The short version of the story of Saturday night’s USL Championship Eastern Conference Final is Tampa Bay Rowdies scored on the first look they got and never really looked back. The longer version isn’t much more complicated, but it’s decidedly not fun to think about. Let’s do it anyway.
Louisville City opened the game with the same lineup they’d been playing during nearly their entire 13-game unbeaten run this season. For their part, Tampa Bay’s lineup was more or less what we would have expected, though Malik Johnson was on the bench. Just three minutes into the game, Leo Fernandes beat Pat McMahon to create some space off a turnover in midfield and put in a hopeful cross near the back post. Sean Totsch and Alexis Souahy failed to account for Zach Steinberger, whose first touch beat Ben Lundt to score the opener.
It was a shocking goal. Louisville City hasn’t allowed a goal like that in forever. But the way it was created set the theme for the night: Tampa Bay high pressed all night and never let Louisville City have any time or space in the midfield. The five-man middle band ensured City never really got any width, either. So while Morados dominated possession, shots, and so on, none of it was ever particularly dangerous. City’s lone mark on the score sheet was a Tampa Bay own goal.
Goals change games, of course. There’s never a good time to give one up, but the worst times are just after kickoff, just before and haft halftime, and obviously near the final whistle. City gave up two at the two worst times. They spent the entire first half trying to dig out of a hole and never managed it, then surrendered a cheap one just before halftime. Morados got one back thanks to an own goal, but didn’t seem to have any useful ideas on how to get one on their own.
Just as an illustration, here’s the first half completed pass chart in Tampa Bay’s half:
The final third is a waste-land. Now let’s see the second half chart:
Honestly, not a lot better. Not too many arrows pointing toward the 18 yard box, which is where it’s easier to score goals, and nothing coming from the middle of the field in either half.
I know I underestimated the Rowdies’ defense, but Louisville City shouldn’t have. I’m not arguing they did, but even late on in the game when John Hackworth put on every attacking player he had at his disposal, City didn’t really threaten Evan Louro in goal. Louro is very annoying but admittedly had a decent game, saving all three shots Louisville City put on target. City literally could not find a way to get the ball to Lancaster or anyone else in space, or even without space, at nearly any time in the match.
There’s definitely a part of me that wants to shrug this game off and offer all kinds of excuses, like “it’s 2020, everything is bad” or “everyone has a bad night from time to time.” That would be just that, though: excuses. This was a disappointing performance, without doubt. City had no answer for the Rowdies high press and didn’t put together a single “big” chance in 90 minutes of play despite having nearly 70% of the ball. The Rowdies scored the two big looks they got.
Tampa Bay definitely deserved to win the game. I felt going in that Louisville City was the better team, but they certainly weren’t on the night. It’s never fun when you go into a match feeling like you should win and then failing to live up to expectations. Home field, riding a great record and a string of stout performances against a team that arguably just wasn’t tested enough? How could you not feel confident? But that all went out the window just three minutes in, and the Rowdies kept their collective foot on our necks the rest of the game. It was not an enjoyable experience.
But it, and City’s 2020 season, are over now. The Conference Final aside, City had a pretty good year all things considered. The home opener defeat was a low point, and this game unfortunately served as a similar bookend in ways that I wasn’t expecting, but at least some of us got to go see live soccer in person in our own building, which is better than a lot of other people can say.
I’m going to take a few steps back for a little while and digest everything that happened this season as best I can. The club is in great shape, the team made their sixth straight conference final, and there are some interesting young pieces in the team that I hope get to play a bigger role in the coming years.
Oh, I almost forgot: This was Luke Spencer’s last game for Louisville City. I’m not sure anyone knew that going in. Luke Spencer is a model soccer player on the field, and a model member of the Louisville community off the field. He’ll always be a legend for the way he came into the team, for scoring that goal against Phoenix in 2018, and for his leadership that same season and throughout his tenure in purple. What a great guy, a great example for our club, and I hope he and his young family stay in town and remain a part of our community. Hats off, Luke. Vamos.
