Within Louisville City FC’s 1-0 loss Saturday to the Harrisburg City Islanders, there was a silver liningl: the return of striker Luke Spencer, who stepped on the pitch for the first time since May 31, when he was forced to leave in the first half of a U.S. Open Cup game due to a hamstring tweak.
The forward substituted in as a 60th-minute change against the City Islanders, and it didn’t take long for him to make an impact. Spencer rocketed a shot that flew just high and wide after a 71st-minute run into the box.
Head coach James O’Connor, generally disappointed with a loss to a club that entered at the bottom of the table, noted Spencer’s play.
“I thought he caused them problems,” O’Connor said. “We still created a few opportunities, and I think when you do that, you need to take them.”
Here’s more of what we learned Saturday:
• Halftime change: O’Connor made a rare halftime substitution Saturday, bringing on rookie midfielder Richard Ballard in place of defender Sean Totsch. Kyle Smith shifted from right wing to a center back position in LouCity’s 3-4-3 look. While the change didn’t result in a goal, it was an attempt to return to jumpstart and offense that entered having scored 11 goals in its last four games.
• Putting it in perspective: Before Saturday’s result, LouCity had the top of the table in sight. Though the Charleston Battery routed Toronto FC II, moving six points clear, LouCity maintains two games in hand over the Eastern Conference leader — and the two will meet again July 8 in South Carolina. LouCity’s also a point up on the third-place Tampa Bay Rowdies, who have played three more games.
• Sticking with the lineup: O’Connor has fielded the same starting 11 in LouCity’s last three games, the most consistency to the lineup this year. It coincided with a move away from the club’s typical 4-2-3-1 formation and to a 3-4-3. O’Connor inserts an extra center back, then allows outside backs Oscar Jimenez and Kyle Smith to float up and be more involved with the offense. Jimenez and Smith both topped 60 touches Saturday, among the most for LouCity.
