Louisville City FC will be without its leading goal scorer Saturday as Jorge Gonzalez takes Wilson Harris’ place for an 8 p.m. kickoff against North Carolina FC at Lynn Family Stadium.
Harris, who ranks second in the USL Championship with 10 goals this season, is out a second straight game for precautionary reasons due to a minor muscle strain. He’s expected to return soon.
Gonzalez gets the start after Sam Gleadle handled center forward duties in last weekend’s win at Miami FC. That’s one of three changes for LouCity (9-1-2, 29 points), which has its eyes on continuing a prolific run of form on home soil after a full week of preparation
Consecutive wins last week sent the boys in purple to the top of the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference standings, one point ahead of Charleston Battery. Their 6-0 record to go along with a +22 goal differential in home matches ranks best in the league.
Eighth-place North Carolina (3-4-5, 14 points) was idle last weekend and will meet City for the first time since 2020.
Gonzalez, who will be making his fifth USL Championship start of the season, leads a front three that also features Ray Serrano and City’s leading assister, Adrien Perez, out wide. The 25-year-old Gonzalez is one of only two players in the league with at least four goal involvements in fewer than 500 minutes played.
Adams is back in Danny Cruz’s starting IX after missing out LouCity’s last two games. Arturo Ordóñez and Sean Totsch join the New Zealand native in City’s back line, just in front of Damian Las in goal.
Jake Morris and Atlanta United loanee Aiden McFadden will retain their places on the wings of a 3-5-2 formation. City’s No. 1 chance creator, Taylor Davila, returns to the midfield in partnership with Elijah Wynder.
LouCity-North Carolina FC will air locally on WBKI/The CW and ESPN Louisville’s AM 680/FM 105.7. CBS Sports’ Golazo Network will carry national streaming coverage.
Team sheet vs. North Carolina FC
18 – Damian Las
3 – Jake Morris
5 – Arturo Ordóñez
32 – Kyle Adams (C)
4 – Sean Totsch
2 – Aiden McFadden
17 – Taylor Davila
23 – Elijah Wynder
7 – Ray Serrano
21 – Jorge Gonzalez
16 – Adrien Perez
Substitutes: 12 – Danny Faundez, 6 – Wes Charpie, 13 – Amadou Dia, 25 – Jansen Wilson, 11 – Niall McCabe, 22 – Dylan Mares, 20 – Sam Gleadle, 80 – Hayden Stamps
