Two games unbeaten to start the 2018 season, Louisville City FC hits the road for the first time as the “Boys in Purple” travel to Cincinnati for another edition of the Dirty River Derby against F.C. Cincinnati.
LouCity boxed off a 2-0 win over Nashville SC before defeating the Tampa Bay Rowdies, 1-0, last Saturday at Slugger Field. Now, our guys hit the road for one of the biggest early tests possible–another match against a regional rival.
When & Where
LouCity travels to face F.C. Cincinnati for a 7:00 P.M. kickoff at Nippert Stadium. The opposition also heads into the match unbeaten, picking up two consecutive 1-0 wins on the road against the Charleston Battery and Indy Eleven.
Local station WBKI will air this weekend’s match on your screen while 840 WHAS AM carries the action over the airwaves. Fans can also follow the match live on Twitter & Instagram.
TV: WBKI
RADIO: 840 WHAS AM
DOWNLOAD: LouCity app for iOS | LouCity app for Android
Last Time Out
Louisville City FC defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies, 1-0, thanks to a goal from Oscar Jimenez in the 69th minute.
In a half of relatively few chances, LouCity ‘netminder Greg Ranjitsingh and the backline in front did well to keep the Rowdies attack at bay. LouCity and Tampa Bay went scoreless into the break.
To start the second half, Ranjitsingh produced a massive save on Rowdies forward Sebastian Guenzatti. Sneaking in behind, Ranjitsingh shuffled across the face of goal and denied the attacker at a crucial moment.
The Next Level Game Changing Play of the Match came in the 69th minute. As captain Paolo DelPiccolo rolled a ball across the 18-yard box, Jimenez was in perfect position to curl an effort past Mizell and put LouCity in front. The goal was just LouCity’s third in 2018–Jimenez’s first–as Spencer and McCabe scored in the season opener against Nashville SC. The assist was also PdP’s first on the year.
At the death, the Rowdies earned a series of corners that would test the team’s solidity, though all were repelled. In the end, a one-goal advantage would be enough and LouCity earned all three points.
READ: #CINvLOU – Talking Points
KY Lottery Kees to the Game
Ahead of Saturday’s River City Derby, a few Kees to the Game presented by Kentucky Lottery:
1. Away match atmosphere
2. Protect Ranjitsingh
3. Attack the flanks
From the Gaffer
On building momentum:
“For me, it’s just total focus on Cincy. We need to make sure we’re prepped and ready for that. They’ve obviously had a great start themselves, so it’ll be a very exciting game. We love playing Cincinnati and I’m sure they enjoy the games as well. I think it’s great to have that regional rivalry. It’s a game we’re certainly looking forward to and I’m sure Cincinnati is, too.”
On having to rally his team:
“In any derby game, I think for sure everyone is really excited. If you look at the rivalry that’s developed in a really short space of time, it’s really exciting. They are great games. Both sets of supporters really enjoy the games and we’re certainly looking forward to it on Saturday.”
On what he’s liked so far this season:
“I think there have been passages of play that we’ve been pleased with, but there have also been other passages of play that we think we need to be sharper with. I think that the understanding is being enhanced. It’s great to see the attitude of the players and how coachable they are. I think that’s probably the biggest thing for me. The guys are fantastic guys to work with and I feel privileged and very grateful to work with such great young men.”
On the first road trip of the season:
“We’re excited. We’re hopeful we’ll bring quite a few supporters up there as well. I think that the games and the rivalry with Cincinnati is something that we really enjoy and they really enjoy. It’s something that, from the league standpoint, that’s something they wanted to create—that regional rivalry. For me, this is probably the biggest regional rivalry in the USL. There’s a real intense atmosphere at the games–whether it’s here or whether it’s there—and there’s a willingness to win from them and from us and that’s what you want. Everyone wants to win. We’re looking forward to the game. We’ve got a huge amount of respect for [FCC head coach] Alan [Koch] and for the players at Cincinnati so we’re excited and we’re looking forward to the weekend.”
On the week’s focus:
“The biggest thing for us on a Monday is always recovery. The ones who haven’t started, we’ll get some fitness in. Then we’ll start to drop in pieces of information. Even starting tomorrow, we’ll drop little pieces in and toward the end of the week, we hope there will be a good understanding of what we want to do and what we believe they will try to do.”
Team News
No injury report
