A Louisville City FC team that had allowed just 17 goals in 18 games entering Saturday found itself in a rare position at the half — down 2-0, and with both goals by the same player, Enzo Martinez.
It also happened June 3 in a game against the Charleston Battery with sticker Romario Williams recording the first half brace. Then, LouCity rallied for a 4-4 draw. But such results are rare, and the hole proved too deep against the Charlotte Independence.
An Independence win vaulted them into first place, while LouCity slid from third to fourth as a result — though the boys in purple maintain games in hand over each team ahead.
Midfielder Guy Abend didn’t see a 3-1 loss to Charlotte coming.
“We had control before they scored their first goal, and even after that,” he said. “I felt like we were in control, and they scored out of nowhere. The second and third goal — kind of the same. We showed our mental toughness the way we came out in the second half and continued to dominate the game. Then out of nowhere came the other goals.”
As Sean Totsch came out to challenge, Martinez slipped behind the defense and received a pass for his first goal. The second came after Paco Craig mishandled a long ball in his own half. A separate pass back to Tim Dobrowolski in the first half nearly got past the goalkeeper for another Charlotte tally.
Each sequence was uncharacteristic for one of the league’s best defenses.
Here’s more from the game:
• For the first time this season, midfielder Brian Ownby remained on the sideline for a game’s entire 90 minutes, resting after a strenuous first half of the year. The only other game he didn’t start — the aforementioned draw June 3 in Charleston — Ownby came on as a substitute to score.
• In his third game back after a stint with the Canadian national team, Mark-Anthony Kaye tallied his first goal of the season for LouCity and earned the fans’ vote for Man of the Match. Kaye was brought on the pitch in the first half after Paolo DelPiccolo called for a sub, and the change ultimately paid off for coach James O’Connor.
• Luke Spencer, a former MLS SuperDraft pick, played multiple brilliant balls in the Independence box on hold plays that gave his teammates enough time to create space and looks at goals. His hold plays set up just some of the 13 total shots for LouCity, seven of which came from in the box, but only one of which saw the back of the net.
• The setback came a week before the River Cities Cup rivalry’s final leg plays out at Slugger Field. Elsewhere in USL play, FC Cincinnati ended level at 2-2 against Orlando City B. A league regular-season record 25,308 attended at Nippert Stadium.
