Lately, Louisville City FC has taken its offense to a new level.
Over the past two games, James O’Connor’s men have scored eight goals and recorded 22 shots on target, which accounts for more than 50 percent of the team’s attempts.
On Sunday, in Louisville City’s 3-1 win at the Bethlehem Steel, City had five shots in the first half, all of them within the goal posts, a sign of improved efficiency on goal.
It wasn’t always this way.
Earlier in the season, Louisville City struggled to convert its countless chances. The team was creating opportunities but scored just eight goals in the first eight games, with numerous shots flying over the bar or wide of the posts.
Now, however, the team is taking O’Connor’s message of putting shots on-target to heart.
“When it’s a hot day like this and you’re on an away trip, you have to take your chances and be willing to work,” forward Luke Spencer said following the win in Bethlehem. “When those chances come, you’ve got to be willing to get it on target — have focus.”
Louisville City’s 3-1 defeat earlier this month to the Charlotte Independence may have been the breaking point.
In that match, Louisville City took 17 shots, but had just five on target. Meanwhile, Charlotte had just seven shots, and converted three of them. It was an important lesson that Louisville City seems to have taken on board.
Louisville City opened the first half of its fiery rivalry with FC Cincinnati with a barrage of shots. Nine of the team’s 11 were on target, including two goals. City had another six shots on goal in the second half, with three more goals to complete the 5-0 rout.
Against Bethlehem, Louisville City didn’t win the possession battle for one of the few times this season, but it still created enough chances, and the team put them away. Spencer’s two goals were essentially his two chances on goal during his 61 minutes on the pitch, while his replacement, Cameron Lancaster, converted one of his two opportunities on goal with a header off the back of his head.
“I feel like we’ve been gaining confidence in our attack and on our shots,” Oscar Jimenez, who delivered two assists. “Everyone’s been dialed in during training with that aspect, and it’s been showing the last couple of games. We’re growing in that aspect, and it’s good to see especially now. It’s getting to be crunch time in the season.”
With the defense remaining one of the best in the United Soccer League and the team continuing to create an abundance of goal-scoring chances, the improved efficiency in front of goal bodes well for the stretch run this fall.
Louisville City is currently in second place in the Eastern Conference but has multiple games-in-hand compared to the rest of the conference. O’Connor’s side will begin to catch up to the rest of the league with midweek games this week and twice in September, which will test the team’s depth and mental grit.
If Louisville City though can remain as efficient as it has been, the club should continue to pick up wins and move to the top of the Eastern Conference.
Opinions expressed in this piece were not subject to club approval. For more insights on LouCity, follow Karell on Twitter: @DanKarellPreps.
