Louisville City FC interim head coach Simon Bird has made four changes to his lineup for Saturday’s Prinx Tires USL Cup game at Detroit City FC.
Kickoff at Keyworth Stadium is set for 5 p.m. The game will air nationally on ESPN2, with local radio coverage on ESPN 680 and 105.7.
The changes come as LouCity leads the Group Four standings in the Prinx Tires USL Cup. The boys in purple cannot clinch a berth in the knockout stage Saturday, however — that will have to wait for the group-stage finale against Lexington SC on July 11.
Those changes include two notable omissions from the starting group — two USL Championship award winners from 2025: Player of the Year Taylor Davila and Defender of the Year Kyle Adams.
Davila had started in 18 of LouCity’s 20 games this season, across all competitions, and has come off the bench once this year. The 25-year-old Californian leads LouCity with five assists.
Adams, LouCity’s captain, had started every game this season — 20 out of 20. He leads Louisville with 1,788 minutes.
Babacar Niang will replace Davila in the midfield. The 24-year-old Senegalese midfielder, on loan with Louisville from Minnesota United of Major League Soccer, scored in his last outing at Birmingham Legion FC on June 3.
Amadou Dia will take Adams’ spot at center back, sliding over from left back to make room for Jake Morris, who will make his first start since April 18. The 27-year-old played 17 minutes off the bench in last week’s draw with Brooklyn.
In the attack, two of the front three are also changes for Bird, with Jansen Wilson starting in place of Mukwelle Akale on the wing and Tola Showunmi at center forward, replacing Chris Donovan. Wilson leads Louisville in scoring this season with seven goals in all competitions, while Showunmi is tied with Donovan just behind him with six tallies.
Louisville is otherwise unchanged for Saturday’s game.
Australian midfielder Zach Duncan starts alongside Niang. The USL Championship named the 26-year-old to its Team of the Week last week, after he tallied a goal and an assist in a midweek win at Phoenix Rising FC.
Brandon Dayes, the 17-year-old United States Under-18 National Team defender, starts in the middle of the back line. The 34-year-old Sean Totsch starts alongside him — Totsch is the USL Championship’s all-time minutes and appearances leader.
Ray Serrano, who scored the 89th minute equalizer to salvage a point against Brooklyn, retains his starting place in the attack.
As does Danny Faundez, who made 11 saves in two games last week — the most combined saves in consecutive games for a LouCity goalkeeper in 29 games.
On the bench, Davila, Adams and Akale are available after dropping from the starting lineup. Carlos Moguel Jr., Quenzi Huerman, Sam Gleadle and Evan Davila could also see action. Hugo Fauroux is the backup goalkeeper Saturday.
Team sheet at Detroit City FC
12 – Danny Faundez
3 – Jake Morris
13 – Amadou Dia
5 – Brandon Dayes
4 – Sean Totsch (c)
2 – Aiden McFadden
19 – Babacar Niang
6 – Zach Duncan
7 – Ray Serrano
25 – Jansen Wilson
14 – Tola Showunmi
Available substitutes: 1 – Hugo Fauroux; 8 – Taylor Davila, 16 – Carlos Moguel Jr., 21 – Quenzi Huerman, 23 – Sam Gleadle, 27 – Evan Davila, 32 – Kyle Adams, 47 – Mukwelle Akale
