After resting a number of regular starters a week ago, Louisville City FC coach Danny Cruz will revert to a more traditional lineup Saturday when Phoenix Rising FC visits for a 7:30 p.m. regular season finale at Lynn Family Stadium.
Cruz’s changes – seven in all – are in for a dress rehearsal of sorts for the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs. LouCity has already clinched the Players’ Shield and No. 1 overall playoff seed. Now, the boys in purple will turn their attention to starting the postseason in the best form possible.
Returning staple players are led by defender Kyle Adams, who sat out last weekend’s 1-1 draw at San Antonio FC while skirting the limits of season-long yellow card accumulation. Adams will captain LouCity while anchoring a defensive line in front of goalkeeper Damian Last that also features Sean Totsch and Wes Charpie.
Out wide are wingbacks Jake Morris on the left and Aiden McFadden on the right. They’ll flank the midfield duo of Taylor Davila and Elijah Wynder, who also missed the San Antonio game.
Cruz fully rotated his front line, too, seeing the trio of Wilson Harris, Ray Serrano and Adrien Perez replace Phillip Goodrum, Evan Davila and Sam Gleadle.
Notably, Manny Perez returns to the bench Saturday for the first time since leaving LouCity’s October 2 victory over Miami FC with an injury.
LouCity vs. Phoenix Rising is set to air locally on WBKI/The CW, WDRB+ and ESPN Louisville’s AM 680/FM 105.7. ESPN+ will carry national streaming coverage.
Team Sheet vs. Phoenix Rising FC
18 – Damian Las
3 – Jake Morris
32 – Kyle Adams (C)
6 – Wes Charpie
4 – Sean Totsch
2 – Aiden McFadden
17 – Taylor Davila
23 – Elijah Wynder
7 – Ray Serrano
14 – Wilson Harris
16 – Adrien Perez
Substitutes: 12 – Danny Faundez, 13 – Amadou Dia, 15 – Manny Perez, 80 – Hayden Stamps, 11 – Niall McCabe, 20 – Sam Gleadle, 25 – Jansen Wilson, 9 – Phillip Goodrum
