By Andrew Bell
Louisville City FC defeated New Mexico United by a 1-0 score Saturday night in a thrilling away matchup that featured teams at or near the top of their respective conferences in the USL Championship.
LouCity’s lone and winning goal came in the 39th minute when wingback Aiden McFadden beat a defender on the flank with quick feet and crossed the ball into the box. McFadden’s delivery landed to Wilson Harris, who struck it well but was parried away by United’s keeper only to fall to Jansen Wilson, who fired into the roof of the net.
LouCity continued to apply offensive pressure and showed defensive resilience to close the game out.
“The game went exactly as we anticipated,” head coach Danny Cruz said after the match. “The players’ execution of the game plan, I was extremely proud of. I can’t say enough of my group tonight. It was an absolute battle. It was probably one of the games I’m most proud of this season up to this point. [There was] a lot to learn from as well and a lot for us to take away from.”
The result is huge for LouCity, as the boys in purple toppled another giant in the league in a potential USL Championship Final preview. New Mexico remains atop the Western Conference despite the defeat, while LouCity moved back atop the East with a win.
To date, three out of City’s four losses this season have been away from home, and all three have been against top-three competition in either conference.
Doing more with less
On Saturday night, LouCity garnered just 35% of possession — 10 percentage points below its average this season — yet led New Mexico in nearly every attacking statistic. In the first half, City did well to absorb pressure but also return fire to keep the home side on its heels. In the first 45 minutes, LouCity had just 33% of the ball but put in 15 crosses compared to United’s two. The boys in purple ended the game with a staggering 25 crosses, higher than their season average 21.
LouCity’s ability to adapt to a team that likes to keep possession was crucial on defense. On the night, despite not having the ball for the vast majority of the game, City’s defensive performance was top drawer. LouCity’s back line never lost focus and the experience of Kyle Adams, Arturo Ordoñez, and Sean Totsch showed. The trio combined for seven duels won, 15 clearances, and won possession eight times.
Even in the second half, when City seemed to be playing a lower block and getting more players behind the ball, the boys in purple didn’t allow a single shot from New Mexico between the 46th and 89th minutes. The shutout is also LouCity’s eighth of the campaign, which ranks third in the USL Championship.
A dangerous right side
McFadden, a former loanee who recently joined LouCity from Atlanta United on a permanent deal, slotted into his usual right-back position on Saturday where his recent performances have left Cruz with a relatively easy decision on game days.
Wilson, however, was not in his usual wingback spot. Instead, the 23-year-old could be found playing a forward’s role against New Mexico where he terrorized defenders all game long.
“I think Jansen has the attributes to play wingback, to play higher up the field — he did so in college,” Cruz said about the decision to play Wilson in the role he was in on Saturday. “He’s a versatile player. He’s somebody that’s going to run. He’s somebody that’s going to do the dirty work. He has a lot to be proud of from his performance tonight. But for us, it was somebody we felt could give us what we needed, and we felt he did that.”
McFadden and Wilson, a dual threat on the right side of the pitch, played huge roles in their team’s win on the night. In the 26th minute, City got its first look at a good chance when Wilson did well to navigate past two defenders and dished the ball to Elijah Wynder. Wynder played an excellent line-breaking pass to McFadden, whose cross was nearly directed in by Wilson Harris.
Leading up to the game-winner, McFadden received the ball down the right channel, breezed past his marker, and looped a ball into the danger zone, where eventually Wilson finished the chance. The pair also combined for two shots, nine final third entries, four chances created and eight crosses. McFadden and Wilson are in great form, with the former being nominated to last week’s USL Championship team of the week, and the latter winning Man of the Match honors on Saturday.
Firing on all cylinders
LouCity is one game down and two to go amidst a tough three-game stretch that has the boys in purple hosting second-place Western conference side Sacramento Republic next weekend and Charleston Battery the following Saturday. LouCity’s successes against a robust New Mexico team are encouraging for the team as the defense looked unbreakable and the attack blistering.
City has also scored in 19 of its 21 games this season, a feat no other team has accomplished this season. If LouCity can keep its momentum rolling coming back to Lynn Family stadium, the boys in purple would be in prime position to make a deep run in search of a third star.
