Saturday’s win over Atlanta United 2 was Louisville City’s third win in three matches. Despite a few hiccups here and there, the team has had a solid showing this season. They will need to remain focused if they want to end the season at the top. LouCity’s next opponent will pose a unique challenge, as it is a team they have yet to face. They will be taking the long trip to Colorado to face Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Will this unfamiliar squad wrinkle City’s plans to keep stringing together wins, or will it be a testament to the quality of Coach Danny Cruz’s team?
Colorado Spring’s sits fifth in the Western Mountain Division with a 5-2-5 record. Offensively, they have been outstanding. 23 total goals (3rd) with an average of 6.2 shots on target per match (2nd) and a league-leading 25 big chances created. For context, Louisville has 28 goals (2nd) with an average of 5.8 shots on target per match (3rd) and 21 big chances created (4th). Very comparable to Morados. It's defense where they differ. COS have conceded 22 goals to LouCity’s 16. Like Tulsa, they score a lot and let in too many. Another team for the neutral fan.
The Switchback’s have one of the most dangerous players in the league. Hadji Barry has bounced around the league but has seemed to have hit his stride in Colorado. He leads the league in goals with 13. The next closest only has eight. He has also provided three assists and has a team-leading 7.98 average player rating. Earlier in the season, Carson Merk did a profile on him on the Beautiful Game Network that you should check out. Barry isn’t their only notable contributor. Michee Ngalina is tied for first in the league for assists with six, has created 24 chances (tied 8th), and has the second-highest average player rating on the team with 7.47. Sebastian Anderson, a loanee from the Colorado Rapids, has two assists, a 7.21 player rating, and the 5th most crosses in the league. It’s also worth noting that former Louisville City player, Jimmy Ockford, is among their ranks and has been a regular starter for them.
Good ol FiveThirtyEight sees this as a close encounter. City with a 41% chance to win compared to the home team’s 33% chance. With a little more rest under their belt, Louisville should be able to deploy their strongest lineup minus Cameron Lancaster, who will probably not make the trip after his head injury on Saturday. It’s a Friday match, folks, so adjust your plans accordingly. I’ll be tuned in at 9:00 PM EST to cheer on the boys in purple. Hope you will do the same!
Parting Thoughts
Be sure to check out the Vamos Morados Podcast featuring me, Benton, and Zach Allen-Kelly. And it’s now available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Audible, and Spotify. Everything you need to listen can be found on the Podcast page. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
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