Foreign Foes and Stoppage Time Thrills - A Review Of Louisville City’s 2025 Season – Part 5
- Benton
- Aug 7
- 9 min read
A lot has transpired since Louisville City’s Jägermeister Cup win against North Carolina FC (see Part 4). That 06/29 victory was on the heels of a 4-1 victory at Loudoun and served as a bit of redemption for the first regular season loss to NC just nine days prior. The boys in purple still had a chance to advance out of the tournament’s group stage, but regular-season play is where the squad sat more comfortably. Only the Charleston Battery were within striking distance of the reigning Players’ Shield winners. Their 2.27 points per game put them atop the league with CHS at 2.21 Pts/G and NM farther back with 1.92 Pts/G. With Phillip Goodrum beginning to find his stride and momentum on the squad’s side, LouCity appeared poised to keep themselves on top entering the second half of the regular season.
7/5 - COSvLOU - 1-0 WIN
It was fireworks on the Fourth in Colorado Springs. A 9’ Phillip Goodrum gave the visiting Louisville City an early lead. The match quickly took on a chaotic personality, with Manny Perez and the Switchbacks’ goalkeeper both forced out inside the opening 25 minutes. Both teams were left scrambling to adjust their tactical plans, and as Devon Kerr put it, the game developed “an odd rhythm.” Louisville responded by pressing relentlessly against Colorado’s rookie keeper, making his debut, testing whether he was something special or just another goalkeeper. The Switchbacks answered back, nearly scoring, forcing LouCity to burn their “get out of jail free” card. Jake Morris was part of a rare double substitution, highlighting how worn down the squad was after a grueling June schedule. The woodwork came to Louisville’s rescue late, denying Colorado a dramatic equalizer. In the final five minutes, Brandon Dayes faced heavy pressure but held strong to protect the 1–0 lead. A no-call in LouCity’s box sparked fury from the home crowd, leading to a chippy stretch of added time. The boys in purple ultimately prevailed, but their body language at the final whistle suggested a team that felt frustration with the narrow victory rather than jubilation at securing the win.
7/12 - LOUvLEG (International Friendly) - 2-1 LOSS
Of the two international friendlies this season, this was the more realistic one to win. However, a rotating cast of players amid a long season doesn’t exactly help achieve that goal. It is just a friendly, after all, so the loss doesn’t exactly hurt. We got a Brian Ownby appearance along with a bunch of academy kids, which I’m always a huge fan of. Shout out to Cohen Havill, Luke Petter, Grayson Travis, Aidan Garmestani, Dominic Del Negro, Silas Damm (former academy player Owen Damm’s brother), Evan Woodward, and Brandon Dayes (who started).
7/19 - LOUvTUL - 1-1 DRAW
A classy moment set the tone before kickoff, with a warm acknowledgment for Luke that had the home crowd buzzing. But once the whistle blew, it didn’t take long for the intensity to show. Phil was in the thick of it almost immediately, jawing with Tulsa players and picking up a yellow card not long after. It wasn’t Taylor Davila’s night. Struggling to find his rhythm, he was subbed off at the 75th minute — not something you see often from him. The officiating didn’t help matters. Below average at best, it had the crowd on edge, especially with two of the league’s highest-fouling teams going at it. The first half was cagey, but the second half burst wide open. Both sides were running on tired legs, and big chances started flying at both ends. The loudest gasp of the night came in the 89th minute when McFadden rattled the crossbar — so close to sealing it. Then came vintage Cameron Lancaster, delivering the kind of moment that only he can with a late goal to put LouCity ahead. But the celebration didn’t last. Tulsa clawed back an equalizer even later, leaving the crowd stunned with the match once again even. While disappointing, a draw was probably a fair result given both teams’ performances.
7/26 - LEXvLOU (Jägermeister Cup) - 2-1 WIN
The budding rivalry between Louisville City and Lexington SC began this season with a spicy start, with a red card putting LEX down a man for nearly half the match. The 2-0 LouCity win was already expected given Lexington’s slow start to life in the USLC. A lot changed between that first meeting in Lynn Family Stadium and Louisville’s trip to LEX. The newer team had grown and begun to find themselves. They entered the match having won four and drawn twice in the past six matches. That growth was on display for the early portions of the match. Lexington came out of the gates hotter than LouCity, fueled by a record crowd of 8,200+. However, once the boys in purple got going, they were hard to stop. Lexington was playing a lot of defense as Louisville fired off a staggering 34 shots in the match while maintaining 58% possession. LEX held strong and made the most of an opportunity late into the match to break the stalemate and snag the lead. An 87’ goal would normally be the deciding one, but that was not the case here. Jake Morris scored not once but twice to steal the win late. His 90’+1 and 90’+7 goals gave Louisville the win and saw them hoist the inaugural Commonwealth Cup. The victory was not enough to see Louisville advance from the group stages of the Jägermeister Cup. They ended two goals shy of earning a spot in the knockouts. However, that thriller of a finish made the Jägermeister Cup situation an afterthought.
7/29 - LOUvSGE (International Friendly) - 5-2 LOSS
Eintracht Frankfurt’s second-ever match with LouCity saw another victory go to the Germans. But Louisville played them well and even briefly took the lead. Quite the feat considering they are ranked somewhere between 30th and 40th in the world (depending on the source) and will be playing in the most prestigious club tournament next season, the UEFA Champions League. There was a decent probability given their recent transfer track record that one of the guys who took to the pitch will join a “Big Six” EPL team in the future. Pretty cool we get that level of play coming to Louisville!
8/2 LOUvNC - 4-1 WIN
The first half had a bit of promise — goals traded early, each side clawing for momentum. But by the break, LouCity looked ready to shift gears. Just like their previous meeting at NC, they owned about 60% possession while North Carolina racked up over 2.0 xG. This time, though, the boys in purple turned control into results, securing all three points in resounding fashion. LouCity fans got half a match’s worth of tension in the opening 45 — but the real fireworks came after the break. LouCity flipped the match on its head and put three more past North Carolina to seal a 4–1 rout. Among the highlights: first-ever goals in purple for Kevon Lambert and Evan Davila. It was exactly the type of statement performance you’d hope for with the Fill The Fam clash against Charleston looming on the horizon.
July and early August’s three wins, one draw, and two losses left Morados in an interesting position. The two losses were, thankfully, just friendlies. It would have been nice to have them tallied in the win column, but ultimately, they do not bear any consequence for the club’s ambitions. The draw was a tough result given the late high of Cameron Lancaster’s goal, followed by a gut-punch of an even later Tulsa equalizer. Ultimately, a fair outcome given the visitors looked the part of a proper playoff team and held their own against the purple juggernaut. But the two points the team missed out on could come to sting more as the regular season begins to creep towards the playoffs. The wins against Colorado Springs and North Carolina were two different kinds of exciting. COS was a nail-biter that showcased the squad's resilience against the reigning champs, while the NC win was a nice beatdown and further redemption for the previous loss to them. However, it is the win in Lexington that will be most remembered. Jake Morris’ late heroics were legendary and fanned the flames of the brewing in-state rivalry. It’s not too wild to imagine that one being the fans’ match of the season when looking back after the 2025 campaign’s conclusion.
In our previous review, we put Phil under a microscope, and we were beginning to like what we were seeing. We’re going to check in on Number 9 just to make sure things are continuing to trend positively. I’m happy to report that they are. His rate of shots on target has decreased, as well as the number of shots per shot on target. It’s got to be on target to score! Speaking of scoring, he’s found two more (regular season) goals and is up to nine, and is averaging a goal every 148 minutes. Another positive decrease from the last check-in. He has now equaled his 2024 goal total in significantly less time. He isn’t quite at his incredible 2022 level, but he is inching closer. Keep it up, Phil!
The team as a whole is continuing to improve from an offensive perspective. Coach Danny Cruz’s squad is up to 1.78 GF/G, putting them only second to the Battery (2.00 GF/G). At 13.4 ShtF/G (3rd), they are scoring on every 7.5 ShtF/GF (6th). That is flirting with the same pacing of the phenomenal 2022 team’s performance. These, along with all the other statistics shared here, are regular season only. This most recent stretch of matches was a mix of regular season, Jägermeister Cup, and friendlies, so a significant change was not expected.
On the defensive side of the house, ShtA/G did creep up to 10.8 (8th), but GA/G has held level at 0.67 (2nd). The team is holding a sub-one goal against per game rate, just like the 2022 team, who made it to the finals. Year two Damian Las has shown tremendous growth and, paired with a strong supporting cast, including Kyle Adams, Sean Totsch, Arturo Ordonez, and the promising Josh Jones, they allow the rest of the squad to apply pressure and control matches without the ball at their feet. Reliability is the name of the game, and this cohesive unit is imperative to the team’s success. The quick transitions from the midfield and especially the wingbacks have also been key. This “Cruz control” back three system is operating at the highest level we have seen in Louisville, and the vision has seemingly come fully together. It took time, but the defensive component was the last piece of the puzzle to fully click. It makes this fan optimistic that this year’s team can accomplish what the 2024 team could not.
Ultimately, it’s the points earned that matter the most. With 18 in the book, Louisville City has earned 41 points at a rate of 2.28 Pts/G. Charleston (who I’m getting sick of having to mention) has closed the gap and is level with LouCity. As of this writing, the Fill The Fam match against them is next up. Not exactly a stretch to call this the most important game of the season. It could be what determines not only the winner of the East but the Players’ Shield itself. Either team could drop points, but it feels unlikely that these teams are going to fumble a late lead in the standings. But hey, anything can happen. Louisville did not advance into the knockout round of the Jägermeister Cup. They failed to secure a spot by just two goals. Disappointing, but the cup was far from a priority. I’m spinning this to myself as a distraction from the true goal taken out of the equation. Lifting the Commonwealth Cup after the wild win in Lexington helps to soften the blow.
The road ahead will be a challenge, but one that this team is capable of coming out the other side on top. Meetings with CHS, NM, IND, RI, PIT, DET, and a surprisingly decent MIA await LouCity, just to name a few. There is a good blend of styles in that mix to test the boys in purple. The length of the season is being felt by the squad, and the team’s depth continues to play an important role. The late August stretch of Indy, Rhode Island, and Pittsburgh, all on the road, feels like it could be a real uphill battle. But this is how champs are made. Overcoming the adversity of the back half of the season will solidify the confidence of the Louisville players and staff and set them up for success in the playoffs. Get the job done now so the rocky road of the postseason can be a bit smoother by being confined to the comforts of Lynn Family Stadium.
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