The Colorado Springs Switchbacks return to Weidner Field on Saturday evening as they welcome perennial powerhouse Louisville City FC on Soccer for All Night. The first fans through the gates at 6pm will receive a Switchbacks flag, courtesy of Sunbelt Rentals, with tickets remaining available HERE.
Louisville City head to Colorado Springs fresh from a dramatic win over the Oakland Roots at Lynn Family Stadium in the Bluegrass State courtesy of a 98th minute winner from Oscar Jimenez. Jimenez was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week alongside Switchbacks midfielder Jay Chapman, who scored a stunning free kick in the Switchbacks’ loss to Monterey Bay on Saturday.
What the Switchbacks Say:
Midfielder Jay Chapman: “Obviously we didn’t get the result against Monterey – that one hurt a lot. I think we played really good football. I honestly think possession-wise [it] was one of our best games of the year, but in this league you [have] to put teams away; if you give people sniffs, then you know they’ll stay in the game. [It was] difficult but we’re looking for Louisville. I’ve had a few [freekick goals] throughout my long time playing this game, but that was definitely up there with one of my best. [I was just] happy to [finally] get on the scoresheet – I think I’ve always had goals in me. I think my role on this team has been a little bit more [as a] kind of facilitator [and a] two-way players. If I can start adding goals down this next stretch [then] I think it’ll help the team out a lot, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Technical Director and Assistant Coach James Chambers: “I think it was a difficult one [in Monterey]. In key moments we weren’t as clear in our mind as we probably should have been late in the game. There [were] other people on the field that were in the same boat but not in our group. I think the performance for 60 minutes was good – we were very good on the ball, but were we as threatening as we would have liked to have been? Probably not, realistically. So, we have to break it down and almost treat it like two separate games. A 60-minute game for us and then obviously we tried to treat it as an exercise with eight-men defending, which is pretty difficult. I think the guys did an awful lot of things right, but in key moments we weren’t as clinical and decisive in our minds as we should have been and that’s ultimately what led to the penalties and some of the decisions. We learned from it, we move on, and we’re excited for this week. “It’s always great [to be at Weidner Field]. The energy here is fantastic – it’s second to none in the league. The guys really feed off that – it’s a really good atmosphere. [The players are] eager to just consistently put on good performances here. The home form has been pretty reliable this year [and] it’s something that we’d like to feed off on Saturday, so hopefully everybody comes out and gives the guys the extra little push that they may need.
Look at Louisville:
“Louisville have been a little bit inconsistent this year, but they’re still at the top of the table so it says a lot [about] the team and the organization that’s coming in,” said James Chambers. “They do everything right [and] they’ve done it for a long time [and] they have some incredible people in that organization. We know that it’s going to be a really, really tough game. I think the guys are just eager to put on a performance and try and get three points against a really good opponent from the East. I think they’re expecting every week to go out and put on performances. They went to Tulsa a couple of weeks ago and they won comfortably – they were excellent. Obviously, Birmingham wasn’t their best performance but then last weekend
against Oakland they were really good, although they waited to the last minute to get the goal they deserved. I think for them it’s trying to put consistency on the board, I can’t speak for what [Louisville Head Coach] Danny [Cruz] and the staff are trying to do, but I think for them it’s
a good chance for them to come here off the back of a win and try and get that consistency as they head into the playoffs – which is where they always are.”
“Louisville has always been a fantastic team,” added Jay Chapman. “They’ve kind of been the benchmark for success in this league. I think [it’s big] anytime you can match yourself up against them and kind of see where you’re at – and especially at a pivotal time like this. We fancy ourselves against anyone at home, so it’s going to be a huge [match]. I think we’re more than capable of getting a result. The results [for us] haven’t fully been there, but I think we’re actually playing really good football –I think some of the best possession football in the league. If we can just continue to do that [and] be a little bit more disciplined, and get some goals, I think we should have no problem getting a result and that’ll be a benchmark to push on for the rest of the year.”
Vargish’s View:
This is as pivotal a match as the Switchbacks have hosted this season. The Switchbacks’ three suspensions (Maalique Foster, Jonas Fjeldberg, and James Musa) for Saturday night’s contest against Louisville will be a massive loss. Louisville City are indefatigable in their winning ways,
season after USL Championship season. LouCity sit in 4th place in the Eastern Conference at the time of writing, yet it feels as though they’ve taken a small step back [so far] this season, which is the clearest indication of Louisville’s continual quality and organization-wide standards. The Switchbacks are going to need one of their best performances on Saturday evening, with every available player (and fan!) needed to take points from Louisville.
