2017 season | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Owner | John Neace | |||
Manager | James O'Connor | |||
Stadium | Louisville Slugger Field | |||
USL | 1st, Eastern | |||
U.S. Open Cup | Third Round | |||
USL Playoffs | Champions | |||
Top goalscorer | League: Luke Spencer (10 goals) All: Luke Spencer (11 goals) | |||
Highest home attendance | 13,812 (August 12 vs. FC Cincinnati) | |||
Lowest home attendance | 6,698 (September 20 vs. Rochester Rhinos) | |||
Average home league attendance | 8,601 | |||
Biggest win | 5–0 (August 12 vs. FC Cincinnati) (August 23 vs. Harrisburg City) | |||
Biggest defeat | 0–3 (August 26 at Orlando City B) | |||
The 2017 Louisville City FC season was the club's third season in Louisville, Kentucky playing in the United Soccer League, which was one of the two second-tier leagues in the United States soccer league system.
The club began their pre-season campaign on March 4 before the league commenced on March 25. They also competed in the U.S. Open Cup.
Louisville City finished the season on top of the Eastern Conference for the first time in club history and had the second best record in the league overall for the third consecutive year. They also won the USL Cup after the season for the club's first title.
Final Roster. [1]
No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
80 | MF | Devon Williams | New York Red Bulls II | Free Transfer | December 26, 2017 | [2] |
3 | MF | Sean Russell | Limerick | Free Transfer | January 3, 2017 | [3] |
4 | DF | Sean Totsch | Rochester Rhinos | Free Transfer | January 10, 2017 | [4] |
10 | MF | Brian Ownby | Richmond Kickers | Free Transfer | January 18, 2017 | [5] |
23 | FW | Richard Ballard | Indiana University | Free Transfer | February 6, 2017 | [6] |
12 | FW | Luke Spencer | FC Cincinnati | Free Transfer | February 9, 2017 | [7] |
19 | MF | Oscar Jimenez | Mississippi Brilla | Free Transfer | February 15, 2017 | [8] |
19 | GK | Micah Bledsoe | Lipscomb University | Free Transfer | March 28, 2017 | [9] |
No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee/notes | Date | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 | DF | Enrique Montano | Sacramento Republic | November 10, 2016 | [10] [11] | |
17 | FW | Chandler Hoffman | Real Monarchs | November 17, 2016 | [10] [12] | |
7 | MF | Kadeem Dacres | FC Cincinnati | December 15, 2016 | [10] [13] | |
2 | DF | Ben Newnam | San Antonio | December 23, 2016 | [10] [14] | |
4 | MF | Aodhan Quinn | FC Cincinnati | January 13, 2017 | [10] [15] | |
77 | DF | Andrew Lubahn | San Francisco Deltas | February 22, 2017 | [10] [16] | |
31 | FW | Kenny Doublette | Derby City Rovers | May 5, 2017 | [10] [17] | |
10 | FW | Magnus Rasmussen | Boldklubben Frem | March 20, 2017 | [10] [18] | |
19 | DF | Jonghyun Son | Retired | November 11, 2016 | [10] | |
3 | MF | Sean Russell | Drogheda United | Free Transfer | July 9, 2017 | [19] |
March 4, 2017Friendly | Louisville City FC | 3–1 | Young Harris College | Louisville, Kentucky |
11:00AM | Lancaster 24' Spencer 48' Ballard 90' | Report | Stanley 32' | Stadium: LouCity Training Ground Attendance: 100 |
March 8, 2017Friendly | Lipscomb University | 1–0 | Louisville City FC | Elizabethtown, Kentucky |
7:15PM | Sakou 74' | Report | Stadium: Elizabethtown Sports Park |
March 15, 2017Friendly | University of Kentucky | Canceled | Louisville City FC | Lexington, Kentucky |
7:00PM | Report | Stadium: Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex |
March 18, 2017Friendly | Indy Eleven | 1–1 | Louisville City FC | Evansville, Indiana |
6:00PM | Vuković 90' | Report | Lancaster 52' | Stadium: Arad McCutchan Stadium |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Louisville City FC (C) | 32 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 58 | 31 | +27 | 62 | Conference Playoffs |
2 | Charleston Battery | 32 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 53 | 33 | +20 | 54 | |
3 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 32 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 50 | 35 | +15 | 53 | |
4 | Rochester Rhinos | 32 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 36 | 28 | +8 | 53 | |
5 | Charlotte Independence | 32 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 52 | 40 | +12 | 48 |
Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
32 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 58 | 31 | +27 | 62 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 32 | 14 | +18 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 26 | 17 | +9 |
Source: Match reports
March 251 | Louisville City FC | 0–0 | Saint Louis FC | Louisville, Kentucky |
2:00PM |
| Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 6,758 Referee: Calin Radosav |
March 302 | Orlando City B | 1–3 | Louisville City FC | Orlando, Florida |
7:30PM | Report | Lancaster 11' Davis IV 57' Spencer 76' | Stadium: Orlando City Stadium Attendance: 2,741 Referee: Marcos de Oliveira |
April 83 | Richmond Kickers | 0–1 | Louisville City FC | Richmond, Virginia |
5:00PM | Report | Davis IV 81' (pen.) 10' | Stadium: City Stadium (Richmond) Attendance: 7.603 Referee: Danielle Chesky |
April 154 | Louisville City FC | 2–1 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 9,074 Referee: Andrew Musashe |
April 225 | FC Cincinnati | 1–1 | Louisville City FC | Cincinnati, Ohio |
7:00PM | Report |
| Stadium: Nippert Stadium Attendance: 20,437 Referee: Mark Kadlecik |
April 296 | Louisville City FC | 0–0 | Toronto FC II | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report |
| Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 8,282 Referee: Ismir Pekmic |
May 137 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2–0 | Louisville City FC | St. Petersburg, Florida |
7:30PM | Report | Craig 87' | Stadium: Al Lang Stadium Attendance: 5,410 Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr. |
May 208 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 1–0 | Louisville City FC | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
7:00PM | Greenspan 41' | Report |
| Stadium: Highmark Stadium Attendance: 3,253 Referee: Jonathan Weiner |
June 39 | Charleston Battery | 4–4 | Louisville City FC | Charleston, South Carolina |
7:00PM | Report | Stadium: MUSC Health Stadium Attendance: 3,710 Referee: Jon Freemon |
June 710 | Louisville City FC | 1–0 | Charlotte Independence | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM |
| Report |
| Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 7,403 Referee: Rosendo Mendoza |
June 1111 | New York Red Bulls II | 0–3 | Louisville City FC | Montclair, New Jersey |
4:00PM |
| Report | Stadium: Montclair State University Attendance: 581 Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr. |
June 1712 | Louisville City FC | 3–0 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report |
| Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 8,741 Referee: Bardhyl Pashaj |
June 2413 | Harrisburg City Islanders | 1–0 | Louisville City FC | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
7:00PM | Report | Stadium: FNB Field Attendance: 2,678 Referee: Gustavo Solorio |
July 114 | Louisville City FC | 2–1 | Ottawa Fury FC | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM |
| Report |
| Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 7,814 Referee: Henrik Karlsson |
July 915 | Charleston Battery | 1–1 | Louisville City FC | Charleston, South Carolina |
7:00PM | Report | Stadium: MUSC Health Stadium Attendance: 3,701 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez |
July 1516 | Louisville City FC | 2–3 | FC Cincinnati | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Ilić 8' (pen.) Smith 27' Davis 36' DelPiccolo 78' Wiedeman 90+3' (o.g.) | Report | Fall 16' Bone 52' Delbridge 55' König 77' | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 11,632 Referee: Marcos de Oliveira |
July 2217 | Saint Louis FC | 1–4 | Louisville City FC | Fenton, Missouri |
7:30PM | Report | Stadium: World Wide Technology Soccer Park Attendance: 4,310 Referee: Henrik Karlsson |
July 2918 | Louisville City FC | 2–1 | New York Red Bulls II | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 10,017 Referee: Lukasz Szpala |
August 519 | Charlotte Independence | 3–1 | Louisville City FC | Matthews, North Carolina |
7:00PM | Report |
| Stadium: Sportsplex at Matthews Attendance: 2,648 Referee: Christopher Spivey |
August 1220 | Louisville City FC | 5–0 | FC Cincinnati | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 13,812 Referee: Charles Murphy |
August 2021 | Bethlehem Steel FC | 1–3 | Louisville City FC | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
5:00PM | Report | Stadium: Goodman Stadium Attendance: 3,147 Referee: Luis Arroyo |
August 2322 | Louisville City FC | 5–0 | Harrisburg City Islanders | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM |
| Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 6,763 Referee: Aaron Hernandez |
August 2623 | Louisville City FC | 0–3 | Orlando City B | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 8,251 Referee: Calin Radosav |
September 224 | Louisville City FC | 1–0 | Charleston Battery | Louisville, Kentucky |
5:00PM |
| Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 7,612 Referee: Malik Badawi |
September 925 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 0–3 | Louisville City FC | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
7:00PM |
| Report | Stadium: Highmark Stadium Attendance: 1,936 Referee: Jorge Ramírez |
September 1526 | Louisville City FC | 2–2 | Bethlehem Steel FC | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 8,303 Referee: Lorant Varga |
September 2027 | Louisville City FC | 2–1 | Rochester Rhinos | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 6,698 Referee: Jon Freemon |
September 2428 | Ottawa Fury | 1–1 | Louisville City FC | Ottawa, Canada |
2:00PM | Report |
| Stadium: TD Place Stadium Attendance: 6,015 Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere |
September 2729 | Toronto FC II | 1–0 | Louisville City FC | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
7:30PM | Report |
| Stadium: Ontario Soccer Centre Attendance: 726 Referee: Yusri Rudolf |
September 3030 | Rochester Rhinos | 0–0 | Louisville City FC | Rochester, New York |
6:05PM | Report | Stadium: Capelli Sport Stadium Referee: Eric Tattersall |
October 731 | Louisville City FC | 2–1 | Charlotte Independence | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 7,357 Referee: Lukasz Szpala |
October 1432 | Louisville City FC | 3–1 | Richmond Kickers | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30PM | Report |
| Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 9,104 Referee: Joshua Brooks |
October 20, 2017 First round | Louisville City FC | 4–0 | Bethlehem Steel FC | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30 pm EDT | Morad 14', 31' Spencer 70' Ownby 79' | Report | Real 57' Burke 63' Conneh 75' Jones 87' | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 6,378 Referee: Marcos de Oliveira |
October 28, 2017 Conference Semi-finals | Louisville City FC | 1–0 | Rochester Rhinos | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30 pm EDT | Jimenez 52' Ownby 77' Ranjitsingh 90+1' | Report | Felix 55' | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 7,117 Referee: Victor Rivas |
November 4, 2017 Conference finals | Louisville City FC | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p) | New York Red Bulls II | Louisville, Kentucky |
7:30 pm EDT | Ownby 12' Craig 96' | Report | Flemmings 57' | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 10,047 Referee: Sorin Stoica |
Penalties | ||||
Smith DelPiccolo Totsch Jimenez Ballard | Bonomo Martínez Valot Mines Kutler |
November 13, 2017 Championship | Louisville City FC | 1–0 | Swope Park Rangers | Louisville, Kentucky |
9:00 PM EST | Lancaster 88' Kaye 90+3' McCabe 90+8' | Report Report | Musa 17' Didic 24' | Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field Attendance: 14,456 Referee: Jose Carlos Rivero |
Note: Niall McCabe was sent off from the bench |
Louisville City entered the 2017 U.S. Open Cup with the rest of the United Soccer League in the second round.
May 17R2 | Tartan Devils Oak Avalon | 0–9 | Louisville City FC | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
Derek Mackenzie 15' Andrew Kalas 61' | Report | Varga 8' (o.g.) Kaye 16' Ballard 22' Lancaster 54', 81' Ilić 41' Totsch 68' Jimenez 77' Abend 85' | Stadium: Highmark Stadium Attendance: 400 Referee: Jaroslaw Werel |
May 31R3 | FC Cincinnati | 1–0 | Louisville City FC | Cincinnati, Ohio |
Report | Stadium: Nippert Stadium Attendance: 6,519 Referee: Brandon Artis |
Place | Position | Number | Name | USL | U.S. Open Cup | USL Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | FW | 12 | Luke Spencer | 10 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
2 | FW | 9 | Cameron Lancaster | 7 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
3 | MF | 22 | George Davis IV | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
3 | MF | 10 | Brian Ownby | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
5 | MF | 12 | Oscar Jimenez | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
5 | MF | 7 | Mark-Anthony Kaye | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
7 | MF | 24 | Kyle Smith | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
7 | MF | 23 | Richard Ballard | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
7 | FW | 14 | Ilija Ilic | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
10 | MF | 11 | Niall McCabe | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
10 | DF | 6 | Tarek Morad | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
12 | DF | 4 | Sean Totsch | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
12 | MF | 8 | Guy Abend | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
12 | DF | 18 | Paco Craig | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
12 | MF | 80 | Speedy Williams | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
16 | DF | 15 | Sean Reynolds | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
16 | MF | 36 | Paolo DelPiccolo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Total | 58 | 8 | 7 | 73 |
Place | Position | Number | Name | USL | U.S. Open Cup | USL Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | MF | 19 | Oscar Jimenez | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
2 | MF | 23 | Richard Ballard | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
2 | MF | 11 | Niall McCabe | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
2 | FW | 12 | Luke Spencer | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
4 | MF | 36 | Paolo DelPiccolo | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
4 | MF | 10 | Brian Ownby | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
4 | FW | 14 | Ilija Ilic | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
8 | DF | 24 | Kyle Smith | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
8 | FW | 9 | Cameron Lancaster | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
10 | FW | 22 | George Davis IV | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
10 | DF | 18 | Paco Craig | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
10 | DF | 4 | Sean Totsch | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
10 | MF | 80 | Speedy Williams | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
14 | DF | 6 | Tarek Morad | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
14 | MF | 7 | Mark-Anthony Kaye | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
14 | MF | 8 | Guy Abend | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Total | 38 | 7 | 5 | 50 |
Place | Position | Number | Name | USL | U.S. Open Cup | USL Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GK | 1 | Greg Ranjitsingh | 8 | 0 | 3 | 11 |
2 | GK | 28 | Tim Dobrowolski | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Total | 11 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
No. | Pos. | Name | USL | U.S. Open Cup | USL Cup | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 | FW | Luke Spencer | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
36 | MF | Paolo DelPiccolo | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
22 | MF | George Davis IV | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
18 | DF | Paco Craig | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
24 | DF | Kyle Smith | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
23 | MF | Richard Ballard | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
4 | DF | Sean Totsch | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
7 | MF | Mark-Anthony Kaye | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
9 | MF | Cameron Lancaster | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1 | MF | Greg Ranjitsingh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
19 | MF | Oscar Jimenez | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
14 | FW | Ilija Ilic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
6 | DF | Tarek Morad | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
80 | MF | Speedy Williams | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
8 | MF | Guy Abend | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
15 | DF | Sean Reynolds | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
10 | MF | Brian Ownby | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
11 | MF | Niall McCabe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Total | 53 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 60 | 4 |
The 2015 Louisville City FC season was the club's first season playing in Louisville, Kentucky in the United Soccer League (USL), in the third tier of the United States soccer league system.
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in USL Championship soccer.
The 2016 Pittsburgh Riverhounds season was the club's seventeenth season of existence. It is the Riverhounds' six season playing in the United Soccer League, and the club's fourth season hosting matches at soccer-specific Highmark Stadium.
The 2016 Richmond Kickers season was the club's twenty-fourth season of existence. It is also the Kickers' ninth-consecutive year in the third-tier of American soccer, playing in the United Soccer League for their fifth season.
The 2016 New York Red Bulls II season was the club's second season of existence, and their second in the United Soccer League, the third-tier of the American soccer pyramid. The Red Bulls II played in the Eastern Division of USL.
The 2016 FC Cincinnati season was the club's first season of existence, and their first in the United Soccer League, the third-tier of the American soccer pyramid. FC Cincinnati play in the Eastern Division of USL. On April 16, the club set the USL's regular season attendance record, with 20,497. They broke this record twice more later in their season, first on May 14 with 23,375 attendees, then again on September 17 with an attendance of 24,376. On July 20, with five games left, the club broke the USL's single season attendance record.
The 2016 Louisville City FC season was the club's second season playing in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United Soccer League (USL), in the third tier of the United States soccer league system.
The 2016 Charleston Battery season was the club's 24th year of existence, and their seventh season in the third tier of the United States Soccer Pyramid. It is their sixth season in the United Soccer League as part of the Eastern Conference.
The 2016 Charlotte Independence season was the club's second year of existence, and their second season in the third tier of the United States Soccer Pyramid. It is their second season in the United Soccer League as part of the Eastern Conference.
The 2016 Rochester Rhinos season was the club's 21st year of existence, and their sixth season in the third tier of the United States soccer pyramid, playing in the United Soccer League Eastern Conference. They entered the season as defending USL champions and made it back to the playoffs, but were eliminated in the conference semi-finals by the New York Red Bulls II.
The 2017 FC Cincinnati season was the club's second season of existence, and their second in the United Soccer League (USL). It was FC Cincinnati's first season as a second-tier team in the U.S. soccer pyramid, as the United States Soccer Federation provisionally promoted the USL from Division III to Division II for the 2017 season. FC Cincinnati plays in the Eastern Division of USL.
The 2017 Richmond Kickers season was the club's twenty-fifth season of existence. It was also the Kickers' 10th season playing in the second-tier of American soccer, and their first season in the second division since 2005. The Kickers played in the United Soccer League for their sixth straight season.
The 2017 Orlando City B season was the club's second year of existence, and their second season in the Eastern Conference of the competition then known as the United Soccer League and now as the USL Championship, the second tier of the United States soccer pyramid. It was their first and ultimately only year playing in the new Orlando City Stadium in Downtown Orlando.
The 2017 Charleston Battery season was the club's 25th year of existence, their 14th season in the second tier of the United States Soccer Pyramid, and their first in the second tier since 2009. It was their seventh season in the United Soccer League as part of the Eastern Conference.
The 2017 Charlotte Independence season was the club's third season of existence, and their third in the United Soccer League, the second tier of American soccer.
The 2017 Pittsburgh Riverhounds season was the club's eighteenth season of existence, and their seventh consecutive season in the United Soccer League, the second tier of American soccer. Pittsburgh also competed in the U.S. Open Cup. The season covered the period from September 25, 2016, to the beginning of the 2018 USL season.
The 2017 Rochester Rhinos season was the club's 22nd overall and seventh with the United Soccer League, now known as the USL Championship. The Rhinos returned to playing in Division II of men's professional soccer, as the USL and all its teams were promoted from Division III after the 2016 season. They looked to return to the USL playoffs after losing to the New York Red Bulls II in the conference semifinals the previous year.
The 2018 FC Cincinnati season was the club's third season of existence, and their third in the United Soccer League (USL). It was FC Cincinnati's second season as a second-tier team in the U.S. soccer pyramid, as the United States Soccer Federation provisionally promoted the USL from Division III to Division II for the 2017 season. FC Cincinnati played in the Eastern Conference of the USL.
The 2018 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC season was the club's nineteenth season of existence, and their eighth consecutive season in the United Soccer League, the second tier of American soccer. Pittsburgh also competed in the U.S. Open Cup. The season covered the period from October 15, 2017, to the beginning of the 2019 USL season.
The 2018 USL season was the eighth season of the United Soccer League and second under Division II sanctioning. The previous season, the USL had provisional Div. II sanctioning from the United States Soccer Federation along with the North American Soccer League, but was given full sanctioning for the 2018 season with a two-year deadline to meet the full requirements set by U.S. Soccer.