It’s the last day of the sixth month of what a lot of us may consider to be a singularly horrible year! The good news, though, is Louisville City is still undefeated and primed and ready to get going again in the USL. Let’s talk about that!
USL Announces Regional Groups for Season Restart
Last week, the USL released the identity of the pods or groups of teams that would be playing each other, mainly, in the re-configured regular season following a nearly three month break due to COVID-19. The league was divided up into eight regional groups of four or five teams that will play each other to complete a sixteen-match schedule that is set to start on July 11 and finish on October 3. Teams in groups of four will play twelve matches within the group and four outside of the group against regional opponents. Included in those four outside games are matches already played prior to the season shutdown. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the USL Championship playoffs.
Louisville City is in Group E with St. Louis FC, Indy XI, and Sporting Kansas City II, nee Swope Park Rangers. This is not an easy group! However, I’d rather see competitive games against St. Louis and Indy than just steamroll Memphis four times, so there are some positives. Our Morados are favorites to survive the group already, but there are so many variables that have been introduced to this new-ish season thanks to COVID-19 that it’s too soon to write it in sharpie yet.
Still remaining are any announcements about the schedule. Different clubs are going to be subject to different restrictions on whether clubs can even host matches, whether there can be fans, etc. based on local health officials’ guidance. Some clubs may not even host a home match in this new season, a la Antigua Barracuda. That’s not great!
Hopefully everyone stays safe and this goes off without a hitch. As there’s no CBA yet still between the USL and the players association, we may not get any news about whether or how many players in the league have actually tested positive for the virus. MLS has had several going into its dubiously named “MLS is Back” tournament, so it’s hard to imagine there aren’t some USL players out there that have contracted the virus, too.
But live soccer is coming back to Louisville, and that’s exciting!
Damir Beganovic joins Morados on Academy contract
Bowling Green native Damir Beganovic signed an academy contract with Louisville City yesterday to become part of the senior team. Beganovic, age 16, has been part of the U17 team for several months now and participated in City’s Academy Cup matches, scoring a goal against Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
Beganovic will wear No. 45 with LouCity’s first team. Sanchez said the new signee is also expected to join LouCity’s Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) U19 roster when play resumes.
