HARRISON, N.J. — After four straight losses to the New York Red Bulls II, Louisville City FC has the chance Sunday to turn around a lopsided rivalry in the USL Cup Playoffs.
The two teams will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Red Bull Arena, a 25,000-seat stadium, in the Eastern Conference Final. The winner moves on to its first USL championship game.
Last Time Out / Regular-Season Records
New York: 3-3 (5-4) shootout win over Rochester Rhinos; 21-3-6 (69 points) in 30 games; No. 1 Eastern Conference seed.
LouCity: 1-0 win Sunday against the Charleston Battery; 17-4-9 (60 points) in 30 games; No. 2 Eastern Conference seed.
Follow Along
Sunday’s game will air, as with other LouCity games, live on Youtube, with a link also available at www.loucity.com.
For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter and Louisville City FC on Facebook. Find us at louisvillecityfc on Instagram.
Vote for LouCity’s Modelo Man of the Match starting at the 75th minute on Twitter.
Links
- LouCity focused on breaking Red Bulls II’s hex
- BoomBozz hosting conference final watch party
- Rasmussen’s return lifting LouCity’s playoff hopes
- Video: Coach O’Connor previews Sunday’s game
- Know the foe: More on the New York Red Bulls II
- Smith goes from the stands to LouCity star
- LouCity carrying confidence into NYRBII rematch
By The Numbers
7 – LouCity is currently on a seven-game unbeaten streak heading into the Eastern Conference Final. While riding the streak, the boys in purple have outscored opponents 13-2.
30 – The Red Bulls II’s current unbeaten streak of 12 games dates back to the beginning of August. During the run of good form, they have recorded 11 wins with only one draw.
210 – In the first two rounds of the USL Cup Playoffs, both LouCity and Red Bulls II played 210 minutes. While the boys in purple needed overtime in the first round, New York took extra time and penalties in the second round.
Notes
- And then there were four: LouCity will play Sunday for the right to host the USL Cup Final at 8 p.m. Oct. 23, at Slugger Field, given that both the boys in purple and Red Bulls II finished with more points than the best of the Western Conference. The No. 4 seed Swope Park Rangers and No. 6 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 meet in the other conference final at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
- Playoff prowess: LouCity moved its postseason record over the last two years to 3-1-0 with last weekend’s victory over the Charleston Battery. Last year, Louisville fell 1-0 to the Rochester Rhinos, also on the road in the Eastern Conference Final. The Rhinos went on to win the USL championship.
- The gang’s all here: As he did for last year’s Eastern Conference Final, coach James O’Connor had LouCity’s entire roster travel to Harrison, N.J., for Sunday’s game. Additionally, goalkeeper Scott Goodwin, now a Harvard Medical School student, will join the club — and perhaps jump on the pitch at Red Bull Arena to warm up the keepers.
- Lockdown defense: LouCity has posted its best stretch defensively of the season aside from when Greg Ranjitsingh first took over the starting job, going five straight games with clean sheets in May. In the seven games since the Red Bulls II last beat LouCity in August, the boys in purple have conceded just two goals.
- Taking their chances: With the Richmond Kickers down a man early in LouCity’s Oct. 2 playoff opener, Louisville out-shot its opponent 33-8. The margin was much smaller — 14-9 — in an Oct. 8 win over the Charleston Battery. But LouCity puts its stamp on both games by controlling possession.
- Davis, Hoffman break through: With his game-winner against the Richmond Kickers in overtime, George Davis IV scored his first USL playoff goal after appearing previously in the postseason for Orange County and Richmond. Loucity’s leading scorer, Hoffman, doubled the lead late with his first goal since a July 17 win at Wilmington.
- Unlikely 1-2 punch: It’s LouCity’s style to set up goals with consistent possession and crisp passing. Last time out, defender Sean Reynolds went for a home run ball type of pass from the back line. It landed at midfielder Kadeem Dacres’ feet up the right side, and Dacres buried a 53rd-minute game-winner against the Battery between the goalkeeper’s legs.
