In nine prior games across all competitions, Louisville City FC found itself getting results without scoring multiple goals. But coach Danny Cruz remained steadfast in suggesting the offense would eventually fire.
And on Saturday night it did as LouCity blasted visiting Miami FC by a 3-1 score.
Dylan Mares netted his first goal in purple, Brian Ownby curled in the go-ahead strike, and Sean Totsch remained steady as ever from the penalty spot to put an exclamation point on another memorable night at Lynn Family Stadium.
“A lot of people were worried about it. I’m not worried about it,” Cruz said of LouCity’s scoring drought. “I made it clear: We create chances, and there was poor execution there in a few games. Every year since I’ve been here, the question comes at some point.
“…We’re getting healthy. There’s a lot of competition. And tonight was a really good night for the group. Ultimately, once guys start feeling it going into the back of the net, more will continue to come.”
Attendance measured in at 11,279. That’s not counting 323 dogs on hand for the club’s second “Pups at the Pitch” game benefitting the Kentucky Humane Society.
As a result, LouCity improved to 5-2-2 with its 17 points good for second on the table. The boys in purple haven’t lost in their last five USL Championship games.
Saturday’s outcome didn’t arrive without its adversity. Mares converted in the sixth minute, finishing a rebounded shot via teammate Rasmus Thellufsen. But from there, the rest of the first half saw City absorb a Miami FC penalty kick and three yellow cards, including a caution to a frustrated Cruz.
“We were poor with the ball in the first half,” Ownby said. “We turned the ball over too much and allowed them to dictate the game a little bit. We went and changed a few things with Danny and the staff. I think you saw in the second half we were able to control the flow and the second balls and areas of the field.”
The boys in purple went on to limit Miami to four shots — two on target — and convert a pair of chances themselves.
Ownby’s bit of brilliance capped a 62nd-minute sequence that saw Elijah Wynder play into Wilson Harris, who tapped back out to the veteran winger. Soon after, defender Amadou Dia — who fouled to send Miami to the spot in the first half — won a penalty of his own before Totsch buried the try in the 70th minute.
LouCity scored multiple goals in a game for the first time since its March 11 season opener at Orange County SC. Saturday’s victory pulled the boys in purple to within a point of the Eastern Conference-leading Charleston Battery — and with a game in hand.
“Even through that stretch of not scoring as many goals as we’d like, there’s not a lack of belief,” Totsch said. “That’s not what this team and this club is about. We’ve worked on some things, and tonight guys had confidence and buried their chances.”
It’s another week and a half before City returns to the pitch to host FC Tulsa at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 24.
Game Summary: Louisville City FC vs. Miami FC
Date: May 13, 2023
Venue: Lynn Family Stadium
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Weather: 80 degrees, mostly cloudy
Attendance: 11,279
Scoring
Louisville City FC (1, 2, 3)
Miami FC FC (1, 0, 1)
Goals
Louisville City FC:
6’ Dylan Mares
62’ Brian Ownby (Wilson Harris)
70’ Sean Totsch
Miami FC:
11’ Kyle Murphy
Lineups
Louisville City FC: 28 — Oliver Semmle, 13 — Amadou Dia, 6 — Wes Charpie, 4 — Sean Totsch, 19 — Oscar Jimenez, 8 — Carlos Moguel Jr. (46’ 12 — Tyler Gibson), 22 — Dylan Mares (46’ 23 — Elijah Wynder), 5 — Rasmus Thellufsen, 9 — Jorge Gonzalez (83’ 7 — Ray Serrano), 10 — Brian Ownby (78’ 36 — Paolo DelPiccolo), 14 — Wilson Harris (90’ 90 — Maarten Pouwels)
Subs not used: 18 — Danny Faundez, 51 — Ramzi Qawasmy
Head coach: Danny Cruz
Miami FC: 1 — Jake McGuire, 3 — Aedan Stanley, 4 — Paco Craig, 5 — Callum Chapman-Page, 14 — Ryan Telfer (71’ 6 — Moises Hernandez), 99 — Christian Sorto (83’ 20 — Ben Mines), 21 — Bolu Akinyode, 10 — Florian Valot, 2 — Mark Segbers, 9 — Kyle Murphy (70’ 7 — Claudio Repetto), 17 — Michael Salazar
Subs not used: 13 — Adrian Zendejas, 15 — Lorenzo DiMercurio, 22 — Ben Ofeimu, 23 — Curtis Thorn
Head coach: Anthony Pulis
Stats Summary: Louisville City FC / Miami FC
Shots: 15 / 4
Shots on Goal: 5 / 2
Possession: 51.1% / 48.9%
Fouls: 13 / 13
Offside: 2 / 3
Corner Kicks: 6 / 3
Discipline Summary
Louisville City FC:
24’ Bench (yellow)
31’ Oscar Jimenez (yellow)
33’ Dylan Mares (yellow)
Miami FC:
44’ Callum Chapman-Page (yellow)
77’ Bolu Akinyode (yellow)
Referee: Elijio Arreguin
