LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville City FC will look to clinch a third consecutive trip to the USL Cup Playoffs in the first Friday night game at Slugger Field in the club’s history when it welcomes a Bethlehem Steel FC side that is vying to get back into the Eastern Conference playoff positions. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Matchcenter: Click Here | Tickets: Click Here | Broadcast: WBNA (LOU)
Louisville City FC news and notes
Current record: 15-5-5, 50pts
Louisville won its second consecutive outing with a 3-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds last Saturday night at Highmark Stadium.
Luke Spencer scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season in the victory, while Kyle Smith and Speedy Williams also found the net for the visitors.
Williams’ goal was his first of the season, making him the 16th different player to register a goal this season for City.
Louisville will claim a playoff berth with a win against Bethlehem, and also move within three points of Real Monarchs SLC in the race for the USL Regular Season Championship.
Bethlehem Steel FC news and notes
Current record: 10-11-4, 34pts
Steel FC got a late goal by Marcus Epps to earn a 1-1 draw against Orlando City B in its last outing on Aug. 31 to break a three-game losing streak.
Bethlehem was scheduled to play last Saturday, but due to Hurricane Irma the club’s clash with the Tampa Bay Rowdies was postponed to Sept. 27 at Goodman Stadium.
Steel FC sits two points behind both seventh-place FC Cincinnati and eighth-place Orlando City B in the Eastern Conference, but holds two games in hand on both clubs in the race for the USL Cup Playoffs.
Bethlehem has posted a 5-6-1 record away from home this season, equaling its win total on home turf.
Series Notes
Squads
Louisville – GK: Greg Ranjitsingh, Tim Dobrowolski, Micah Bledsoe; D: Sean Totsch, Paco Craig, Oscar Jimenez, Tarek Morad, Sean Reynolds, Kyle Smith; M: Guy Abend, Paolo DelPiccolo, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Niall McCabe, Brian Ownby, Devon Williams, George Davis IV, Richard Ballard; F: Ilija Ilic, Luke Spencer, Cameron Lancaster
Bethlehem – GK: John McCarthy, Jake McGuire, Kris Shakes, Tomas Romero; D: Keegan Rosenberry, Richie Marquez, Matt Mahoney, Matt Real, Aaron Jones, Charlie Reymann, Hugh Roberts, Josh Yaro, Auston Trusty, Nyk Sessock; M: Maurice Edu, James Chambers, Adam Najem, Brenden Aaronson, Josh Heard, Derrick Jones, Yosef Samuel, Anthony Fontana; F: Amoy Brown, Marcus Epps, Chris Nanco, Santi Moar, Cory Burke
Discipline
Louisville – Accumulation warning: George Davis IV
Bethlehem – Suspended: Seku Conneh; Accumulation warning: Anthony Fontana, Matt Real, Giliano Wijnaldum
Officials
REF: LORANT VARGA
AR1: Benjamin Hall-Volpenhein
AR2: Hagen Curd
4TH: Dean Morgan
Game hashtag:
Twitter social handles
Louisville City FC – @LouCityFC
Bethlehem Steel FC – @BSteelFC
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