July 9, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Louisville City FC News Release
Enoch “Matiti” Mushagalusa of Louisville City FC
(Louisville City FC)
Although Louisville City FC and New York Red Bulls II faced off in three straight USL Championship Eastern Conference Finals from 2016 through 2018, Saturday’s anticipated final game between the two ended as most recent meetings have.
Behind a hat trick from Enoch “Matiti” Mushagalusa and brace from Brian Ownby, LouCity cruised to a 6-0 victory at Lynn Family Stadium, making it eight wins over its last 10 clashes with a formerly formidable foe.
The margin of victory matched LouCity’s widest ever in a league game, a 6-0 victory over the Richmond Kickers on Aug. 25, 2018. Mushagalusa’s trio of goals also made him the fourth City player to net a hat trick, joining Matt Fondy, Chandler Hoffman and Cameron Lancaster.
The boys in purple as a result upped their winning streak to four games and remained atop the Eastern Conference table, improving to 12-3-3 (39 points) just past the 2022 season’s midpoint.
“I thought it was a fantastic night from the group,” said coach Danny Cruz. “We created – obviously – a lot of opportunities, exploited the spaces that we talked about all week with the way the Red Bull plays. I was really proud of how we handled it from a professionalism standpoint, not letting up keeping the right mentality, and sticking to our principles.
“All in all, a really energetic night, obviously from the fans as well, and I thought the players did an excellent job.”
LouCity’s offensive outburst came despite missing both strikers Lancaster (groin) and Wilson Harris (ribs) due to injury. Ownby slotted in at center forward, and the boys in purple dominated from the jump, out-shooting their opponent 21-5 while holding 60.8% of possession.
“We did well getting in behind them,” Mushagalusa said. “That’s the game that we talked about. That’s where the spaces were and also I’m just glad, being able to score a hat trick at Louisville, it’s a beautiful stadium. Thanks to Ownby of course”
The first of many goals hit the back of the net in the 14th minute when Ownby corralled a free kick over the top and rifled in the opener. It was a tone setter on an evening when Jorge Gonzalez then finished a recycled Red Bulls II clearance in the 23rd minute.
Mushagalusa got in on the fun in the 32nd minute (a header from Niall McCabe), the 59th minute (a tap in on the cross from Ownby) and 64th minute (thanks to a…
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