LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – On the road, in the rain, the Louisville City Football Club began its highly anticipated 2023 season. It returns more players than any club in the league’s history. And for not the last time this season, surely, that came in handy at Orange County SC on Saturday night.
The Boys in Purple opened the season like they’d been shot out of a cannon. Niall McCabe, who played for the very first LouCity FC team, scored the first goal of the club’s season, just four minutes into its first game, heading home a cross from another veteran, Brian Ownby.
LouCity controlled the run of play early, then gave up a goal before halftime. Ownby, sidelined late in the first half after a foot injury, returned for the second half and fed another club mainstay, Cameron Lancaster, who flicked in a cross in the 57th minute.
Enoch Mushagalusa added some insurance late when he drove up the left side and, despite a flat angle, drilled a shot inside the far post in the 88th minute.
After the game, Cruz said there were two LouCity teams on the field. One with Ownby on the pitch, and one without him. The 32-year-old winger dished out assists No. 33 and 34 in Purple, moving him into the club’s all-time lead.
Niall McCabe and Enoch Mushagalusa embrace during LouCity FC's 3-1 win over Orange County SC on March 11, 2023. (Gus Martinez/Orange County SC)
“We lost a little bit of momentum there when (Brian) goes down and has to go off the field,” LouCity coach Danny Cruz said. “Being down a man, I think that carried toward the rest of the half. But Brian had a massive gash on his foot. His cleat was broken. The fact that he was able to finish the game, it shows his mentality.”
After a disappointing season, Orange County revamped its roster and looked much improved. The 2021 USL champions hammered away in the second half, but LouCity keeper Kyle Morton recorded a trio of timely saves before Mushagalusa could put the game out of reach.
McCabe said the club’s seasoning and road-centered preseason preparation paid off as it had hoped.
“It’s what you want,” he said. “We’re away from home and on the west coast, there’s the time zone and other factors involved. To come here and get three goals on the road and a win, it’s a great start to the season.”
While experience carried the night, LouCity did start a pair of newcomers – defender Jordan Scarlett and midfielder Rasmus Thellufsen.
And if Orange County did make things uncomfortable after LouCity retook the lead, Cruz nonetheless was pleased with the outcome.
““I look at the positives from it,” Cruz said. “There were guys constantly putting their bodies on the line trying to block shots. We were certainly under pressure. I think we fatigued a little bit toward the end. I would have liked for us to secure the ball a little bit better and make them do the running. But this is football, right? They hit the cross bar, we go down to the other end and put another goal in the back of the net.
“We’ll certainly look at the tape. There’s areas where we need to improve. I already said that to the group right after the game. But I do think it’s a result we should be really, really proud of with the travel, against a good opponent, with the time change. This is a moment for the group to be proud of and look to improve tomorrow.”
The club will stay on the west coast for Game No. 2, a visit to Monterey Bay FC, on Saturday. Monterey put home an opening-night league-best 5 goals, against 3 conceded, in a home-pitch win over Hartford on Saturday.
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