After a Wednesday game against Sporting KC II was postponed a week, focus turned to Louisville City FC’s Saturday meeting with Loudoun United FC.
While the Lynn Family Stadium visitors brought to town a few bright spots, Loudon also sports many hallmarks of a young reserve team in the D.C. United system. It was down to LouCity to exploit them, and that’s what the boys in purple did to the tune of a 2-0 victory.
Here are my takeaways from Saturday night…
The good
A multi-goal game
Finally. For a team that features Cameron Lancaster up top, it is hard to believe it took seven games in 2020 for LouCity to score more than once. This game was an opportunity to find a rhythm or regain some mojo — whichever cliche you want to use — and result in confidence as the club finds tougher competition back in its Group E chase for a USL Championship playoff spot. Results like these can also mask some issues, which we’ll visit later.
Chances spread around
Lancaster, the former USL Golden Boot winner on loan from Major League Soccer’s Nashville SC, attracts plenty of attention. Opponents watch tape and learn his runs, his tendencies, his preferences — and that can be a problem when there is no “Plan B.”
Lancaster’s three goals prior to Saturday weren’t backed up by a teammate scoring elsewhere in the run of play. When the season started, LouCity had yet to develop depth in that regard. We’re seeing that change lately, particularly with the transition of Napo Matsoso to the right wing.
LouCity’s finding new ways to be dangerous, which is especially important given the amount of games against familiar opponents. It isn’t all about just getting it to the striker and let him come up with some magic anymore. Chances were well distributed against Loudoun, and it looked natural.
With Paolo DelPiccolo freed from his defensive duties somewhat, City all of a sudden had the best passer on the team available in attack, and it paid off early in the second half when Matsoso slipped in the second goal of the game.
Opportunities identified and exploited
One thing that differentiates good coaches and players from great coaches and players is the ability to adapt, amend, or completely throw away the game plan if needed.
Loudoun United FC came out knowing that playing LouCity out in the open was a losing proposition. So the visitors compacted defensively and prepared to defend their box, forcing the boys in purple to break them down. City adapted in kind by shifting up the likes of DelPiccolo along with outside backs Pat McMahon and Jonathan Gomez to augment the offense.
Loudon started pressing, and center back Alexis Souahy came up with the best pass of the game, taking the entire opposing team out in one stroke with a ball over the top that resulted in Lancaster’s goal. Players’ runs got better, they found more space, and they forced mistakes. That happens because City used the tactics of Loudoun against them.
City had fired six blocked shots before Lancaster scored the opening, 39th-minute goal. The game plan was not working, and the team adapted.
While the good certainly outweighed the bad, there are some areas in need of attention.
The bad
Not clinical enough
LouCity tallied 18 shots against Loudoun, close to its season high. Attempts that were on target were high-quality shots, and of course was enough to win the game. But the visiting goalkeeper was forced to make only a single save.
Ten shots were blocked by Loudoun, which you can look at in two ways: either Louisville had poor shot selection and kept shooting into defenders, or Loudoun was throwing everything it had at City to protect the goal. I see it as a combination of those factors, though one thing is abundantly clear: You have to test the keeper. Force him to make a save.
This isn’t just about Loudoun anymore. It is a bit of a trend. Along with the bevy of blocks were plenty of plain misses. lot of shots were blocked, but several were just flat-out missed.
Needing 90 minutes of focus
This doesn’t just apply to the offense. Goalkeeper Ben Lundt had to be called upon for four saves, which is not a particularly busy night, but Loudoun also saw a few quality chances that other LouCity opponents have capitalized on.
It is impossible to dictate the entirety of a match, and while City came close, Loudoun still popped up with some chances that could have made for a tighter scoreline.
Missing an early spark
LouCity did not start with the same setup, energy or tempo against Loudoun as in its 1-1 draw a week ago with Indy Eleven. And I am not sure the home side needed to, actually.
The approaches to the two games were different. Loudoun can be more easily broken down, and it should have been a matter of time until the opening goal came. The proved true.
I am certainly nitpicking here, but City could have come out of the gates a bit sharper. The runs by the front five players did not start dynamically enough. Eventually, they did get it figured out, but the scoring is coming from moments of transition much more than through build-up. City dictated the game but did not turn it into goals in the opening phases.
Coach John Hackworth said his team is making progress, and I agree with him. Loudoun presented a chance to rotate some players. That happened while still keeping a high level of quality. I was very happy to see players such as 17-year-old Elijah Wynder and 16-year-old Jonathan Gomez log some meaningful minutes.
Now, there are nine games left this season — eight against teams in Group E. Perhaps we’ll look back at Loudoun as a turning point when things started clicking.
