Louisville City may only be 2-2-1 in their last five matches, but their most recent result was a 2-0 win on the road against their rivals, Indy Eleven. A big LIPAFC win will give LouCity a little more pep in their step as they hit the road again, this time to take on Memphis 901. It’s been a while since these two sides have faced one another, but the last result was a dominating 3-0 win for City. Louisville is on the cusp of officially clinching the playoffs, but Memphis is fighting for their shot at the offseason. They did win an important 3 points against Indy during a midweek match but they will need every point they can get.
Memphis’ season hasn’t been without flaw, but their performances this year have them with a 57% chance to make the playoffs as of this writing. They have gone 3-2-0 in their last five, which includes an exciting win over the Legion. The numbers behind the team’s performances have their ups and downs. Despite having the 7th best shots on target per match rate with 4.9, they have only created 29 big chances (21st) and have been limited to 1.1 goals per match (27th). While there are a lot of opportunities for their offense to improve, their defense is a bit more reliable. They have only allowed 1.2 goals against per match (9th) with 3.5 saves made per match (5th).
The top 901 performers to keep an eye on includes Kyle Murphy, Kadeem Dacres, and Laurent Kissiedou. To put things simply, Murphy is their Cameron Lancaster. Murphy has 14 goals this season, putting him tied for second and one ahead of Cam. He is good for a team-leading 1.3 shots on target per match, so it’s likely he will get at least one decent look on Saturday. Former LouCity player Dacres has a team-leading four assists. With those assists, he has found two goals, averages 1.8 key passes per match (team-leading), and created 6 big chances for his team. Kissiedou has scored two goals and added two assists. His average team rating is 7.37 likely inspired but his ability to pass (29.3 accurate passes per match) and move the ball (1.6 successful dribbles per match).
FiveThirtyEight has given Louisville City a 48% chance to win compared to Memphis’ 25% chance. With the season creeping towards its conclusion, desperate teams like Memphis are capable of winning any match. Their desperation coupled with a home-field advantage could result in an interesting and tough contest for Louisville. However, if the team performs to their full potential, they should be able to see off this fringe playoff team.
Parting Thoughts
If you’re looking to expand your purple wardrobe, Vamos Morados shirts are available!
Want to do a little more reading on LouCity? Might I suggest How’s It Going? Part 3, What Are Expected Goals (xG)?, The Tifos of Louisville City, or The Louisville City Youth Movement?
Be sure to check out the Vamos Morados Podcast featuring me, Benton, and Zach Allen-Kelly. It’s 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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