October 15, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Louisville City FC News Release
Louisville City FC celebrates win
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)
Cameron Lancaster returned to the scoresheet in grand fashion on Saturday night, registering a game-winning penalty kick in stoppage time to help Louisville City FC beat Hartford Athletic FC, 2-1, in the clubs’ regular-season finale at Lynn Family Stadium.
The goal was Lancaster’s first since returning from an injury that sidelined him for four months, and it extended LouCity’s winning streak to three. The boys in purple will enter the USL Championship playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, with City (22-6-6, 72 points) earning a bye to a conference semifinal Oct. 29 at Lynn Family Stadium. The opponent and kickoff time will be determined later.
But for now, coach Danny Cruz’s team can celebrate a club-record points total and a third regular-season first-place finish in the team’s eight-year existence.
“When you look at 72 points in a season, I’m very proud of everyone in that locker room right now,” Cruz said. “We also understand that the ride is about to start and that the playoffs are coming. For us to be able to do that at home, that’s massive. We’ll wait to see who the opponent is going to be, get some scouting done and then we’ll start focusing on our first game in the playoffs.”
Louisville City started fast on Saturday, peppering Hartford Athletic with early chances. Wilson Harris came close on three different occasions in the opening half hour, narrowly missing a flicked-on header just past the far post in the 24th minute. Enoch Mushagalusa also almost chipped Hartford goalkeeper Yannick Oettl in the 41st.
The home team finally broke through in the 45th minute on a well-struck half-volley from captain Paolo DelPiccolo, who scored his fourth goal of the campaign. The goal was set up by Ray Serrano’s cross from the right flank, which Hartford only nodded along to Amadou Dia, who laid down a headed pass into DelPiccolo’s path.
“It was good to finally take one of my chances,” DelPiccolo said. “(Serrano) played a good ball in and (Dia) just set it down for me. It just popped up to me really nicely, and I connected with it from there.”
Hartford equalized against the run of play in the 74th minute, with Ariel Martinez redirecting a low cross past City goalkeeper Danny Faundez, who was starting in place of regular No. 1 keeper Kyle Morton.
Morton, resting for the…