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC has lost just once in its last 12 games. FC Tulsa - the club that dealt that defeat - visits Lynn Family Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in a highly anticipated rematch.

Both previous meetings between the sides have been thrillers that lit up the scoreboard. Back on June 19, LouCity scored three times in the opening 10 minutes, then managed to hang on for a 3-2 victory. Tulsa was likewise quick out of the gates when registering a 3-2 win of its own July 10 over the boys in purple.

Both those previous contests were played in Oklahoma. Now the series between a pair of clubs in playoff positions moves to Lynn Family Stadium. Since venues were permitted to go to 100% capacity, LouCity has out-scored visitors there a combined 19-6 and dropped points only once via a draw.

First place in the USL Championship's Central Division, Louisville is 11-3-3 overall, sporting a +17 goal differential and dynamic attack. Thirteen different players have scored - best in the league - with LouCity seven points clear of second-place Birmingham Legion FC.

FC Tulsa slipped after beating the boys in purple, dropping four straight until a victory last weekend over Birmingham. The club still sits third in the Central Division at 7-8-1, but it's a difference of only three points between its position and seventh on the table.

FC Tulsa will travel to Louisville once more on Sept. 3 to conclude the season series. Before then, here's more of what to watch for Saturday.

Follow along...

- For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter and Louisville City FC on Facebook. Also find us at louisvillecityfc on Instagram. Live stats can be found at LouCity.com/match-center.

- On the WBKI-TV (The CW)/ESPN+ streaming call: Gary Bailey (play by play) and Joseph Malfa (color).

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

Notes to know

A home fortress: LouCity only recently passed the midpoint of its 32-game season. Yet the club has already played 11 of its 16 home games, going 8-1-2 at Lynn Family Stadium. That includes an unbeaten record since June 12, the new venue's first 100% capacity game. Average attendance of 9,865 is best in the USL Championship.

Scoring spree: The 2021 season has been filled with positive streaks for LouCity, among them a run of scoring a goal in 12 straight games dating back to a 1-0 loss at Atlanta United 2 on June 6. The club record remains the 2016 squad's 16 straight games with a goal.

Goals in bulk: What's the " magic number" for the boys in purple? So far, LouCity is unbeaten when scoring three or more goals. Impressively, the club has reached that mark six times (5-0-1) in 17 games of a season when offense has rarely been in short supply.

A leading man: Forward Cameron Lancaster, who has set the league on fire since his early days with LouCity, entered elite company in last Saturday's win over Sporting KC II when registering his ninth goal of the season. That made 60 in his USL career, with the Englishman one of six to reach that mark.

Coming into his Own(by): Lancaster has provided the goals, while winger Brian Ownby continues setting them up. He has paced the attack since returning to the starting lineup in June, racking up a league-leading seven assists to go with three goals of his own. Ownby had one apiece in the SKC II win, handling a 75th-minute cross from Jorge Gonzalez to give Lancaster an open look at the face of goal.

Lethal loanee: Speaking of, the Portland Timbers (MLS) loan forward Gonzalez has emerged has a major contributor for LouCity since coming back from injury. He slotted a shot in top open scoring against SKC II in first half stoppage time before crossing in ahead of Lancaster's milestone moment. Gonzalez has two goals and an assist in six appearances.

Bone's in the zone: Midfielder Corben Bone tallied his fourth assist of the season last weekend when finding Gonzalez before the opening goal. That's nothing new for the veteran in his second year with the club. A consistent chance creator, Bone ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference in that category with 29 on the season.

Defensive strides: Offense has made LouCity tough to beat, but the boys in purple have shown more signs of being a complete team in recent weeks. Over its last six games, LouCity has conceded only five goals and not allowed more than a goal in a game playing mostly with newcomer goalkeeper Parker Siegfried between the posts. The four games prior to that saw 10 goals conceded.

Injury report

Oscar Jimenez (questionable)

Abdou Thiam (questionable)

Elijah Wynder (questionable)

Milestone watch

Brian Ownby is one appearance away from 100 regular season LouCity showings.

Check out the Louisville City FC Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 13, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central