Coach Danny Cruz elected for changes that will impact Louisville City FC’s 4-4-3 formation from back to front ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.
With kickoff set for 7 p.m. at Highmark Stadium, Oscar Jimenez returns to a starting role at right back; Paolo DelPiccolo and Elijah Wynder take up midfield positions; and Rasmus Thellufsen shifts out to the right wing.
LouCity has never lost at Highmark Stadium, but the host Riverhounds are also unbeaten on their home ground this season. Last year, the sides played to a scoreless draw there — the product of tough turf and a smaller pitch than the boys in purple are used to at their home Lynn Family Stadium.
Oliver Semmle will look to improve on his USL Championship-leading seven clean sheets with Amadou Dia, Sean Totsch and Wes Charpie joining the back four alongside Jimenez. Tyler Gibson holds down his usual No. 6 spot as DelPiccolo and Wynder play higher up.
Enoch Mushagalusa — who has scored two games running — will look to remain in this run of form from the left wing with Thellufsen on the right and Wilson Harris starting at striker.
Cruz could look to either Cameron Lancaster or Maarten Pouwels off the bench. Notably, Manny Perez is available to play but not start for the first time this year as the outside back is listed as a substitute.
Saturday’s game airs on WBKI/The CW and ESPN 680/105.7 with streaming coverage on ESPN+.
Team Sheet vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
28 — Oliver Semmle
13 — Amadou Dia
4 — Sean Totsch
6 — Wes Charpie
19 — Oscar Jimenez
12 — Tyler Gibson
36 — Paolo DelPiccolo (C)
23 — Elijah Wynder
77 — Enoch Mushagalusa
5 — Rasmus Thellufsen
14 — Wilson Harris
Substitutes: 18 — Danny Faundez, 15 — Manny Perez, 8 — Carlos Moguel Jr., 11 — Niall McCabe, 22 — Dylan Mares, 17 — Cameron Lancaster, 90 — Maarten Pouwels
