Louisville City fought back from trailing 2-0 in Kansas City vs. the Swope Park Rangers to tie the score 2-2 before a 90th minute goal put Swope Park ahead in heartbreaking fashion.
Louisville City’s Niall McCabe was sent off for a red card and Swope Park scored its game-winner on the ensuing free kick. Louisville City tried in vain to find the equalizer in the final few minutes left of stoppage time, but couldn’t find it.
“Our overall performance and execution just weren’t up to our standards,” Louisville City coach John Hackworth said. “That is not the level of play we expect in our club and we have to improve. We need to improve nearly every aspect from tonight.”
Hackworth’s club dug themselves a hole it was very difficult to climb out of. Down 2-0 at halftime after a pair of Swope Park goals in the first half on LouCity miscues.
“I thought we started the game with a poor mentality,” veteran Luke Spencer said. “In our challenges and our fifty-fifties it showed. We went down two-nil, but we were able to fight back in the second half and show what we’re capable of when we have a good mentality and a good approach. Still, we have so much to improve on and get better at. We can’t be allowing a set piece goal that late in the game.”
Louisville City found out in pregame warmups that starting goalkeeper Ben Lundt went down with injury. That forced City into starting recently signed backup keeper Brian Holt in goal.
“It’s definitely frustrating. We’ve had our fair share of injures this season, but that’s part of it. We can’t do anything about it but improve. We just have to have that next man up mentality.”
Spencer and George Davis IV came in during the second half with Spencer making an immediate difference after halftime and Davis joining in later. Louisville City also got a spark from Magnus Rasmussen who drilled a free kick from just beyond the box for LouCity’s first goal in the 49′.
A cross in from Lucky Mkosana bounced off a Swope Park player and Luke Spencer stayed composed to bury the loose ball into the net for the equalizer in the 58′.
Having now played to even, Louisville City appeared to have the momentum advantage. They had several chances to get the go-ahead goal, but never found it.
Then heartbreak struck quickly in the 90′ when Niall McCabe’s tackle from behind near midfield was awarded a red card. Swope Park took advantage right away, scoring off the free kick on a header by Abdul Rwatubyaye.
Scoring Summary:
30′ SPR – Hernandez, 1-0
34′ SPR – Akhmatov, 2-0
49′ LOU – Rasmussen, 2-1
58′ LOU – Spencer, 2-2
90′ SPR – Rwatubyaye, 3-2
