In a game Louisville City FC trailed at the half Saturday, coach James O’Connor opted for mass substitutions out of the locker room, saving some of his top attacking players for what’s ahead.
While LouCity’s four-game winning streak ended, the club still legged out a 1-1 draw in the regular-season finale.
“I was always going to make changes,” said coach James O’Connor. “For me, my focus was making sure we got through with no injuries. I think when you have a game like that, and we’ve had as many games as we’ve had, I think my focus is always going to be trying to get some players some minutes – try to get some players off that I felt needed to be off.
“The changes were always going to happen at halftime regardless of the score.”
A draw prevented the Independence from locking up a top-four United Soccer League postseason seed because, in an earlier result, the Rochester Rhinos knocked off Toronto FC II to leap Charlotte in the standings.
Entering Saturday, the league table was of little concern for LouCity. The club had already clinched the No. 2 spot and will host the Richmond Kickers at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2.
Top-four seeds in the Eastern and Western conferences earn home field advantage for first-round USL playoff games.
“We’re coming in with a lot of confidence, that’s for sure,” O’Connor said.
After Charlotte’s Brian Brown opened the scoring Saturday with a 43rd-minute goal, LouCity responded in the second half. A 73rd-minute goal — Chandler Hoffman’s shot was saved, then bounced off a defender and in — equalized.
As a result, LouCity finished the regular season with a stout 60 points overall in 30 games.
“Obviously, we already have a spot in the playoffs, so it’s just being able to manage players – manage their time,” said Ben Newnam, who, as with Hoffman, was among O’Connor’s four halftime substitutes. “So I don’t think that there was any reason necessarily for those changes other than a little spark for the rest of the game.
“Going into the playoffs, it’s a team effort every time we step out on the field. No matter who’s out there, we feel like we’ve got the best chance to win.”
LouCity did as O’Connor hoped — avoid injury — throughout Saturday’s game. There was one close call. In the first half, midfielder Magnus Rasmussen absorbed a kick to the ribs but re-entered the game after seeing a trainer.
That moment had the 8,301 fans at Slugger Field concerned. Events later had them riled up.
In addition to goals that counted, a pair were disallowed late when first, another would-be Hoffman score was whistled dead for offside in the 90th minute. At the other end, the flag also went up in stoppage time as the Independence put a ball into the back of the net, still fighting late for a top-four seed.
In goal, LouCity keeper Greg Ranjitsingh finished with five saves and stepped in to grab a number of crosses in the box on his way to being voted Man of the Match.
“We’re just looking forward to a good week of training and going into the playoffs on the right foot,” Ranjitsingh said.
LouCity took the seasons series with the Independence after opening in Charlotte. Cameron Lancaster hit a free kick at the final whistle of a 1-0 win. Saturday’sdraw came in front of 8,301 fans at Slugger Field as Louisville improved its record to 17-4-9.
Game Summary
Match: Louisville City FC vs. Charlotte Independence
Date: Sept. 24, 2016
Venue: Slugger Field
Kickoff: 7:33 p.m.
Weather: Clear, 85 degree
Attendance: 8,301
Man of the Match: Greg Ranjitsingh
Louisville City FC (0 ,1, 1)
Charlotte Independence (1, 0, 1)
Lineups
Louisville City FC: 13-Greg Ranjitsingh, 24-Kyle Smith, 15-Sean Reynolds, 18-Tarek Morad, 20-Enrique Montano (46′ 2-Ben Newnam), 36-Paolo DelPiccolo (67′ 8-Guy Abend), 4-Aodhan Quinn, 7-Kadeem Dacres (77-Andrew Lubahn), 10-Magnus Rasmussen (46′ 14-Ilija Ilic), 22-George Davis IV, 9-Cameron Lancaster (46′ 17-Chandler Hoffman).
Subs not used: 28-Tim Dobrowolski, 12-Mark-Anthony Kaye.
Head coach: James O’Connor
Charlotte Independence: 12-John Berner, 3-Bilal Duckett, 4-Patrick Slogic (78′ 2-Jack Metcalf), 22-Joel Johnson, 25-Henry Kalungi (86′ 17-Joseph Greenspan), 6-Jun Marques Davidson (78′ 20-Aly Hassan), 14-Lewis Hilton (68′ 7-Yann Ekra), 19-Enzo Martinez, 23-Alex Martinez (68′ 10-Jorge Herrera), 9-Brian Brown, 11-David Estrada.
Subs not used: 1-Cody Mizell, 5-Paul Clowes.
Head coach: Mike Jeffries
Stats – LouCity / Charlotte
Shots: 13 / 14
Saves: 5 / 4
Corner Kicks: 7 / 9
Offside: 3 / 5
Officials
Referee: Danielle Chesky
Assistant Referee 1: Ben Hall-Volpenhein
Assistant Referee 2: Ronald Stuver
4th Official: Tony Crush
