Louisville City FC is in for a battle Sunday vs. New York Red Bulls II in Montclair, N.J. The matchup will showcase two of the premier clubs in the USL Championship and feature the last three USL Champions (Red Bulls II in 2016 and Louisville City in 2017 and 2018).
“You are looking at a game that – the last several years – has been the Eastern Conference final,” Louisville City coach John Hackworth said. “They are an excellent organization and they do a fantastic job with their Youth Development program, and they play a tough style. They look to press you, they look to counter you very quickly and it always makes for an interesting match.”
Sunday’s match will be Hackworth’s first time facing NYRBII on the road.
“I believe this match last year was the last match before I took over as the head coach,” Hackworth said. “I was watching from my hotel room in Costa Rica, and if I recall correctly that game ended 6-4. There are always goals in this match it seems. Hopefully, we’ll come out on the right side of this one as well.”
With its third game in seven days, LouCity’s depth will be challenged Sunday, especially after the club had to go 30 extra minutes Wednesday night vs. FC Cincinnati in the Open Cup.
“We’re a team that works hard and we’re fit,” Hackworth said. “Can we be fitter? Always, but we believe in our fitness level so it is about re-gen (recouping), and the extra day – normally this would be a Saturday game – the extra day helps us.”
A flight delay caused Louisville City to have a longer-than-expected travel day on Friday, but the club still found time to make it to training Friday night.
“I wanted to see the right intensity, I wanted to see that competitive mentality and I wanted to see the right response to the last time we took the field, and I think I saw that,” Hackworth said Friday after practicing at Montclair State University.
Louisville City and New York Red Bulls II kickoff at 3 p.m. Sunday. The game will be televised on WBKI locally and EASPN+ streaming. The local radio call is on 840 WHAS.
