As we close in on the 2025 season (check out the recent offseason update if you have not already), I wanted to share some adjustments planned for VamosMorados.com posts.
The first planned change will be the consolidation of match recaps. Grouping of match recaps (likely three to four matches per post) will allow for more of a focus on telling the story of the overarching narratives of the team's performance. There will be value in stewing on the matches a bit longer before writing as well. So you are not missing any posts if you pop on here and do not see one following each match!
The second change will be the rating of matches. Using a five-star scale, assigning a rating for each match will help identify memorable matches from the forgettable at a glance. This will obviously have a Louisville City bias and be tailored around the significance for the team, along with overall excitement and memorability. Some of these elements of memorability may not be for reasons we would want to remember a match. Factors such as playoff implications, rivalries, and thrilling moments such as a late goal or controversy will factor into the scoring. To provide a benchmark on how this will look, below are some select matches from the past and the ratings that I would assign them.
★★★★★
This installment of LIPAFC you could simply call the CBS Game. Not only was it the league's debut on the big CBS, but it was a fun 5-3 win with some great April weather in front of a lively 11k+. An iconic match that is worthy of remembrance.
After the previous playoff match against PIT that saw LouCity down by two in the 80th minute, it’s hard to imagine that the next match would be even more iconic. LOU and the Rowdies regularly churn out thrilling affairs. This meeting in the Eastern Conference Finals saw Louisville go down a man in the 82’ but the persistence of one of the best LouCity teams led to the 0-0 stalemate being broken in extra time by Elijah Wynder. It’s a goal that belongs on all the highlight reels right next to Hoppenot’s against Indy in 2019.
★★★★
How fitting that on the night the club was officially awarded their first Players’ Shield, they would put on another memorable classic. Despite LouCity having already locked up their spot atop the table, they fought hard against their conference foes, Tampa Bay. As the match drew to a close, a 1-1 draw felt inevitable until Arturo Ordonez’s late intervention.
NCvLOU was without Coach Danny Cruz as he was serving a suspension after receiving a red card in one of the worst officiated soccer matches I have seen. The proceeding 90’ was an unhinged 6-4 win for Louisville with three of the ten scored goals credited as own goals. Defense was optional for this all-gas-no-breaks match. Stressful for the coaches but a fun, wild ride for those in the stands or watching from home!
★★★
Ok, since I brought it up, it had to be on this list of examples. Officiating skewed this particular match and remains its defining feature. A red card sent LouCity down a man in the first half and Coach Danny Cruz got one of his own later on. Credit to Hartford for taking advantage of the situation and nicking points off the eventual Shield winners.
This 2-0 loss on the road to 10th place DET (whose offense was among the leagues worst) was the team’s third straight loss. Its “memorability” is not of the positive variety. It was one of the club’s lower points during that tough 2023 season.
★★
2023 was ultimately a rocky year for Louisville City and this match against Tulsa feels fairly representative of it. A fairly reasonable start followed by a poor second half where missed chances earlier and defensive lapses late resulted in a forgettable loss.
A 2-2 draw is one thing, but it starts to feel worse when your team is the one with 20 shots and an xG of 2.33 compared to the other side only needing 8 shots and amassing just 0.83 xG. Louisville did come back after going down early, but there were not a ton of positives otherwise. Of all LouCity’s matches, this was certainly one of them.
★
An otherwise outstanding Louisville team goes away to one of the league's more forgettable teams and squeezes out a 1-0 win in an underwhelming and inspiring performance. Much of the match had the tone “We’re going to lose to Loudoun, aren’t we?”. Fortunately, that did not transpire, but the match is one most fans likely immediately forgot about.
If you look up “forgettable” in the dictionary, it’s just a link to the YouTube “highlights” of this match. I’m being harsh, but it’s not likely to be the topic of conversation for fans for years to come. The Players’ Shield and much of the playoff picture was already locked up and Louisville’s lineup featured a lot of rotation as everyone’s attention began to shift to the postseason. The team did earn a point, but there was nothing particularly remarkable about it. Not every match is going to be a banger.
While I have appreciated my approach in the past, I think there is value in an ongoing evolution. It will be a new way to help tell the story of Louisville City and I hope that you enjoy these planned changes. Although I rarely find myself on the various social media platforms anymore, I will make an effort to poke my head back into that world to share my latest VamosMorados.com work. Those sites won't be a good place to reach me but please feel free to email me anytime at thepurplesdf@gmail.com.
As always, I appreciate everyone who takes time out of their day to read the site. I look forward to seeing everyone at Lynn Family Stadium again soon! Vamos Morados!
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