ESPN+ Streaming Link: Hartford Athletic vs. Louisville City | Radio Stream: HFDvLOU with Kevin Kernen and Jeff Greer
The owner of the longest unbeaten streak in the Eastern Conference Louisville City looks to keep its run going Saturday night at Dillon Stadium in Hartford, Ct. LouCity and Hartford Athletic will kick off at 7 p.m.
“Hartford has 10 goals in the last three games, and they seem to be playing their best soccer right now,” Louisville City coach John Hackworth said. “We have to be focused on
The last time Hartford Athletic were at home, they walloped Loudoun United 5-1 in front of a near-capacity crowd of 4,582. Louisville City understands that teams and crowds seem to rise to the occasion when the two-time defending champs come to town.
“They are in good form right now,” LouCity defender Sean Totsch said. “Where they are in the standings doesn’t really represent who they are and the quality of players they have. We started the season with them and they gave us some early troubles in that game so it’s a matter of starting the game well. That’s been a key for us.”
Louisville City is currently in 7th in the Eastern Conference. The top 10 teams make the playoffs. With 44 points, Louisville City has exactly double the total of Hartford Athletic.
Hartford has six players out with injury including Philip Rasmussen, Mac Steeves, and Alex Davey. Louisville City still has a handful of players working back from injury, but the Boys in Purple regained four players who were unavailable last week. Midfielder Speedy Williams and defender Shaun Francis are back from playing with the Jamaican National Team, defender Paco Craig is back from Yellow Card Accumulation Suspension and Brian Ownby is back full-go after recovering from a concussion.
The primary difference between Hartford’s lineup now and the last time the two teams met is at goalkeeper. New keeper Cody Cropper has started the last three matches, having come to Hartford from the New England Revolution where he made 36 starts.
For Louisville City, every point matters in their race to move up in the USL Championship table. Despite going unbeaten in the last six matches including four wins, LouCity is still in seventh in the East. LouCity could pull even with No. 6 North Carolina with a win Saturday.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with the game broadcast locally on WBKI/MyTV 58 and available on radio on 1080 WKJK.
