COVER PHOTO CREDIT: LOUISVILLE CITY FC
March 21, 2024 (LOUISVILLE, KY) – Louisville City FC are ready for their home opener against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday at Lynn Family Stadium.
2023 Matchups:
July 1 – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 0, Louisville City FC 0.
July 12 – Louisville City FC 0, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 1 (Dikwa 68′)
Louisville City haven’t beaten Pittsburgh since the 2022 USL Championship Playoffs, when they beat the Riverhounds in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in penalty kicks. Daniel Faundez set the tone early, saving Daniel Griffin’s PK – and Louisville converted on every chance they had, capped off by the youngster Carlos Moguel.
Louisville is coming off a win on the road in their only match so far in 2024 in El Paso, a 1-0 win with Wilson Harris scoring the lone goal in the affair. Damian Las, loaned from MLS side Austin FC, recorded six saves in the clean sheet for Lou City in his USL Championship debut. The former Fulham youth product made the move from Fulham to Austin FC in 2022 and was named the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Year for Austin FC II.
FUN FACT: Las appeared in the highly anticipated “Goalie Wars” event in the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge in Washington D.C. in July, 2023. He lost in an exciting final against Isaac Walker of Crown Legacy FC (MLS NEXT Pro affiliate of Charlotte FC). Link to that… below.
KEY PLAYER: Elijah Wynder
The 21 year old midfielder enters his second “full” season with Louisville City FC, and he started it off with a solid performance on the road in El Paso. Wynder led the team with the most tackles completed (3), and also winning the second most duels (8) at a 67% success rate, both aerially (2/3) and on the ground (6/9).
Wynder, Louisville City’s first ever academy contract, has already had plenty of memorable moments with the club – of course, the most memorable being his iconic goal in the Eastern Conference Final against Tampa Bay while down a man in 2019. At just age 21, the future looks bright in Lou City’s midfield for years to come.