Whatever you want out of a soccer league, the USL Championship had it in Week 2. An eight-goal game in El Paso featuring multiple Goal of the Year contenders? An Eastern Conference final rematch? A certain Floridian club reprising their role as the USL’s laughing stock? Take your pick.
In the wake of a jam-packed weekend, where do all 24 clubs stand, and what tactical decisions or player performances landed them there? Let’s dig in.
1. Louisville City (No change)
Result: 1-1 draw at Birmingham
Like a boxer working the speed ball, Louisville City never stops hitting out at defenses. The punches can come from anywhere, whether a flick-on off a long restart, a quick one-two through the central midfield, or layered movement up the wing. Try as Birmingham might to match LouCity's intensity on Sunday, Danny Cruz's side was the only one capable of connecting on a knockout blow.
In the early going, the Legion's unabashedly direct style put their guests off balance, turning the match into a stop-start physical battle. Neither Adrien Perez nor Ray Serrano in the front line fared especially well in the air, and the match took on a staccato tempo. Still, it felt like a waiting game for Cruz and co. Once Birmingham flagged, Louisville began to tilt the pitch through Taylor Davila and Zach Duncan in the midfield and highlight the sophistication of their movement.
Concerted movement featuring Adrien Perez (the right winger) and Manny Perez (the right wingback) proved especially influential once the territorial dynamic changed. The former would knife inside, dragging Birmingham's defense with him. Then, you'd get a perfectly timed overlap into the now-open channel from the wingback. That formula – aided by a terrific through ball from Duncan – put Louisville on top.
The other fascinating note? Aiden McFadden's deployment. Usually a right-sider in his own right, he started on the opposite flank to replace usual starter Amadou Dia. The last time McFadden played on the left with any regularity was 2022, back when he was a member of Atlanta United 2. He didn't miss a beat despite the switch, proving as fearless as ever as a runner. It's an embarrassment of riches for the East's best side.
Louisville only managed to grab a point, but they were clearly the better side. There are still kinks to work out in the final third, and Phillip Goodrum hasn’t yet found his shooting boots, but there’s no cause for one iota of concern.
