Louisville City FC will hit the pitch Saturday for its final tuneup before the United Soccer League’s playoffs for a meeting with the Charlotte Independence at Slugger Field.
The Fan Appreciation Night game begins at 7:30 p.m. Here’s what to watch for between LouCity and Charlotte.
Team Records
LouCity: 17-4-8 (59 points) in 29 games; 2nd in the USL’s Eastern Conference standings.
Charlotte: 14-8-7 (49 points) in 29 games; 4th in the USL’s Western Conference.
Follow Along
Saturday’s game will air, as with other LouCity games, live on Youtube with Jim Wombwell on play-by-play duty and commentary from Bob Valvano.
For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter and Louisville City FC on Facebook. Find us at louisvillecityfc on Instagram.
Vote for LouCity’s Modelo Man of the Match starting at the 75th minute on Twitter.
Links
- LouCity’s Rasmussen on a roll, enjoying soccer again
- Local ESL students visit practice, interview players
- Know the foe: Read up on the Charlotte Independence
- Video: Coach O’Connor previews Saturday’s game
- Videos: Interviews with Lubahn and Rasmussen
- Red Bulls, LouCity 1-2 in USL’s power rankings
By the Numbers
3 – LouCity has closed this season out better than the last, when the club dropped three straight games going into the playoffs.
4 – But in its other home finale, LouCity piled up four goals in a win over the Harrisburg City Islanders on Sept. 2, 2015.
9 – Throughout the month of September, LouCity has remained unbeaten and in the process collected the maximum amount of points.
Notes
Playoff picture: LouCity has already clinched the USL Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed, as well as a home playoff game set for 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2. The club will host the No. 7 seed still to be determined. Heading into the weekend, the Richmond Kickers have it, but they could move up to as high as fifth with a victory. The Charleston Battery and Rochester Rhinos both sit on 48 points, three ahead of Richmond.
Charlotte’s situation: The Independence are fighting for a top-four finish, the cutoff line to host an opening-round USL playoff game. A victory would guarantee it, though a draw would still help. At 49 points, Charlotte is within reach of Charleston and Rochester. The Battery play Eastern Conference regular-season champion New York Red Bulls II, while the Rhinos have a friendlier matchup with Toronto FC II.
The format: The top-eight teams from both the USL’s Eastern and Western conferences advance this year to the single-elimination playoffs. One round is played per week, and better-seeded advancing clubs host sequential rounds. Last season, LouCity played in the Eastern Conference final, where it fell to eventual champion Rochester. This year’s championship game will be played at 8 p.m. Oct. 23 on ESPNU.
Rules update: While LouCity midfielder George Davis IV sits on four yellow cards, and captain Aodhan Quinn on seven — both one away from serving a suspension due to accumulation — they won’t have to sit if they pick up another caution Saturday. Totals won’t carry over to the playoffs; players would instead only have to pay the league an undisclosed fine. But should a player be sent off in the regular-season finale, he would still be suspended for a postseason game.
LouCity players recognized: Two goal scorers from last Saturday’s 5-1 win over Saint Louis FC were honored Tuesday by the USL. Midfielder Magnus Rasmussen, who recorded a brace with a pair of second half goals, made the USL Team of the Week’s top 11. Winger Kadeem Dacres filled out the reserves thanks to an equalizer in the 38th minute. This marked Rasmussen’s second straight Team of the Week nod.
Scoring outburst: LouCity’s five goals in St. Louis marked the most scored this season by the club, which is also on 2016-best four-game winning streak entering the regular-season finale. LouCity scored five goals in a game last season, when on Aug. 12, 2015, it beat the Harrisburg City Islanders 5-1. A franchise-record six goals were recorded June 27, 2015, in a 6-2 home win over Oklahoma City Energy FC.
