Ahead of the biggest home game of the season, Louisville City FC interim head coach has made three changes to his starting lineup, picking Kyle Adams, Manny Perez and Ray Serrano for starting duty.
Kickoff before an expected capacity crowd at Lynn Family Stadium is set for 8 p.m. ET. The game will air locally MyTV 58, with radio coverage on ESPN Louisville’s 680 AM and 105.7 FM. For streaming, log on to ESPN+ or WDRB+.
For tickets and more information, visit LouCity.com/FilltheFam.
Louisville’s captain, Kyle Adams, rejoins the center back trio after missing last week’s trip to Tampa bay due to injury. Adams played the entire 90 minutes of each of the prior eight matches for Louisville.
Serrano will join the attack on the wing. The 24-year-old is in his fifth season in purple and has appeared in all four prior ‘Fill the Fam’ matches, starting in three. Today will Serrano’s 12th start of league play this season, and 25th overall appearance of the season.
He replaces leading scorer Jansen Wilson, who misses Saturday’s game with injury.
Another change comes at the wingback position, where Manny Perez will start on the right. Perez has offered a strong presence defensively this season, averaging 8.38 duels won per 90 minutes.
The rest of Bird’s team remains unchanged from last week’s 5-4 loss at the Rowdies.
Saturday will be the fifth-straight game across all competitions that Louisville will have a different look at the center back position, with Sean Totsch and Aiden McFadden joining Adams.
Totsch, Louisville’s longest tenured player, and Serrano are the only players to appear in every “Fill the Fam” match. Totsch has also started in three of them, only coming off the bench in last year’s match against the Charleston Battery.
For McFadden, tonight will be his 10th league start of the season, where he’s racked up all three of his goal contributions of the year.
Mukwelle Akale and Chris Donovan remain in the attack, joining Serrano. They will make their eighth and 15th respective league starts of the season. Donovan, who turns 26 years old today, scored Louisville’s second goal in last week’s loss. That goal was his ninth goal contribution of league play, tied for the team lead.
The midfield remains unchangecd as the Davila brothers will start side-by-side once again. After two months without a goal contribution, Taylor Davila bounced back last week with assists in both matches Louisville played, including the win over Birmingham Legion FC and the loss to Tampa Bay. The elder brother ranks second in the USL Championship and first on the squad with six assists in league play.
Younger brother Evan joined in with an assist against the Rowdies — the second of his career — on Donovan’s finish. Tonight will be the 19th time the duo has appeared in LouCity’s starting lineup together.
Saturday marks the third straight start in goal for Hugo Fauroux. In two games last week, Fauroux made five saves, while also having 13 recoveries.
Simon Bird will have nine subs available off the bench available for selection. That includes Cameron Duke, who made his first league appearance for Louisville City last week, coming off the bench for the final 15 minutes. Danny Faundez, Sam Gleadle, Amadou Dia, Zach Duncan, Quenzi Huerman, Tola Showunmi, Thomas Weinrich and Cooper Conley round out the available players.
Team sheet vs. San Antonio FC
1 – Hugo Fauroux
3 – Jake Morris
32 – Kyle Adams (c)
4 – Sean Totsch
2 – Aiden McFadden
15 – Manny Perez
8 – Taylor Davila
27 – Evan Davila
7 – Ray Serrano
47 – Mukwelle Akale
9 – Chris Donovan
Available substitutes: 12 – Danny Faundez; 6 – Zach Duncan, 13 – Amadou Dia, 14 – Tola Showunmi, 21 – Quenzi Huerman, 23 – Sam Gleadle, 28 – Cameron Duke, 97 – Thomas Weinrich, 99 – Cooper Conley
