Louisville City FC gave German giants Eintracht Frankfurt quite a run Tuesday night in front of over 8,100 fans at Lynn Family Stadium, even taking a lead. However, the Bundesliga outfit’s quality emerged late in the second half, carrying it to a takeaway-rich 5-2 international friendly victory 25 days out from its season opener.
After failing to score in last year’s friendly, Louisville scored twice on UEFA Champions League opposition this time around. First, through Kevon Lambert, who equalized the match after City went down a goal in the opening period. Jansen Wilson followed, netting a rocket seven minutes later to give the hosts a shock lead with 25 minutes left to play.
The class from Dino Toppmöller’s team took over from then on. LouCity’s edge lasted only three minutes as Frankfurt’s intensity increased.
Led by two goal contributions from Frenchman Niels Nkounkou, the visitors tucked away three goals in an eight-minute span to grab a 4-2 advantage. Nkounkou rounded out his strong preseason showing with an 89th-minute strike that finalized the 5-2 scoreline.
“It’s an incredible team to play against,” said head coach Danny Cruz. “We’re very fortunate that they chose to come back here for their training camp. Really grateful for their words, how they treated us while they were here as well.
“… I thought tonight they showed their quality, especially in transition. I was proud of our group. Really the start of the second half, I thought we did an excellent job. Thought we could have been a lot smoother in the first half, a lot sharper. But second half, (we) did well. Obviously, (we) conceded some goals there late, but all in all, really grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the event. Thought it was an entertaining game, so hopefully the fans leave here happy about that.”
Even while shipping four second half goals, the boys in purple managed to outshoot the 2022 Europa League winners, 10-8. They also recorded 10 additional final third entries and had three more touches in the opponent’s box than Frankfurt during those final 45 minutes.
For one of Germany’s top clubs, it was important prep ahead of a demanding campaign.
“One thing is what you do during training, during the week, which is good, which is important,” Frankfurt’s Sporting Director Timmo Hardung said. “You try to simulate things, try to focus on topics, but then again it comes down to games like this, like tonight, like Saturday (against Aston Villa), which is the ultimate test. (We) had two good opponents. … A lot of goals, a lot of things to improve from us, but also a lot of things we like to see.”
With this summer’s international friendlies behind it, LouCity turns its attention back to league play. The boys in purple will next host another top four team in the Eastern Conference — North Carolina FC — Saturday for an 8 p.m. kickoff at Lynn Family Stadium.
It’ll be Salute to Heroes Night at Lynn Family Stadium — a time to recognize those who dedicate their lives to protect our safety and freedoms. For tickets and more information on the match, visit LouCity.com/heroes/.
Game Summary: Louisville City FC vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
Date: July 29, 2025
Venue: Lynn Family Stadium
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: 89 degrees, sunny
Attendance: 8,162
Scoring
Louisville City FC (0, 2, 2)
Eintracht Frankfurt (1, 4, 5)
Goals
Louisville City FC:
58’ Kevon Lambert (Taylor Davila)
65’ Jansen Wilson (Issac Cano)
Eintracht Frankfurt:
36’ Elias Baum
68’ Jonathan Burkardt (Niels Nkounkou)
70’ Marvin Dills (Mario Götze)
76’ Niels Nkounkou (Jonathan Burkardt)
89’ Niels Nkounkou
