WHO: St. Louis FC, 4-2-3, 14 points, 3rd place Group E

WHAT: A “regular” season USL Championship Group E match

WHEN: Saturday, August 29, 2020, 8:00 p.m. EDT

WHERE: West Community Stadium, 1 Soccer Park Rd, Fenton, MO 63026

WATCH: Missouri isn’t allowing fans to attend sporting events, so everyone that watches this one will be doing it from the comfort of their own homes. For us locally, that means WBKI-TV, ESPN+, and/or 840 WHAS.

WHO, AGAIN? LouCity suffered their first loss to St. Louis ever at home, and the second ever in the twelve meetings since the Kings Cup series began in 2015. LouCity had just come off a bad home defeat to Pittsburgh, and were searching for answers and an identity.

As has been typical in early season matches for Morados the past few years, this was an early home game played when Louisville City hadn’t quite gotten their timing down. Tyler Blackwood scored the only goal in the contest off a busted set play. City hit the woodwork like a million times but couldn’t put the ball over the line.

This time around, St. Louis has some emotional baggage to contend with. Sadly, their club just announced that the USL Championship side is shuttering for good at the end of the season, in part to make way for the MLS side coming to town in 2023. STL also find themselves in a middling bit of form, going 1-2-2 in August, the lone win coming against SKC2.

As far as players go, Wall Fal is still very good. Russell Cicerone and Tyler Wharton are carrying the chance-creation load, with 13 apiece on the season. Cicerone and Blackwood are also the club’s leading scorer with three goals each.

Steve Trittschuh has his club playing some better-looking, possession-oriented soccer on the season, and his side doesn’t waste too many chances, converting about 14% of them. The only notable statistical difference between STL and Louisville City is Saint Louis has given up a lot more shots on target.

This is Louisville City’s first road game in 2020. It’s a weird time. They’re going to have to digest all of that while trying to stay on the very nice form they’ve found so far in August. This is a six-point game, just like the last two. Win, and City’s suddenly tied on points for first place in the group. Lose, and they remain in a dog fight for a playoff spot. To be fair, the rest of this season’s regular matches, with one exception, are six point affairs. So this one’s important.

Let’s go get it. VAMOS MORADOS!