August 2, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release
Louisville City FC battles for the ball
(Louisville City FC)
Louisville City FC traveled last fall to play New Mexico United for a 2-0 loss, with coach Danny Cruz saying the defeat “had everything to do with desire, heart and quality on the ball.”
That LouCity squad won 14 games all season while Cruz often cited a lacking mentality on the road, where playing surfaces are rarely as pristine as the one at Lynn Family Stadium.
This year’s LouCity team – having already matched that 14-win total – returns to New Mexico this weekend with a chance to once again prove how far the boys in purple have come in a short time.
Stakes will be high when Eastern Conference-leading City (14-4-2, 44 points) kicks off against the first-place Western Conference side New Mexico (12-5-2, 38 points). The opening whistle is set for 9 p.m. Saturday at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, where United are averaging 10,000-plus in attendance per game, ranking first in the league just ahead of LouCity.
This is the lone road game for Louisville over a six-game stretch – but a mighty important one given the matchups ahead. LouCity follows this weekend’s game by hosting the West’s second-place side, Sacramento Republic FC, on August 10 before East No. 2 Charleston Battery visits on August 17.
Survive that storm, and the boys in purple would put themselves in position to win the club’s first-ever Players’ Shield for best overall regular season record across the league. That also means a home path through the USL Championship Playoffs.
City made it back-to-back wins last Saturday for the first time since early June, finding some rhythm after a rotation of victories followed by defeats. New Mexico meanwhile saw a five-game unbeaten streak end Wednesday night when falling to Las Vegas Lights FC. That was United’s first home loss of the season.
Saturday marks the third-ever meeting between the clubs, who are an even 1-1-0 with City having taken the first matchup back in 2021.
Follow along
– The game will air live locally on WBKI/The CW and ESPN Louisville’s AM 680/FM 105.7.
– If streaming, download the free WDRB+ app to watch the local feed in Louisville. ESPN+ or Golazo Network also streams the home feed of all USL Championship games not selected for national TV.
– For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter. Also, find the club at louisvillecityfc on Instagram and Louisville City FC on…
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