Round one of the 2023 USL playoffs was great to Louisville City. Not only did the boys in purple earn themselves a win on the road, but an upset gave them an opportunity to play the second round back at Lynn Family Stadium. An unexpected but welcomed turn of events. Next up is a match with Detroit City. The last time these two met in LFS, LouCity got the better of them, but their most recent meeting went Detroit’s way. With optimism on the rise within the Louisville city fanbase, would LOU be able to stop DET from earning yet another upset in the playoffs?
Lineup
Match Highlights
15’ – Cameron Lancaster
43’ – Brian Ownby
59’ – Cameron Lancaster
60’ – Jorge Gonzalez
By The Numbers
Full-Time Thoughts
Where has this team been all season!? One of the team’s most dominant performances all season catapults them to the club’s NINTH Eastern Conference Finals. “I’ve been frustrated, and I think we could have done stuff better,” Paolo DelPiccolo said of the year. “But all season — and I’ve said it in the media throughout the season — the quality’s there. This is football. Things aren’t always perfect. Tonight, things went our way.” Things appear to be coming together at the perfect time. The team is largely healthy, players like Cameron Lancaster and Brain Ownby are red hot, and the mentality that we have seen come and go all year appears to be a non-issue. “They executed the game plan to a T,” Coach Danny Cruz said of his team’s outing. “A lot of guys had some really good performances, and collectively I feel we played as a unit tonight.” For as frustrating as several moments were in the regular season, this squad is doing all they can to help people forget those shortcomings. They have made the most of their playoff opportunities and find themselves back in the East’s final. In some ways, it felt unlikely. A few too many poor performances and the inability to secure the first round at home had observers down on their chances. On the flip side, those who followed this team last season knew what their potential was. It now is really starting to look like this team is closing the gap in what they are and what they can be. It’s made for a thrilling postseason.
The ECF will see LouCity heading to South Carolina for a tough matchup against the Charleston Battery. Both the early seasoning meeting at Patriot’s Point and the later match at LFS ended in draws. The Battery under Ben Pirmann have been an excellent team so Coach Cruz and the boys will have their work cut out for them if they want to make a second straight trip to the finals. After how the playoffs have gone for them, there shouldn’t be any lack of belief. Momentum is a powerful thing and LouCity certainly has that going in their favor. Let’s hope this 9th trip to the ECF ends with a W so that Louisville City can have a shot at earning the third star above their crest.
Parting Thoughts
The 4th Annual VamosMorados.com Player Of The Year poll is live until until the end of the day on the Tuesday following the team’s last match. Get your votes in on who you think has earned POTY honors.
And while you are at it, why don't you contribute to Coach Cruz's Leukemia & Lymphoma Society fundraising or the LouCity & Racing Foundation?
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