Louisville City FC and Detroit City FC, two of the lowest-scoring teams in the USL Championship, are set to face off on Wednesday in a bid to spark their respective attacks. The match will take place at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, Michigan, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.

LouCity (8-5-5, 29 points) has struggled to find the back of the net this season, scoring only 17 goals in 18 league games. However, the team’s solid defense has kept them in the playoff picture, currently sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. Detroit City (4-11-5, 17 points) has faced similar offensive struggles, netting just 13 goals in 20 matches and currently occupying the 11th spot in the conference.

Both teams are coming off losses in their most recent league matches, with LouCity falling to first-place Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Detroit City suffering a 2-0 defeat against the same opponent. However, LouCity has a perfect record against Detroit City in league play, winning all five encounters since their inclusion in the USL Championship.

LouCity will be contending with a congested schedule, as Wednesday’s match is the fourth of five games in a 15-day span. The team has already rotated players and hosted an international friendly against Atlante FC over the weekend. Coach Danny Cruz will need to manage the squad effectively and keep players fresh amid the demanding fixture list.

The return of star winger Brian Ownby (listed as questionable) provides a boost to LouCity’s attacking options. Ownby recently made appearances against Pittsburgh and Atlante FC after recovering from a muscle strain. His presence and experience will be valuable as the team looks to reignite its scoring prowess.

Goalkeeper Oliver Semmle has been impressive this season, leading the USL Championship with nine clean sheets. His performances have played a significant role in the team’s defensive stability. Additionally, defender Sean Totsch has been a consistent presence on the field, having played every minute of the season so far. Totsch’s leadership and defensive contributions have been instrumental for LouCity.

Young talent will also be on display, as LouCity Academy standout Issac Cano made his first-team debut against Atlante FC. Cano, who led Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Lexington, KY) to the 2021 Kentucky state title, has chosen to forgo college at the moment to pursue a contract with LouCity. While I admire Cano’s persistence and desire to forgo college, for now, I hope that he makes the most of the opportunity with LouCity so that he doe snot regret that choice. His inclusion in the squad highlights the club’s commitment to developing local talent. 

For fans who can not make the trip to the greater Detroit area, LouCity will be hosting a watch party at World of Beer (9850 Von Allmen CT, Louisville, KY 40241) to cheer on the boys in purple. Specials for the event include $0.99 wings, $2 Modelos, and $2 shot specials for 10 minutes following a LouCity Goal.

For me, this is a MUST win for LouCity. They can not climb the table without getting more points and this is a team that they can (and should) beat (soundly). While I have no concern that Detroit City won’t score in the match, I do still have concerts that LouCity will be able to get their act together enough to put some points on the board. To me, this match has a disappointing 0-0 draw written all over it but I will predict that LouCity will get on the board and say the final score will be LouCity 1 Detroit City 0.

Following the match against Detroit City FC, LouCity will cap off this busy stretch of games by hosting Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday. It will be Military Appreciation Night at Lynn Family Stadium, where the contributions of members from all branches of the United States Armed Forces will be celebrated.

LouCity fans are encouraged to join the official watch party at World of Beer and enjoy food and drink specials while supporting their team. The match will be broadcast locally on MyTV 58 and ESPN Louisville’s 680/105.7, with streaming available on ESPN+.

Make sure to stick to Bluegrass Soccer Cast (@BGSoccerCast on all social media platforms) for full coverage of LouCity and everything soccer in our beautiful Commonwealth. 

Photo by: Chris Humphrey