Louisville City began the 2022 season on a good note grabbing a win over Atlanta United 2. The score line didn’t tell the whole story. Morados was in full control of the match and the score could have been much more lopsided. Props to the ATL keeper for only letting one of the many chances in. City’s next opponent should be more of an even matchup. After exiting the 2021 playoffs at the hands of LouCity, Miami FC will be making their second-ever trip to Lynn Family Stadium.
The 2021 Miami FC team was decent. They boasted a 16-6-10 record, which was good for 4th in a competitive Atlantic Division. They have started their 2022 campaign off on the right foot, grabbing a win over NYRB 2 (FotMob, SofaScore, GameFlow). Miami’s roster boasts two new notable faces, Kyle Murphy and Mark Segbers, both of whom fled Memphis 901 for Miami. Murphy, a 2021 All-League Second Team player, carried 901 last season with 21 goals. Now, surrounded by a more competent side, he could be more dangerous than ever. It was not Murphy who scored in the first match of 2022 but his former 901 teammate, Segbers. On last year’s Memphis team, Segbers had 4 assists (3rd on his team) and the second-highest player rating at 7.39. And who could forget Miami’s most notable trio for LouCity fans; Paco Craig, Speedy Williams, and Richy Ballard. Key difference-makers for this Miami FC team.
It’s still early in the season and difficult to get a good grasp on this year’s opponents. However, it doesn’t appear they have had much, if any, drop-off in quality. FiveThirtyEight is giving the boys in purple a 48% chance to win with the odds for a Miami win or a draw both at 26%. John Morrissey is giving respect to Miami and classifying them as “playoff locks”. Morrissey wrote that he is “left to wonder if they actually improved off of a top ten-adjacent 2021 performance.” Only time will tell if the offseason moves they made will take them forward.
Louisville City appears to be as dangerous as ever. Their first win showcased that many of their new signings meet the Louisville standard and can help propel the club into another successful season. However, it is only a sample size of one. Could a lack of quality from Atlanta United be hiding some yet-to-be-seen issues? Will the absence of Cameron Lancaster spell trouble for City in bigger matches? How many of the eleven are “locks” and who is battling for starting spots? It’s still early and we cannot rule out changes whether that be player selection or tactics. This playoff rematch could be a good gauge of what we have for this season.
Parting Thoughts
Want to do a little more reading on LouCity? Might I suggest The Tifos of Louisville City, Louisville City’s Pathway To The Pros, Louisville City's Preparations For The Future, What Are Expected Goals (xG)?, or What Are Goals Added (G+)?.
Have a friend just getting into LouCity soccer? Be sure to send them the Introduction To Louisville City link to give them a point of reference to learn about the club and league.
Be sure to check out the Vamos Morados Podcast featuring me, Benton, and Zach Allen-Kelly. It’s available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Audible, and Spotify. Everything you need to listen can be found on the Podcast page. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
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If you’re looking to expand your purple wardrobe, Vamos Morados shirts and sweatshirts are available! All proceeds will be going to charitable endeavors!
Speaking of charitable endeavors, the Coopers' Angel's Share program is back for 2022 and is supporting St Baldrick's for the month of March. Please consider donating towards this cause!
There is also another Prideraiser! It is supporting Change Today, Change Tomorrow. We're asking everyone to make a monetary pledge per goal Racing Louisville scores during the Challenge Cup. As little as $1 goes a long way towards supporting this amazing organization and our own Louisville community.