Ahead of Louisville City FC’s trip to Irvine, Calif., to face Orange County SC, head coach Danny Cruz set the table for a changed lineup.
“I’m taking some precautions this weekend,” Cruz said in his weekly media availability. “We’re gonna have quite a few guys that are feeling things that I’m not gonna involve. There’s, to me, not a point in risking it, with the travel especially.”
Those precautions include three changes, dropping Danny Faundez, Kyle Adams and Josh Jones from the starting lineup — the latter two left off the gameday squad altogether.
Damian Las returns in goal, supplanting Faundez, after serving a one-game suspension for a red card. The 23-year-old’s 69 saves are tied for third most in the USL Championship.
With Adams and Jones not included, Cruz’s backline includes three players that are nominally wingbacks and on that is a forward: Jake Morris, Amadou Dia, Aiden McFadden and Jansen Wilson.
The midfield tadem of Taylor Davila and Kevon Lambert remains unchanged, anchoring the spine of Louisville’s team.
Ray Serrano returns to the front three, joining Phillip Goodrum and Adrien Perez, who each started last week.
The bench includes last week’s scoring combo: Brian Ownby who finished off an assist from Cameron Lancaster to defeat Miami FC 1-0 and clinch the Players’ Shield. Notably, Manny Perez is available for a league game for the first time since July 4, after suffering an injury in a July friendly.
That title gives LouCity home field advantage in the playoffs, which begin in two weeks. For tickets and more information, visit LouCity.com/playoffs.
Team sheet at Orange County SC
1 – Damian Las
3 – Jake Morris
13 – Amadou Dia
4 – Sean Totsch
2 – Aiden McFadden
25 – Jansen Wilson
17 – Taylor Davila
31 – Kevon Lambert
7 – Ray Serrano
16 – Adrien Perez
9 – Phillip Goodrum
Available substitutes: 12 – Danny Faundez; 10 – Brian Ownby, 11 – Niall McCabe, 15 – Manny Perez, 23 – Sam Gleadle, 27 – Evan Davila, 53 – Cameron Lancaster, 83 – Brandon Dayes
