Given a congested schedule and growing list of injuries, Louisville City FC coach Danny Cruz will turn to the club’s next generation for a 6 p.m. Sunday home kickoff against North Carolina FC — a game postponed a day due to travel issues for the visiting team.
LouCity Academy standout Brandon Dayes is set to start the USL Cup group stage game just at 16 years, 6 months and 12 days old. That makes him the second-youngest City player to appear in a USL game behind Josh Wynder, who was 16 years and 2 months old on debut in the summer of 2021.
Of course, Wynder later went on to command a seven-figure transfer fee in a transfer to Europe, where he now plays for Portugal’s Benfica. Expectations are also high for Dayes, who has experience representing the Louisville first team dating back to last year’s international friendlies.
The son of University of Louisville women’s soccer coach Karen Ferguson Dayes, Brandon Dayes was a two-sport athlete this past school year, featuring on the St. Xavier High School basketball team that advanced to Kentucky’s Sweet 16 tournament.
With soccer now his priority, Dayes will slot in along the back line Sunday at Lynn Family Stadium, where he’s one of six lineup changes for Cruz off a midweek regular season victory over Loudoun United FC.
Dayes will play alongside Kyle Adams and Josh Jones, who both return from Wednesday’s win. In the wide spaces, Jake Morris (left) and Manny Perez (right) will newly man the flanks outside of a returning midfield pairing of Taylor Davila and Kevon Lambert.
Up top, Cameron Lancaster will make his first LouCity start since returning to the club on loan from Lexington SC. Ray Serrano and Jansen Wilson — who both scored off the bench in the Loudoun game — complete a new-look front three.
Damian Las maintains his spot in goal, where he’s played every minute this season.
Both LouCity and North Carolina could use a win in the third of their four USL Cup group stage matches. For City, this is also a revenge game going back to last weekend’s 2-1 away loss to NCFC.
Coverage will air locally on MyTV 58 and ESPN Louisville’s AM 680/FM 105.7 with national streaming available via ESPN+.
Team Sheet vs. North Carolina FC
1 — Damian Las
3 — Jake Morris
32 — Kyle Adams (c)
24 — Josh Jones
83 — Brandon Dayes
15 — Manny Perez
17 — Taylor Davila
31 — Kevon Lambert
7 — Ray Serrano
25 — Jansen Wilson
53 — Cameron Lancaster
Substitutes: 30 — Ryan Troutman, 2 — Aiden McFadden, 4— Sean Totsch, 8 — Carlos Moguel Jr., 9 — Phillip Goodrum, 13 — Amadou Dia, 23 — Sam Gleadle, 27 — Evan Davila
