
By Andrew Bell
Louisville City FC hosted German powerhouse Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday night for an international friendly in a game where City played the visitors tight in the opening half but were overwhelmed by Frankfurt’s precision and speed in the second half, eventually losing 4-0.
Eintracht Frankfurt, of course, finished sixth in the Bundesliga last season and are currently on their Americas Tour to prepare for an upcoming season that will feature Europa League soccer.
“The atmosphere here tonight was pretty incredible given the circumstances,” head coach Danny Cruz said about more than 10,000 in attendance on a stormy Tuesday night. “I’m really proud of our group. I thought we did everything we could. I thought we started the game really well. The weather delay took us a little bit out of it. But all in all, I think it’s a wonderful night for the club and for the community.”
Eintracht Frankfurt opened the scoring in the 42nd minute when forward Hugo Ekitike received the ball in LouCity’s box, cut it back to his right foot and beamed the ball into the top corner.
Following a 40-minute weather delay, City looked to have lost its early momentum as Frankfurt scored its next two goals in quick succession. Eintracht midfielder Ellyes Skhiri converted a corner kick before forward Igor Matanovic’s leaping header resulted in his team’s third goal of the night.
In the 80th minute, Matanovic scored his second and his team’s fourth when he received the ball in LouCity’s box, rounded the defense and slipped it into the net from a tough angle.
Makings of a close first half
LouCity came out firing against Eintracht Frankfurt Tuesday night. Quality buildup play early on created two corner kicks within the opening seven minutes. The first had to be scrambled away by Frankfurt’s keeper, and the second almost squeezed in from an Elijah Wynder redirect.
City outside back Amadou Dia was marking the lightning-quick Brazilian winger Tuta for most of the game. Dia did well to play a physical match, ensuring that his channel was difficult to break. Last season, Frankfurt won the third-most duels in the Bundesliga with 3,346. On Dia’s side of the pitch, however, very few duels went Eintracht’s way, as Dia made his presence known under every tackle.
Forward Evan Davila, younger brother of City midfielder Taylor Davila, made his second start for LouCity on Tuesday. Davila certainly made the most of his chance, showing moments of brilliance on the right wing to create space and chances.
In the 28th minute, Davila received the ball on the right flank, dribbled past a pair of defenders, then played a perfect pass to midfielder Dylan Mares, whose shot went just wide of the target. Two minutes later, Davila played a precisely weighted pass to Wynder, who was making a run through the middle. Wynder’s chance was stifled by quick reactions from Frankfurt’s goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.
“I was really impressed by our first half as a group,” Cruz said. “We talked a ton with the group about tonight being about opportunity — an opportunity for us to grow as a team collectively, opportunity for individual positive performances, and I certainly felt the first 45 minutes we did that.”
Invaluable experience
As in last year’s international friendlies, LouCity was able to bring on a few academy players for first team experience. Not only is it a testament to the quality of City’s academy system, but the opportunity also gives the young players the chance to compete against some of the world’s best in Eintracht Frankfurt.
Among the youngsters brought on were 16-year-old Hayden Stamps and debutants Grayson Travis and Brandon Dayes.
“I don’t just hand out appearances with the first team,” Cruz said. “Those things have to be earned, whether it be with the work they do through the academy or whether that be their time with us, and we felt tonight would be a good opportunity for them to get some minutes.”
A gauntlet of games
LouCity captain Kyle Adams returns from injury to start Tuesday, and forward Adrian Perez got minutes in the tank off the bench for his first appearance since June. Both were crucial as City faces an exceedingly tough three-game stretch.
The boys in purple travel to play the Western Conference’s first-place New Mexico United on Saturday. The following weekend, they host Sacramento Republic FC, which holds second in the West. Finally, Charleston Battery will meet LouCity at Lynn Family Stadium on August 17 for a huge inter-conference game. Charleston sits just a point back from City in the Eastern Coference but has two more games played.