LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – There weren’t many fans, but there was plenty of purpose.
Louisville City FC had a point to prove — again — and a bigger stage in sight.
With two first-half goals and a dose of second-half resolve, LouCity knocked off Loudoun United for the second time this season, 2-1, to advance in the U.S. Open Cup and earn a spot in next week’s Round of 32 — when Major League Soccer clubs enter the bracket.
It wasn’t just a win. It was a reminder.
“That's the magic of the cup, isn't it? I think that we have a belief that we can beat anybody,” said forward Sam Gleadle, who scored his first goal of the season in the 28th minute. “Any tournament we play in, any league game we play in, we think that we can be the best team.”
They certainly have been against Loudoun, who rolled into Lynn Family Stadium with the best record in the USL Championship. They rolled out with their second loss — both handed to them by a LouCity side that doesn’t need to dominate possession to take control.
On a chilly Tuesday night, with just a little more than 2,600 fans scattered around Butchertown, LouCity took advantage of early energy – back from a nine-day layoff -- and Loudoun’s heavy legs from a weekend road trip. Adrien Perez struck in the 18th minute after pouncing on a defensive mistake. Gleadle followed ten minutes later, racing in behind for a clean finish off an Amadou Dia assist.
Quick work. All business. Just like it was in the first meeting between these teams in March.
LouCity FC manager Danny Cruz talked about his team's 2-1 win over Loudoun United in its opener of the U.S. Open Cup
“I thought in the first half we were really strong,” LouCity head coach Danny Cruz said. “But I thought in the second half we kind of took our foot off the gas… Ultimately this tournament is about advancing, and we did that tonight.”
That they did, though not without a nervy finish.
A failed clearance in the 90th minute allowed Loudoun’s Abdellatif Aboukoura to pull a goal back. The final minutes brought some anxious defending. But the home team saw it through.
Statistically, LouCity held just 36 percent of the ball. The expected goals were even. The shot totals — 15 for Loudoun, 11 for LouCity — were close.
But Cruz liked the shape and the discipline. And he liked what it said about a squad that now sits unbeaten across six matches in all competitions this season.
“I think it's quite easy for people just to think that because you don't have the ball, you're not in control,” Cruz said. “But if (you) want the other team to have the ball, then you are in control.”
The win marked the club’s eighth straight advancement from its Open Cup opener — still perfect since joining the competition in 2015. It also featured a welcome moment, with Jake Morris returning from injury for his first minutes of 2025.
LouCity FC's Sam Gleadle prepares to strike what will be the second goal of the game in a 2-1 win over Loudoun United FC in the US Open Cup in Lynn Family Stadium on April 15, 2025.
Now comes the wait.
On Thursday morning, U.S. Soccer will hold the Round of 32 draw live on the CBS Sports Golazo Network. LouCity will be one of 16 lower-division clubs remaining when the MLS teams enter the field.
“The guys thrive in those environments, and they're really looking forward to the opportunity,” Cruz said. “I'm looking forward to seeing where we go. And I'm sure that US Soccer is probably going to send us to San Jose or something. You know, we went to Seattle last year on a Tuesday. Looking forward to seeing that (destination).”
Perhaps you didn’t detect Cruz’s sarcasm there. But he is eager to see his team face new and bigger challenges.
“Ultimately, we talked after last season, we were very, very good at scoring a lot of goals. We were very poor at conceding too many goals,” Cruz said. “So we wanted to make sure that this year we got better defensively, and I feel we've done that. At the same time, we're still scoring multiple goals a game.”
Next up for the Boys in Purple is a trip to Florida for a USL Championship regular-season matchup against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at 7:30 p.m.
LouCity returns home for the USL’s Jägermeister Cup against the Richmond Kickers of USL League One in Lynn Family Stadium on April 26.
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