Playing without half of its regular back four on Saturday night, Louisville City FC felt the effects in a 2-1 defeat at Birmingham Legion FC.
Defenders Jonathan Gomez and Wes Charpie were both sidelined due to injury in what was the first loss for the boys in purple since July 10 and only the fourth all season for the first-place club.
As a result, LouCity dropped to 12-4-4, still four points ahead of Birmingham on the USL Championship’s Central Division table. Teams are competing for top-four finishes to qualify for the playoffs, and those with higher point totals host postseason games.
“I didn’t feel tonight that we out-worked the opponent, which is the bare minimum expectation here,” said head coach Danny Cruz. “While we obviously need to be better in the final third in the last couple games, I was frustrated tonight with the mentality. I was frustrated with the overall lack of discipline in the final third.
“It’s easy to dissect it when you lost a game, but ultimately it’s important to me that we respond the right way, which we have in the past.”
All of Saturday’s scoring was done in the second half at BBVA Field, where Legion FC’s Neco Brett finished his team-leading 12th goal of the year in the 51st minute before University of Kentucky product J.J. Williams chipped in his fourth goal of the year seconds after subbing on in the 78th minute.
“You can’t concede the goal where we concede the goal and how we concede the goal,” Cruz said of Williams’ game-winner, which followed a turnover in LouCity’s final third. “I thought collectively there were some individual mistakes that obviously hurt us and a lot of frustration obviously from me and the locker room as well.”
Sandwiched between Birmingham’s goals was LouCity’s lone scoring strike, and a crucial one. Antoine Hoppenot put in a 62nd-minute cross that found team captain Paolo DelPiccolo for his career-high fourth goal of the season.
DelPiccolo’s conversion ended what was a 197-minute run without a goal after the club entered off a scoreless draw last weekend at OKC Energy FC. Both games were played as part of a portion of the schedule that sees City away from home in seven of eight games — the exception being Friday’s return to Lynn Family Stadium against FC Tulsa.
“We’re frustrated,” said winger Brian Ownby. “Our standards are higher than that — at least the effort. I think we all could have given more effort tonight, and that’s disappointing. I think getting complacent bit us early in the second half. We got back in, then got complacent for that second goal. We have higher expectations. We want to win the league, and this is unacceptable for us.”
LouCity had a pair of other scoring chances shortly after its first goal. In the 65th minute, DelPiccolo played in a dangerous cross that couldn’t find a teammate. And three minutes after that, forward Cameron Lancaster attempted a leaping scissor kick from the top of the box that required a save.
But the offensive production over the last two games hasn’t matched what we’ve grown used to for the boys in purple, who have scored multiple goals in 12 of their last 15 fixtures.
In for the aforementioned Gomez and Charpie were veterans Pat McMahon and Oscar Jimenez, with the latter returning from an injury of his own. Ownby, questionable going into Saturday, subbed on but attacking midfielder Corben Bone has also been unavailable as of late.
The defeat ended an eight game unbeaten streak and evened the season series with Birmingham to 1-1-1 after a LouCity win and draw earlier in the year, both at Lynn Family Stadium. The sides meet once more on Oct. 30 in what could be a pivotal final game of the regular season.
Game Summary: Birmingham Legion FC vs. Louisville City FC
Venue: BBVA Field
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Man of the Match: Paolo DelPiccolo
Scoring
Birmingham Legion FC (0, 2, 2)
Louisville City FC (0, 1, 1)
Scoring Summary
Birmingham Legion FC:
51’ Nico Brett (Ryan James assist)
78’ J.J. Williams
Louisville City FC:
62’ Paolo DelPiccolo (Antoine Hoppenot assist)
Stats Summary: Birmingham Legion FC / Louisville City FC
Shots: 9 / 9
Shots on Goal: 3 / 3
Fouls: 13 / 8
Offside: 1 / 3
Corner Kicks: 2 / 7
Saves: 2 / 1
Lineups
Birmingham Legion FC: 1 — Matt Van Oekel, 21 — Alex Crongale, 3 — Phanuel Kavita, 27 — Thomas Vancaeyezeele (84’ 20 — Zachary Herivaux), 6 — Anderson Asiedu, 7 — Ryan James, 24 — Jonathan Dean, 5 — Mikey Lopez, 10 — Prosper Kasim (69’ 17 — Jaden Servania), 11 — Neco Brett (77’ 23 — J.J. Williams), 77 — Junior Flemmings
Subs not used: 13 — Jacob Rufe, 18 — Revor Spangenberg, 22 — Benjamin Ofeimu, 12 — Eli Crongale
Louisville City FC: 24 – Parker Siegfried, 4 — Sean Totsch, 19 — Oscar Jimenez (81’ 21 — Kyle Greig), 15 — Pat McMahon (46’ 8 — Akil Watts), 66 – Joshua Wynder, 9 — Jorge Gonzalez (64’ 20 — Jimmy McLaughlin), 7 — Napo Matsoso, 12 — Tyler Gibson, 36 — Paolo DelPiccolo, 17 — Cameron Lancaster, 29 — Antoine Hoppenot (64’ 10 — Brian Ownby)
Subs not used: 16 — Simon Lefebvre, 3 — Alexis Souahy, 22 — George Davis IV
Discipline Summary
Birmingham Legion FC: 16’ Jonathan Dean (yellow)
Birmingham Legion FC: 44’ Mikey Lopez (yellow)
Louisville City FC: 50’ Akil Watts (yellow)
Referee: Brad Jensen
