Still riding the momentum of a three-game unbeaten run, Louisville City FC will aim to extend that streak when they host Rio Grande Valley FC Toros on Saturday night. Kickoff at Lynn Family Stadium is set for 8 p.m. ET.

LouCity sits fourth in the tight Eastern Conference standings at 10-7-6 after battling to a 1-1 draw with the Charleston Battery on Wednesday night. Cameron Lancaster continued his goalscoring form, finding the net for the third straight match.

However, injuries to Amadou Dia and Brian Ownby took some shine off the result. 

Player Availability Report for RGVFCT:

Owen Damm (out)
Amadou Dia (questionable)
Jorge Gonzalez (questionable)
Kyle Morton (out)
Brian Ownby (questionable)
Jordan Scarlett (out)

Dis and Ownby’s availability is still in question for Saturday, which will likely force some changes to the Starting XI; and maybe the formation as well.

Coach Danny Cruz has relied on a consistent lineup over the last three games since implementing a three-back system. But with a quick turnaround, squad rotation will be required to keep legs fresh.

In particular, LouCity will need energy going forward after conceding a late equalizer to Charleston despite controlling much of the play. Maintaining intensity for 90 minutes is crucial as they chase three points.

Rio Grande Valley sits just outside the Western Conference playoff places but has lost only once in their last five outings. LouCity will have to be sharp to break down the stubborn Toros backline.

These clubs met only once before, with LouCity earning a 1-0 road win last season. Building on that result would see LouCity match its longest unbeaten run of 2022. 

(Photo: Chris Humphrey)

With ground to make up in the playoff race, stacking points against teams below them in the standings is a must. LouCity will hope some squad shuffling doesn’t disrupt their momentum ahead of this opportunity.

This is as close to a must-win as LouCity has had all year. The Toros are a lesser side and even with the injuries and having two games this week, the Boys in Purple should have enough to win. This result will tell us exactly how much resolve and depth this team has.

If Louisville can get up (and stay up) by two goals and dominate the play on the pitch, then we can officially say they are truly back. If they struggle to score or if they go down at any point, they may not have enough to win the championship this season.

Prediction: LouCity 2 RGVFCT (abcdefg…) 0

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