Match Information
- Louisville City FC (5-2-5, 20 points) vs. New York Red Bulls II (4-5-4, 16 points)
- Louisville Slugger Field, Louisville, KY
- Saturday, June 20, 2015
- 7:30 p.m. EDT
- WATCH: Live Stream available on NewYorkRedBulls.com/Live
- #LOUvNY – Follow on Twitter: @NYRBII
New York Red Bulls II visit Louisville City FC this weekend in New York’s fourth consecutive road match. Currently half way through their six-game road trip, Red Bulls II are 1-1-1 after three competitions. NYRB II dropped their first match of the road trip against Richmond Kickers, but drew Montreal FC and defeated Wilmington Hammerheads in their previous match. The next home fixture for Red Bulls II is not until July 12, against Harrisburg City Islanders. This is the first of two meetings this season with Louisville City FC, as the squads will meet again in September at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium.
New York Red Bulls II
Red Bulls II, fresh off of a 1-0 victory against Wilmington Hammerheads, head into Saturday’s match with confidence. Forward Chris Tsonis scored the game-winner in the 72nd minute, giving him two goals in the last three matches, and goalkeeper Rafael Diaz preserved a shutout in his second start of the season.
Derrick Etienne supplied the game-winning assist for Tsonis and now has two goals and two assists in the last three matches he’s played. Etienne has two goals and three assists in 12 appearances and eight starts for NYRB II.
Mike Da Fonte was named to the USL Team of the Week for Week 13, one week after teammate Leo Stolz was awarded the same honor. Da Fonte started and played the full 90 minutes at center back in the road victory against Wilmington. The defender has started 11 of 13 matches for Red Bulls II this season and has played the most USL minutes (970) of any player on the team.
Red Bulls II currently sits in sixth place, the final spot above the red line in the Eastern Conference standings. NYRB II are tied with Pittsburgh Riverhounds on 16 points, but trail on goal differential, while they lead Harrisburg City Islanders by one point. Only four points separate fifth place from ninth in a crowded mid-table battle for playoff spots.
Louisville City FC
Louisville City FC returns home, where they are unbeaten (4-0-2), after three consecutive away matches. In Louisville’s previous USL game at Rochester Rhinos, the Rhinos snapped Louisville’s seven match unbeaten run in which City went 5-0-2. The most recent match for Louisville took place on Tuesday, when they traveled to Toyota Park to face MLS side Chicago Fire in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Despite forcing extra time after a scoreless 90 minutes, Chicago’s Quincy Amarikwa headed in the deciding goal of the match in the 116th minute to effectively eliminate City.
Louisville’s Matt Fondy stands out as LCFC’s most dangerous outfield player, with six goals and two assists through 12 USL matches. Fondy has also scored three goals in LCFC’s last four USL games. In goal, Scott Goodwin has been stellar for Louisville, having started all 12 matches for LCFC and posting a 0.83 goals against average.
Despite consecutive losses, Louisville City boasts one of the strongest defenses in the league. Through 12 matches, Louisville has allowed only 10 goals, tied for second least in USL with Orange County Blues FC who have played two less games than LCFC.
