Louisville City FC captain Aodhan Quinn described the Charleston Battery’s defense as compact and solidly shaped. For 45 minutes Saturday, LouCity didn’t generate a shot against it.
In the locker room at halftime, coach James O’Connor urged his players to player with higher tempo. And walking out of it, O’Connor made two changes, inserting Cameron Lancaster and Kadeem Dacres as substitutes in the midfield.
The changes proved to be catalysts in a 1-1 draw Quinn later described as “disappointing,” because while LouCity addressed its issue — sluggish, indecisive play — the club didn’t come away with a win at home.
“I think we played better than to get a tie,” Quinn said. “I don’t think it was up to the standard that we wanted to play at.”
VIDEO: Watch Quinn’s full postgame press conference
Louisville unbeaten streak lived, now at 16 games and nearing the 2013 Richmond Kickers’ USL-record 22 straight games without a loss. But a first half without a look at goal left LouCity short in the scoring column.
Atop the USL’s Eastern Conference standings with an 11-1-6 record, the first-place club has something to improve upon at training this week. Next up is a July 17 road match against the Wilmington Hammerheads which, as with Charleston, scored in the dying minutes this season to force a draw at Slugger Field.
“We completely dominated the game, but we didn’t play quick enough,” O’Connor said. “…I thought we were sluggish in the way we move the ball. It wasn’t quite the same tempo it needed to be. Second half, it got a little bit better. We got a little bit more more opportunities from it, but it still wasn’t like we normally have.
“But equally, when you look and, like I said, they haven’t even had a shot on target, you need to win the game. I think that’s the disappointing thing about tonight.”
HIGHLIGHTS: Top plays from LouCity-Charleston
Dacres set up a number of attacks, but it was Lancaster who delivered a cross in the 62nd minute that deflected off both a Charleston defender and LouCity’s Chandler Hoffman for a goal.
“We felt their presence,” Quinn said.
The Battery’s 84th-minute equalizer wasn’t without controversy, as LouCity goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh appeared to have a hold on the ball before it was knocked out of his hands and scored.
“We were just trying to find another way to get another goal so we could put the game away,” Quinn added. “We had most of the ball the whole game and they get one set piece and whether it’s in Greg’s hands or not, they got a cheap goal from us and we’ve got to change that.”
Kyle Smith, the LouCity right back who’s tied for the USL lead with 5 assists, said his team needs to “keep at it and make sure we stick to the game plan” as players look ahead to Wilmington.
“It is disappointing,” Smith added, “but we have to move on. We can’t really dwell on it.”
