With the chance to knock off another opponent from Major League Soccer, Louisville City FC interim head coach Simon Bird has selected a starting lineup flush with attacking threats.
LouCity visits the Houston Dynamo of MLS in the 111th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Round of 16 matchup kicks off at 8 p.m. ET at Houston’s Shell Energy Stadium.
Tola Showunmi, who leads the tournament in scoring with four goals, starts at center forward. The 25-year-old also leads LouCity with five goals overall this season.
Jansen Wilson, who leads LouCity with six total goal contributions (three goals and three assists), will start on the wing. Evan Davila, who has tallied once this season, starts on the opposite wing. Notably, Davila created seven chances in his last start on April 18 against Sporting Jacksonville. That was a single-game high for a LouCity player this season.
Davila’s brother, reigning USL Championship Player of the Year Taylor, starts in the midfield. The elder Davila leads LouCity with four assists.
Zach Duncan, who scored Louisville’s opening goal in last week’s 3-1 win over Fort Wayne FC in the USL Prinx Tires Cup, starts alongside Taylor Davila in the midfield.
The backline includes veterans Amadou Dia and Manny Perez in the wingback places. Captain Kyle Adams, teenager Brandon Dayes and LouCity Academy product Carlos Moguel Jr. start in the three center back positions.
Danny Faundez starts in goal for the second consecutive outing. Hugo Fauroux, Louisville’s presumptive starter in goal, remains sidelined with an injury.
On the bench, Josh Jones makes his return to a LouCity squad following a nearly two-month injury recovery. The 6-foot-5 All-League defender has played 11 minutes this season, in the opener at Lexington on March 6, but has been unavailable since.
Ray Serrano,fresh off a game-winning goal against Fort Wayne, leads the attacking options.
Team Sheet at Houston Dynamo
12 – Danny Faundez
13 – Amadou Dia
32 – Kyle Adams (c)
5 – Brandon Dayes
16 – Carlos Moguel Jr.
15 – Manny Perez
8 – Taylor Davila
6 – Zach Duncan
25 – Jansen Wilson
27 – Evan Davila
14 – Tola Showunmi
Substitutes: 30 – Ryan Troutman; 7 – Ray Serrano, 9 – Chris Donovan, 23 – Sam Gleadle, 24 – Josh Jones, 28 – Cameron Duke, 47 – Mukwelle Akale
