A significant milestone coincides with Louisville City FC midfielder Niall McCabe’s return to the starting 11.
McCabe will join teammates Paolo DelPiccolo and Sean Totsch as the only players with 200 USL Championship appearances Saturday when taking the field at 8 p.m. against Birmingham Legion FC inside Lynn Family Stadium.
Out much of this season with a foot injury, McCabe has worked himself back into coach Danny Cruz’s rotation over the last month, also starting July 12 against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. He represents four changes from a midweek defeat at Detroit City FC, with this marking the end of the year’s busiest stretch — five games in 15 days.
Oliver Semmle continues to hold the No. 1 goalkeeper job, playing behind a back four of Amadou Dia, Wes Charpie, Totsch and Manny Perez. Tyler Gibson mans the holding midfield with McCabe and Dylan Mares ahead of him. From left to right, Brian Ownby, Maarten Pouwels and Ray Serrano make up the front three.
Pouwels, the 6-foot-7 striker from the Netherlands, will make his second league start Saturday as LouCity looks to jump start an attack that has produced just 17 goals in 19 games.
Saturday’s game will air locally on WBKI/The CW and ESPN Louisville’s 680/105.7. USL Championship games also stream via ESPN+.
Team Sheet vs. Birmingham Legion FC
28 — Oliver Semmle
13 — Amadou Dia
6 — Wes Charpie
4 — Sean Totsch (C)
15 — Manny Perez
12 — Tyler Gibson
11 — Niall McCabe
22 — Dylan Mares
10 — Brian Ownby
7 — Ray Serrano
90 — Maarten Pouwels
Substitutes: 18 — Danny Faundez, 19 — Oscar Jimenez, 8 — Carlos Moguel Jr., 36 — Paolo DelPiccolo, 5 — Rasmus Thellufsen, 23 — Elijah Wynder, 17 — Cameron Lancaster
