Plenty is at stake Saturday as Louisville City FC travels to face in-state rival Lexington SC in the second and final leg of their 2025 rivalry series.
Results of a 7 p.m. matchup at Lexington SC Stadium will determine the first holder of the Commonwealth Cup, presented by Republic Bank. The trophy will be awarded to the winning side across an aggregate of both meetings. Back in May, LouCity defeated Lexington, 2-0, in a regular season matchup.
Additionally, Saturday marks the last of four USL Jägermeister Cup group stage games, and both sides need a victory for a chance at moving on to the knockout rounds.
The boys in purple sit on six points through three USL Cup matches, two behind group leader Loudoun United FC. All six group winners will advance along with two wild card clubs. Lexington has so far accumulated four points.
Last time out, LouCity competed in regular season play, seeing Western Conference leader FC Tulsa cancel out a brilliant stoppage time goal with a late equalizer, forcing a 1-1 draw. Consequently, Louisville sits three points back of the Eastern Conference-leading Charleston Battery, though City holds a game in hand.
LouCity tallied a season-high 23 shots against FC Tulsa, attempting 15 of them from within the box. In Lexington, coach Danny Cruz’s team will aim to finish more of those opportunities.
Coach Terry Boss’ Lexington side occupies 10th position in the Western Conference but returns home amid an uptick in form. Lexington has gone six games unbeaten across all competitions, with the last four of those matches on the road.
Follow Along
• The match will air live locally on MyTV 58 and ESPN Louisville’s AM 680/FM 105.7.
• If streaming, download the free WDRB+ app to watch the local feed in Louisville or ESPN+ for national coverage.
• For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter. Also, find the club at louisvillecityfc on Instagram and Louisville City FC on Facebook.
Story Lines…
Like old times: While the result didn’t produce maximum points for LouCity last Saturday, it was a special night for one player in particular. The club’s record goal scorer Cameron Lancaster, who returned to Louisville on loan from Lexington in late May, scored his first goal back in purple in nearly 21 months. Lancaster smashed home the go-ahead goal in brilliant fashion from the top of the box to give him his ninth all-time regular season goal against FC Tulsa. That’s tied for the most against any single opponent across his storied career.
Nothing like a road trip: No USL Championship team has been better than LouCity away from home in 2025. Even though its lone league defeat this campaign did occur at North Carolina FC, the club’s 18 points in away matches lead the league. City has outscored its opponents 8-3 in its last four league games outside Lynn Family Stadium. If you take into consideration the USL Jägermeister Cup, Louisville still owns a 9-5 road advantage since May 24.
Home, sweet home: LouCity has also been excellent on home ground, where the club is unbeaten in regular season games going back more than a calendar year to July 19, 2024. The FC Tulsa draw extended the streak to 17 games. City has dropped points in just one other league game this year at Lynn Family Stadium, a venue it has truly turned into a home fortress.
Standing tall: On paper, University of Louisville product Josh Jones is technically a rookie. Yet none of that inexperience is showing on the pitch. The 6-foot-5 center back has received much more consistent time on the pitch recently due to his impactful defensive performances, starting in the last three league matches. It’s quite clear, too — his confidence is growing by the week. In the draw versus Tulsa, the former UofL captain was a force, leading City in clearances (7), possessions won (6) and interceptions (2).
Caribbean class: Midfielder Kevon Lambert registered his first LouCity assist on the club’s late goal against Tulsa. It was the Jamaican’s first goal contribution for the club since moving to Louisville on loan from Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake in January. The defensive-minded midfielder has made starts in each of his last three City appearances. Lambert’s performance against Tulsa went beyond just his assist to Lancaster. The 28-year-old finished with 12 duels won — a team-high — and 16 passes into the final third, good for second on the team.
Rookie steps up: Even while conceding a late equalizer in its most recent game, LouCity’s improved defense is something that cannot be ignored. Last year, the boys in purple leaked 1.21 goals per 90 minutes. That number has plummeted to 0.65, per FBref, the best mark in the Eastern Conference. That’s as LouCity continues to earn 2.23 points per game in league play, matching the pace set by its Players’ Shield-winning squad in 2024.
Next up: Following the Lexington game, it’s a quick turnaround for the boys in purple as they host Germany Bundesliga power Eintracht Frankfurt for an international friendly Tuesday night at Lynn Family Stadium. This marks the second straight year LouCity and Frankfurt will play. Eintracht went on from that initial visit to Louisville to have its best season in decades, finishing third in the Bundesliga and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
