The Louisville Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest is a rivalry that needs little introduction. For USL fans, at least. This installment of LIPAFC was a special one. It was on CBS in the lead up to the NCAA’s Final Four. It was a big moment for the clubs as well as the league. National media helped to spread the word of the special rivalry that was getting a primetime opportunity to showcase that MLS isn’t the only pro soccer viewing option in the nation. Louisville City won the last match and subsequently the trophy. This was match one of that title defense and with it being on the heels of the five-goal thrashing of BHM, optimism was high.
Full-Time Thoughts
That was pretty much best-case scenario for all involved except for Indy. I say “pretty much” because conceding three isn’t exactly optimal. “I would have liked it to be a little bit less goals against and a little bit more for us,” Coach Danny Cruz said after the historic match. “All in all the atmosphere was fantastic. It was an incredible evening, and I’m really proud of the group and how they handled the moment.” And what a moment it was. CBS got a high-scoring thriller for the largely neutral audience, USL got to showcase a big rivalry in one of the league's best stadiums, and LouCity kept the good vibes going.
Wilson Harris was a BIG factor, as he has been in every match this season. Three goals in this one, a first for him, puts him at seven goals for the season (which has been a whopping four games). He scored nine over the course of the full 2023 season. Small samples should be taken with a grain of salt, but his average output has been unreal. 1.82 goals per match. The next closest in the league is 0.93. It will normalize, but you could not have asked for a better start from him. Speaking of Wilsons, Jansen got his first professional goal in this one as well. What a time to open your account. Going from a trialist with no pro experience to a regular starter to scoring at home against a rival? What a story. Elijah Wynder also found his first of the season here too. Ray earned two assists while Jake Morris and Adrien Perez provided one each as well, keeping their positive run of games going as well. One of Indy’s goals was a PK, and the other was one of those erratic pinball goals so personally, I’m not losing too much sleep over the defensive side. Las and the backline are still playing at a level that could go toe to toe with any other defensive unit in the league.
Big picture, it was a major win. It was a big, unique moment, and the team stepped up to the challenge. Between the stadium and the team’s performances, it's easy to see why Louisville is the first call whenever the USL needs a match to serve as a platform for the league as a whole. Those in attendance should be proud of their contributions as well. The 11k+ in attendance cultivated a great atmosphere that does not go unnoticed by the players. Let’s keep that energy up all season.
Wes Charpie’s sub appearance in this one put him at 100 matches. Congrats, Wes!
It's also worth mentioning the moment the club had before the match. Recently retired Paolo DelPiccolo was honored before the match. The timing of his retirement wasn’t conducive for any sort of sendoff, but he got his moment right before a special match. Thank you, PDP.
Parting Thoughts
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