There’s no other way to put it.
This Louisville City FC team is special.
LouCity fans have been spoiled with the success brought by the numerous players and coach James O’Connor over the club’s first two seasons, but this year, with an even-smaller squad, O’Connor’s side took things to a new level.
Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Richmond Kickers at home set a new club record for wins in a season (18), points (62), goal differential (+27) and goals scored (58). In addition, the club became likely the first team in United Soccer League history to have each of its field players score a goal during the regular season, as Tarek Morad blasted home a rebound off a missed penalty kick (For the record, four other teams have 17 goalscorers this season in USL as well).
The last record is both a testament to O’Connor’s scouting ability as well as a testament to the players, many of whom have battled through injury and fatigue at different times this season to lead Louisville City to first place in the Eastern Conference.
“I think the biggest thing for us is trying to focus on the process,” O’Connor said Saturday evening. “I think what’s stood us in good stead this year has been taking one game at a time, making sure training has had a good intensity to it and that everyone supports each other.”
In Louisville’s first two seasons, the team had a main striker to lean on. In the inaugural season it was Matt Fondy, who won MVP honors with 23 goals, followed by Chandler Hoffman’s 17 goals last year.
But Hoffman tailed off down the stretch, giving Louisville City some issues going forward with no consistent goal scorer.
This season, in front of goal, the team has found out that anyone can finish if put in a good position. It’s evidence of the selfless attitude that O’Connor mentioned that has kept this team winning more often than not.
Saturday was a perfect example. After Brian Ownby won the penalty kick in the 32nd minute, the team immediately looked to get the ball in Morad’s hands so he could pick up his first goal of the season. After scoring on the rebound, Morad was mobbed by his teammates as they celebrated his personal achievement as much as taking a lead.
On Louisville City’s second goal, a corner kick from Oscar Jimenez in the 84th minute was headed away from goal by a Kickers defender. Instead of trying to head the ball towards goal or letting it go over his head, Smith headed the ball backwards towards some teammates, teeing up Richard Ballard to find Cameron Lancaster for his seventh goal of the season.
Two minutes later, Kaye scored again, and while his was a mainly individual effort, the play wouldn’t have happened without teammate Devon “Speedy” Williams dropping back and blocking a passing lane before intercepting a pass. The rest was pure magic from Kaye.
“That’s just the team,” LouCity captain Paolo DelPiccolo said. “We’ve got good players all the way through. One to (20) are all great players, so it’s not a mistake that something like that happens. Everyone’s contributed, not just by scoring, but in other ways as well.”
After two straight years getting knocked out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference finals, this team is primed for a deep run once more in the playoffs. Perhaps this special group of players can lead the team over the line and finally make it to the USL Cup.
But let’s take it one game at a time, and enjoy each match along the way.
Opinions expressed in this piece were not subject to club approval. For more insights on LouCity, follow former Courier-Journal reporter Dan Karell on Twitter: @DanKarellPreps.
