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Louisville City and Ottawa both kept their unbeaten streaks after Sunday afternoon’s matchup, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Louisville gained a point to extend their Eastern Conference lead to seven points.

Louisville and Ottawa met at the beginning of July earlier this season at Slugger Field, where LouCity grabbed three points in a 2-1 win.

“I thought the players that played today gave tremendous commitment, tremendous effort in very, very, very difficult conditions,” said Coach James O’Connor on his team’s performance.

The first half saw similar effort from both teams. Ottawa had the first chance on goal as Steevan Dos Santos’ shot from 20 yards was easily handled by LouCity goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh, while LouCity’s Mark-Anthony Kaye had a similar effort from just inside the penalty area in the 14th minute.

Louisville City FC opened the scoring 11 minutes into the second half, with George Davis IV finding a chip from Speedy Williams that he was able to carry around Ottawa’s goalkeeper to put LouCity up 1-0. This was Davis IV’s second goal in two games.

“I think George is one of the more consistent players that we have so you always know what you’re going to get from George. You take a goal when you have it and he’ll be looking to score another goal one later on as well,” commented Coach O’Connor on Davis IV’s performance.

Ottawa answered LouCity’s goal 12 minutes later on a goal by Nick DePuy, who was subbed in by Ottawa just six minutes before.

After making all three substitutions, the club looked to find the game-winner in the remaining time. In the 81st minute, LouCity had their closest chance on a shot from Luke Spencer taken 10 yards from the goal. Spencer’s second shot of the game missed high.

George Davis IV had a chance to score his second of the game in the 89th minute with a low shot, however Davis IV sent it just wide of the left corner.

Louisville City FC looks to solidify their first-place standing Wednesday night as they take on Toronto FC II at the Ontario Soccer Centre. LouCity will conclude their road trip Saturday night against the Rhinos in Rochester, N.Y. before returning home October 7th.

Game Summary

Match: Ottawa Fury FC vs. Louisville City FC

Date: September 24, 2017

Venue: TD Place Stadium | Ottawa, ON

Kickoff: 2:05 p.m.

Weather: 80 degrees, sunny

Attendance: 6,001

Man of the Match: George Davis IV

Scoring

Ottawa Fury FC (0,1,1)

Louisville City FC (0,1,1)

Goals

Ottawa Fury FC:

Nick DePuy (68’), tap in after a Ranjitsingh deflection

Louisville City FC:

George Davis IV (56’), tap in off an Ottawa defender’s deflection

Lineups

Ottawa Fury FC: 1 Callum Irving, 3 Eddie Edward, 5 Kyle Venter, 14 Onua Obasi, 12 Andrae Campbell, 10 Gerardo Bruna (7 Ryan Williams – 87’), 22 Jamar Dixon, 2 Jonathan Barden, 30 Adonijah Reid (9 Carl Haworth – 61’), 11 Sito Seoane, 8 Steevan Dos Santos (15 Nicholas DePuy – 61’)

Ottawa Fury subs: 28 Sergio Manesio, 4 Ramon Del Campo, 70 David Paulmin, 17 Azake Luboyera

Head coach: Julian de Guzman

Louisville City FC: 1 Greg Ranjitsingh, 22 George Davis IV, 6 Tarek Morad (19 Oscar Jimenez – 77’), 18 Paco Craig, 15 Sean Reynolds, 4 Sean Totsch, 7 Mark-Anthony Kaye (10 Brian Ownby – 71’), 8 Guy Abend, 80 Devon Williams, 23 Richard Ballard (11 Niall McCabe – 71’), 12 Luke Spencer

Louisville City subs: 28 Tim Dobrowolski, 24 Kyle Smith, 36 Paolo DelPiccolo, 9 Cameron Lancaster

Head coach: James O’Connor

Discipline

Ottawa Fury FC:

82’ – Gerardo Bruno, yellow

Louisville City FC:

Summary

Ottawa Fury FC/Louisville City FC

Shots: 15/7

Shots on target: 6/3

Corners: 4/2

Fouls: 13/14

Passes: 532/345

Possession(%): 61/39

Officials

Referee: PIERRE-LUC LAUZIERE

Assistant referee 1: Andre Pickler

Assistant referee 2: Sean Hornsby

4th official: Carol Anne Chenard

Louisville City FC travels to Canada to start off a busy game week. Sunday the boys in purple face off against Ottawa Fury FC for the second time this season at 2 p.m ET. 

Here’s what to watch for…

Tune In

TV: WMYO-TV will air the game live and in high definition locally.

Radio: TJ Walker (play-by-play) and Jeff Milby (color commentary) will voice the action on NewsRadio 840 WHAS, with pregame coverage starting at 1:45 p.m.

Streaming: Watch at www.loucity.com.

Follow Along

For Starting XI information and in-game updates, check us out on social media. It’s @loucityfc on Twitter, Louisville City FC on Facebook and louisvillecityfc on Instagram. Live stats are available at the USL Match Center. Vote for the Modelo Man of the Match on Twitter starting in the 75th minute.

Links

• Mayor announces $200 million development anchored by soccer stadium
• LouCity intensity rises as playoffs approach
• Column: LouCity comes through in the clutch

Notes

Playoff picture: LouCity remains in first place in the Eastern Conference with a playoff spot clinched as of last weekend. Now, the club will look to secure a top-four seed, meaning it would host an opening-round postseason game. In terms of the over, Ottawa sits in 12th place, two points behind Saint Louis FC for 11th and four points behind Orlando City B for 8th, the playoff cutoff spot. 

Eastern Conference race: LouCity stretched its lead over the second-place Charlotte Independence to six points with Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the Rochester Rhinos. The Independence have sputtered as of late, winning one of their last five. Should the boys in purple win Sunday, they could clinch a top-four seed combined with a Tampa Bay or Charleston loss this weekend.

Scouting Ottawa: Fury FC enters Sunday’s game unbeaten in their last four fixtures. Former coach Paul Dalglish resigned in August, handing the job to interim coach Julian de Guzman, who has the side still within reach of the playoffs. Steevan Dos Santos, who scored against LouCity in the teams’ last meeting, leads Ottawa’s offense with eight goals on the season.

Last time against Fury FC: Goals in the 14th minute (Brian Ownby) and 71st minute (Luke Spencer) pushed LouCity to a 2-1 win over Ottawa back on July 1 at Slugger Field. It wasn’t until the 88th minute that Fury FC found the back of the net in what was an otherwise dominating performance by the boys in purple.

Spencer’s scoring spree: Luke Spencer continued his role as LouCity’s most efficient scorer Wednesday, converting a stoppage time penalty kick for his 10th goal of the year. The forward from Cincinnati has scored a goal for every 109.5 minutes on the pitch this season and scored after subbing on in the 70th minute against Rochester.

Davis IV a renewed threat: Wednesday’s goal by George Davis IV saw him break out of his 18-game scoring drought. Before that span, Davis IV led LouCity in goals to open the year. His five goals are good for third-best on the club, with 17 of his 30 shots on target this season.

Jimenez on the rise: The USL leader in chances created, defender Oscar Jimenez upped his total on the season to 66 Wednesday. His stoppage time free kick led to a Rochester handball and LouCity’s game-winning penalty. Jimenez, who signed with LouCity out of an invitation tryout, also leads the club in minutes played at 2,215. 

Injury report: Cameron Lancaster (broken toe) came on as a first half substitute Wednesday for Ilija Ilic (muscle strain). Both were spelled by Spencer late in the second half. Coach James O’Connor mentioned that a number of other players are playing through minor injuries late in the season, and they continue to be situations he manages.

Mayor Greg Fischer on Friday announced a $200 million economic development plan for about 35 underused acres in Butchertown that will be anchored by a 10,000-seat, 15-acre soccer stadium, allowing Louisville to compete for a Major League Soccer franchise. 

“This is an exciting, worthwhile project that takes an underused, very visible swath of land and creates a vibrant new stadium district that builds on the momentum downtown, in Nulu and Butchertown,” the Mayor said. “This is a smart opportunity, and when smart opportunities to move our city forward come up, we’re going to grab them.”

Louisville City FC will build the $50 million stadium and serve as developer of the overall project, which will include retail, a hotel and offices, built by private investment.

Louisville Metro Government’s sole investment is $30 million to purchase the land for the development and do brownfield remediation and public infrastructure improvements. The project is expected to increase hotel, restaurant and retail amenities nearby and create a “stadium district” where the soccer stadium, Louisville Slugger Field and the Yum! Center are all within blocks of each other, along the same line of sight. 

The city’s $30 million portion will be covered by general obligation bond — $25 million to buy the land and $5 million as a contribution to brownfield remediation and public infrastructure. 

No Metro tax dollars will be used for stadium construction. In fact, LouCity will pay $14.5 million back to the city over 20 years from sales of land, rent from leases of land, and stadium rent. In addition, if the stadium hits certain financial markers, the city has an opportunity to share in the upside of that growth, up to $2 million.

On behalf of Louisville City Football Club, Chairman and President John Neace, thanked Mayor Fischer and Louisville Forward “for their commitment to the growth of professional soccer in Louisville. 

“Today marks another important step in our vision to be the best United Soccer League club in the country, with the ultimate goal of bringing Major League Soccer to Louisville,” Neace said. “We look forward to building a world-class soccer stadium and surrounding development that continues revitalization in the Butchertown neighborhood.”

With Metro Council approval, the city will work with LouCity on an application to the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) for a mixed-use TIF for the project. 

To be eligible for state participation in a TIF, the local applicant (the city) must have some financial participation in the project; in this case, the city’s participation would be the money spent on land acquisition, brownfield remediation and debt service of the bonds to pay for the land.

The city will not commit any of its local property tax revenues to be included in the TIF. 

Construction of the project will comply with Metro Ordinance 37.75 with respect to minority, women and local participation goals: 20 percent minority participation, 5 percent women participation, with 75 percent of the work going to residents of the Louisville MSA. 

A city-commissioned feasibility study confirmed that a soccer-specific stadium is needed to maintain and grown professional soccer in Louisville. The study called for a soccer-specific stadium, with the ability to hold 10,000 seats, to be built by 2020. 

As the playoffs near and the regular season wraps up, the ever-humble coach O’Connor wants to ensure his club stays level-headed – even when they seem to be playing well.

Before his club took a late 2-1 lead over Rochester on Wednesday night, coach thought his team ‘needed to be better’.

“I think we almost just accepted the way the game was going and I think they were maybe looking for a draw and they were content to get a draw,” said coach O’Connor. “We were trying, but almost fear of failure creeps in a little bit where we have what we hold”.

With four games coming in the next two weeks and chance to finish the season with the league’s best record, his ‘one game at a time’ mentality will be vital.

“To be honest, we try not to worry about the other teams,” added midfielder George Davis IV, who scored his 5th goal of the year against the Rhinos. “I know it sounds cliché, but coach says it all the time that if we stick to the process and control what we can control, then the league will take care of itself”.

Managing the lineup will come with its own challenges as coach O’Connor continues to push his players to an even higher performance level.

Just nine minutes into Wednesday’s match, forward Ilija Ilic was forced to exit early with what appeared to be a leg injury and was relieved by Cameron Lancaster, who is recently recovering from an injury himself.

“Cameron (Lancaster) comes on, he’s got a fractured toe, pushes through the pain barrier and then Luke comes on and I think that little incident really gives you a snippet of what we’re all about,” said coach O’Connor. “We end up using three strikers and three guys all come on and really do their job. Great example of what we’re trying to do here.”

After the hard-fought win over Rochester, forward Luke Spencer said his team’s belief in each other is what helped the club move past the fourth-ranked Rhinos.

“It just says we have belief. No matter what minute it is in the game, no matter what the score is, we have belief in each other, in ourselves. And just in the entire club in general,” said Spencer. “We can get a result, we just have to believe in each other and in ourselves.”

Not for the first time this year, Louisville City FC rescued a win from the jaws of defeat.

Luke Spencer’s penalty kick goal Wednesday night gave Louisville City all three points in a game against the Rochester Rhinos that in previous years would likely have finished a 1-1 draw.

Louisville City has had a knack for coming up with timely goals and big plays this season, something that was missing on a more consistent basis in the past.

In fact, this is the latest into a season (through 27 out of 32 games) that LouCity has been in first place. Each of the last two years, the club finished in second place, always chasing another team for the top spot.

“I think we’re obviously thrilled we won the game,” Louisville City coach James O’Connor said after beating Rochester, 2-1. “…I think we almost just accepted the way the game was going and I think they were maybe looking for a draw and they were content to get a draw. We were trying, but almost fear of failure creeps in a little bit where we have what we hold. You just go and try to win the game. Every game we want to go and win. I think that’s something we spoke with after the game.”

Louisville City has, for the most part this season, been consistent in taking its chances in front of goal. In a dour scoreless draw earlier in the season, George Davis IV scored a penalty kick in the 81st minute to give Louisville City the win, despite a pretty even game throughout.

Six weeks later, Louisville City battled back to earn a point in a 4-4 draw in hot and humid Charleston, a feat they completed again on September 15, coming back to draw the Bethlehem Steel.

In the 100+ degree fahrenheit heat of Fenton, Missouri, in July Louisville City emerged as the fitter and more motivated side. Up a man, though it was just a forward sent off, Louisville City exploded for four second half goals to overcome a first half deficit and record a confidence-boosting win.

In between the comeback victories and draws have been convincing wins over conference opponents, 3-0 bashings of the New York Red Bulls II and Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 5-0 thrashings over FC Cincinnati and the Harrisburg City Islanders, and closer results, 2-1 over the Tampa Bay Rowdies and 1-0 over the Charleston Battery.

It’s the kind of consistency we haven’t seen from O’Connor’s side. Losses turned into draws and draws turned into wins.

Wednesday’s game against Rochester was no different. Facing another disappointing home result, lady luck shined on Louisville City, with the boys in purple winning a second half stoppage time penalty kick after Oscar Jimenez’s free kick was knocked down by an arm above the shoulder.

Spencer stepped up and after a long delay, sent Rhinos goalkeeper Thomas Gomez the wrong way to give Louisville City the win. His exhilarating roar after scoring was met by cheers from the stands.

“It just says we have belief,” Spencer said of rescuing the win. “No matter what minute it is in the game, no matter what the score is, we have belief in each other, in ourselves. And just in the entire club in general. We can get a result, we just have to believe in each other and in ourselves.”

That belief has lifted Louisville City into first place, and the way things are going, the club may earn home field advantage for the entirety of the playoffs.

Opinions expressed in this piece were not subject to club approval. For more insights on LouCity, follow former Courier-Journal reporter Dan Karell on Twitter: @DanKarellPreps.

Louisville City FC’s on its way to the 2017 USL Cup playoffs, and we want you to be there for every round of action at Slugger Field!

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CLICK HERE TO SECURE YOUR PLAYOFF SEATS AND ORDER YOUR PLAYOFF PACKAGE — or call 502-384-8799, option 2

*Each playoff package includes one seat for up to three home matches at Slugger field and one limited edition playoff for purchases made by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, 2017.

USL playoff matches are scheduled to be played on the weekends of Oct. 21/22; 27/28/29 and November 4/5 . The playoff package does not include the USL Championship, which is scheduled to be played weekend of Nov. 11/12.

This time, Luke Spencer took the ball for a Louisville City FC penalty kick — and the decision to let him keep it led to a victory Wednesday night for the boys in purple.

Four days removed from coach James O’Connor asking Spencer give up a penalty chance in favor of teammate Kyle Smith, Spencer drove home a stoppage-time strike to cap a 2-1 victory at Slugger Field.

A handball on a free kick led to the opportunity. That had Spencer’s mind racing.

“At first I thought, ‘Is he really calling that?’” Spencer said. “The second thought was ‘OK, find the ball.’ Find the ball because last week, coach gave Kyle the shot, so I was saying hopefully this week I’ll get it.”

Spencer rocketed a strike to the lower right corner of the goal while Rochester goalkeeper Tomas Gomez dove to the left seconds before the final whistle. It marked the team-leading 10th goal of the year for Spencer.

O’Connor said he wasn’t pleased last Friday when the opposing Bethlehem Steel FC delayed play leading to a penalty kick. That’s why he went with Smith.

“I don’t like where people distract it, and if I’m looking at it, I think the same sort of thing happened again tonight,” O’Connor said. “…But I think Luke was determined to take it, so great credit to him.”

Here’s more from the match…

• In the first half Wednesday, midfielder George Davis IV’s strike between two Rhinos defenders resulted in his first goal in 18 games — since LouCity’s 4-4 draw June 3 at Charleston. Davis IV had opened the year on a scoring tear, leading the team in goals before the drought.

• Forward Ilija Ilic left Wednesday’s game in the 12th minute with what appeared a muscle strain in his leg. Cameron Lancaster, who O’Connor said has played through a broken toe, spelled the striker until the 70th minute, when Spencer came on to finish things up top.

• With the win, LouCity’s now two points shy of USL Western Conference leader Real Monarchs SLC for the league’s best overall record. Both sides have five games left to play. The boys in purple have already clinched a playoff spot, and now they’re in play for both the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed and the overall regular-season title.

Forward Luke Spencer’s penalty kick deep in stoppage time Wednesday propelled Louisville City FC to a 2-1 win over the Rochester Rhinos and a crucial three three points late in the United Soccer League season.

On a night the second-place Charlotte Independence fell, LouCity increased its lead to six points — but only after some late drama at Slugger Field.

Defender Oscar Jimenez’s free kick nicked off a Rhinos defender’s hand in the box, leading to Spencer’s penalty try. He placed it to the goalkeeper’s left, and the final whistle blew seconds later.

“Absolutely huge three points,” said coach James O’Connor. “Massive. Really is. It’s a massive three points.”

In its third season, LouCity’s chasing its first top seed in the USL Cup Playoffs. For the overall regular-season crown, the club’s now just two points back of Western Conference leader Real Monarchs SLC. Both sides have five games left.

LouCity and Rochester scored a goal apiece in the first half, with midfielder George Davis IV delivering a rocket of a shot to put the home side up in the 23rd minute. Rhinos forward Jochen Graf equalized in the 43rd minute, and the score remained deadlocked from there until Spencer’s strike.

“You go 10 for 10 in training, but in the game — especially this game when it’s late and it decides the match — it’s a lot of pressure,” Spencer said. “I just tried to simplify that and be as confident as possible.”

“Fantastic composure at the end to send the keeper the wrong way, so obviously delighted for Luke and all the boys,” O’Connor added.

LouCity out-shot the Rhinos 13-6, and Rochester managed just one shot on frame — it’s goal-scoring chance. But the Rhinos didn’t stick exclusively to the park-the-bus mentality often showcased by the 2015 USL champions, creating a somewhat open game, especially early.

It benefited LouCity on Davis IV’s goal, with his shot rifled between defenders. Davis IV registered his fifth goal on the season, while Lancaster’s 10 pace the boys in purple.

“It’s something that we talk about in training all the time — being patient, waiting for your moments, sticking to the process,” Davis IV said. “I didn’t think it was our best half of soccer but that’s how it is sometimes. What’s important is that we kept fighting, we kept pushing and finally got that last chance.”

Game Summary

Match: Louisville City FC vs. Rochester Rhinos

Date: Sept. 20, 2017

Venue: Louisville Slugger Field

Kickoff: 7:35 p.m.

Weather: 85 degrees, Sunny

Attendance: 6,698

LouCity Man of the Match: George Davis IV

Scoring

Louisville City FC (1, 1, 2)

Rochester Rhinos (1, 0, 1)

Goals

Louisville City FC

George Davis IV (23’)

Luke Spencer (90+5’)

Rochester Rhinos

Jochen Graf, assist to (44’)

Lineups

Louisville City FC: 1 Greg Ranjitsingh, 24 Kyle Smith, 19 Oscar Jimenez, 4 Sean Totsch, 15 Sean Reynolds, 6 Tarek Morad, 36 Paolo DelPiccolo, 8 Guy Abend, 22 George Davis IV, 14 Ilija Ilic (9 Cameron Lancaster – 12’ (12 Luke Spencer – 69’), 10 Brian Ownby (7 Mark-Anthony Kaye – 69’)

Subs not used: 28 Tim Dobrowolski, 80 Devon Williams, 18 Paco Craig, 23 Richard Ballard

Head coach: James O’Connor

Rochester Rhinos: 23 Tomas Gomez, 15 Joe Farrell, 3 Ryan Felix, 25 Sergio Campbell, 7 Ryan James, 2 Ray Lee (4 Bradley Kamdem – 71’), 17 Wal Fall, 11 Kenardo Forbes, 27 Julian Buscher (6 Christiano Francois – 58’), 13 Mike Garzi (24 Rayanne Boukemia – 86’), 12 Jochen Graf

Subs not used: 33 Dan Lynd, 8 Brandon Beresford, 22 Jalen Brown, 5 Dover Jordan

Head coach: Bob Lilley

Discipline

Rochester Rhinos

Ray Lee, yellow (45’)

Ryan James, yellow (61’)

Jochen Graf, yellow (73’)

Tomas Gomes, yellow, (88’)

Joe Farell, yellow (90+4’)

Stats

Louisville City FC / Rochester Rhinos

Shots: 13 / 6

Shots on target: 2 / 1

Possession: 52.4% / 47.6%

Passes: 423 / 382

Corners: 4 / 4

Fouls: 9 / 19

Officials

Referee: Jon Freemon

Assistant Referee 1: Johann Pedolzky

Assistant Referee 2: Paul Terry

4th Official: Aaron Hernandez