Memphis, Tenn. – Coming off a historic night for the club knocking off Atlanta United FC in the Third Round of the U.S. Open Cup, Memphis 901 FC hosts rival Louisville City FC on Saturday, April 29 at AutoZone Park.
The Beale St. Boys are coming into their own and proving their identity as a club just at the right time. They showcased that confidence when they earned their first victory over an MLS side in club history on the road in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.
Unbeaten in their last five matches with three victories, 901 FC has hit their stride as an attack that will pressure an opposition for 90-plus minutes, even with a lead.
The club boasts a top-5 ranking in possession, final third entries and expected goals per game in the USL Championship with 2022 All-League First Teamer Aaron Molloy standing at the center of it all. The midfielder leads the league with 23 chances created.
Louisville sits at third in the Eastern Conference with a 4-2-1 league record and three match unbeaten streak in the league, most recently playing Charleston to a scoreless draw on the road. They’ll travel to the Bluff City looking to get back into the win column after falling 1-0 to FC Cincinnati in their third round Open Cup fixture on Wednesday.
The top of Memphis formation will look to get past the strong Louisville back line. Phillip Goodrum found the back of the net for the first time in 2023 against Atlanta and will look for his first league score of the season, while Nighte Pickering comes into the matchup having scored two goals in his last two appearances.
Saturday’s match will kick off at 7 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the match on ESPN+ and WMC Bounce 5.2 locally. 901 FC will host an official pre-match party at Ghost River Brewing Company on Beale St. on Saturday starting at 5:15 p.m. with a march to the stadium at 6:15 p.m.
Quotables
“Wins always breed confidence. They know how that feels now and they know how disappointment feels. There’s a determination to feel more good nights than bad nights over the course of the season.” – Stephen Glass
“They’re coming off the back of a tough trip to Cincinnati. They rested a few. We chose to go with what we believe is the strongest group rolling with what we’re doing. We’ve got a decision on Saturday night to go back to the well with those players or not. We’ll see how that looks, but we’ll be ready for Louisville on Saturday night. We’ll be ready for it. The players respond to it.” – Stephen Glass
“The coaches told us on the bus (from Atlanta) to get ready for this game on Saturday. We played some very competitive games against them last year. It’s always a good test. They’re a real quality squad. It’ll be easy for everybody to get motivated for that game.” – Graham Smith
A Nighte of Firsts
Memphis 901 FC gained their first victory over an MLS club in franchise history on Wednesday thanks to Nighte Pickering’s extra time goal on the left-foot volley and Phillip Goodrum’s second half stoppage time penalty.
Goodrum, who put away a franchise record 22 goals in 2022, notched his first score of the 2023 campaign while Pickering scored his second consecutive goal.
All Out Attack
Memphis is near the top in the league in attacking categories like final third entries and expected goals, with midfielder Aaron Molloy leading the way sitting at the top of the league in chances created.
The Beale St. Boys hold a +5 goal differential in the past five matches with three victories and two draws while putting more than five shots on goal in the past three matches.
Spread the Love
The top of the Memphis formation is starting to click with six different goal scorers with midfielder Bruno Lapa leading the way with two goals. Six players are tied with one assist on the way with the club looking to attack the defense in many different ways.
A Budding Rivalry?
Memphis will meet Louisville for the first time this season after two hard fought matches during the 2022 season. The two club split the 2022 series with the away club coming out on top both times. Philip Goodrum notched a goal in the first match while Graham Smith headered in the game-winner in second half stoppage time in the second meeting.
2022 Results:
July 16: Memphis 901 FC 1-2 Louisville City FC
Sept. 9: Louisville City FC 2-1 Memphis 901 FC
