Louisville City FC will count the success of Saturday’s matchup with the Hartford Athletic, of course, on the number of balls that hit the back of the net. But there will also be an eye on the amount of dogs through the Lynn Family Stadium gates as part of the club’s annual Pups at the Pitch game.
Fans are invited to bring their furry friends with them for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, with tickets purchased through LouCity.com/pups benefitting the Kentucky Humane Society. There were more than 300 takers in the promotion in 2023, and a sunny forecast with highs in the low 80s should bring back a similar crowd.
Presenting sponsor Feeders Pet Supply will provide a City-branded bandana for pups upon entry. As part of the evening, the boys in purple also have on their side this year an honorary captain: a Kentucky Humane Society dog looking for a new home.
One of LouCity’s most popular home games comes amid a hot start to the season. The squad improved to 5-1-0 last out with an away win over Loudoun United FC, and City also recently advanced through to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup’s Round of 32, where the boys in purple will see Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders FC.
LouCity’s 15 points are good for second on the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference table, three points off the Charleston Battery with two games in hand.
Saturday’s foe, Hartford, is 3-2-0 and sixth in the standings. The Athletic enter off a 3-1 home loss to Western Conference power San Antonio FC and will be without their head coach Saturday. Brendan Burke was suspended for one game following a red card for two technical staff cautions in the San Antonio game.
Follow along
• The game will air live locally on WBKI/The CW and ESPN Louisville’s AM 680/FM 105.7.
• If streaming, download the free WDRB+ app to watch the local feed in Louisville. ESPN+ or Golazo Network also streams the home feed of all USL Championship games not selected for national TV.
• For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter. Also find the club at louisvillecityfc on Instagram and Louisville City FC on Facebook.
Player availability report
Dylan Mares (out)
Arturo Ordóñez (out)
Brian Ownby (out)
Story lines…
Milestone man: Niall McCabe, a LouCity player since the club launched in 2015, will mark his 200th regular season USL Championship appearance the next time he steps on the pitch. McCabe is set to be the fourth player in league history to hit that landmark with a single club with former club captain Paolo DelPiccolo (202) and current defender Sean Totsch (201) also among the group.
Hartford homecoming: Two former LouCity players could return to Lynn Family Stadium on Saturday as part of the opposing side. Forward Enoch Mushagalusa spent two seasons in purple and defender Jordan Scarlett one before both making offseason moves to the Athletic heading into 2024. Mushagalusa has a goal from four appearances so far.
Getting the bounce: LouCity defeated Loudoun 1-0 thanks to an own goal, deflecting in Aiden McFadden’s second half cross. You’ll take them any way you can get them, right? City has now scored in 11 straight regular season games, its longest streak since a 13-game run from June to August of 2021.
Home fortress: Both of LouCity’s away victories were 1-0 score lines, while the boys in purple have poured in goals on their turf, scoring 13 goals in three games this season at Lynn Family Stadium. It’s a much-improved start to the year after City went an uncharacteristic 8-6-3 at home in 2023.
Lockdown LouCity: Loudoun’s attempted a season-low eight shots last weekend against LouCity, leading to the club’s third clean sheet in six games. That’s second in the USL Championship behind Sacramento Republic FC, which has tallied four shutouts in seven games.
The starters: Aside from LouCity’s April 9 loss at Charleston, one played on a Saturday to Tuesday turnaround, coach Danny Cruz has featured the same 10 field players in each game this season. Cruz’s one change at Loudoun saw Danny Faundez favored over Damian Las in goal, where Faundez made a pair of clutch first half saves.
Wilson wows: Forward Wilson Harris is tied for the league’s scoring lead with seven goals, all scored in LouCity’s first four games as part of the fastest start by a USL Championship player. With his first of the season, the 24-year-old Harris also become the youngest player to reach 50 regular season goals. He tacked on an eighth across competitions in City’s Open Cup victory last week over USL League One’s Greenville Triumph SC.
Key distributors: Harris and his teammates appear to be receiving improved service in 2024. Midfielder Taylor Davila and forward Ray Serrano both rank in the top 10 of the league in chances created with 13 and 12, respectively. Davila is a City newcomer coming off an All-League First Team season, while Serrano has had a breakout start in his third year in purple.
