Louisville City FC took a 2-1 victory against the Charleston Battery in a battle of the top two teams in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference in the 2024 regular season on the opening night of the new season on Saturday night at Patriots Point.

Here are three things we learned from the game.

1. LOUCITY STYMIED CHARLESTON’S ATTACKING STRENGTH

One of the hallmarks of LouCity’s run to the Players’ Shield a season ago was its ability to win possession up the field, using turnovers to power a potent attack and keep opponents on their heels. That desire to set a high line of confrontation was still evident in Charleston – only 20.1 percent of the game was played in Louisville’s defensive third – but the structure the visitors showed when the Battery got into good positions was key to coming away with a victory.

On each of the Battery’s four best chances of the game – including two of three of newcomer Cal Jennings’ efforts – Louisville’s defense offered little space to operate, blocking 10 of the Battery’s 15 total shots. A key late intervention by Aidan McFadden to turn away Nathan Dossantos’ late chance for an equalizer from a corner kick was the last chance the Battery had to claim a point as LouCity stood resolute.

“I saw a group tonight that had a clear understanding of how we wanted to play — had a togetherness and a mentality that we expect from one another,” said LouCity Head Coach Danny Cruz. “They certainly executed tonight in a positive way.”

2. SERRANO CAPITALIZES ON DIA’S EFFORT

Louisville’s willingness to push numbers proactively into the attacking half to try and make life difficult for the Battery was a consistent theme early in the game. While Charleston had the bulk of possession, Louisville was able to turn breakdowns into scoring opportunities, and both Jansen Wilson and Manny Perez could have given the visitors a first-half lead as they broke into the right side of the penalty area only to get their angles wrong on the final finish.

LouCity’s pressure proved key when it took the lead eight minutes into the second half, however, as an attempt to clear by the Battery was astutely read and cut out by Amadou Dia just outside the penalty area. His header recycled possession, and while Phillip Goodrum wasn’t able to capitalize cleanly, Ray Serrano was on the spot to put home a sharp left-footed finish. After his breakout campaign in 2024, Serrano getting on the scoresheet to start the new season was positive for Louisville and illustrated why last year’s Players’ Shield winner will remain a relentless force.

3. BATTERY MISTAKES END UP PROVING COSTLY

There was a sense of déjà vu about the way the Battery got back into the game just past the hour-mark – Juan David Torres’ sharply taken free kick came from almost the exact same spot as his final goal in 2024 against Rhode Island FC in the Eastern Conference Final – but while that might have been a mark against LouCity goalkeeper Damian Las, it was the Battery’s errors that ended up costing them a potential result.

The first came in Arturo Rodriguez’s sending off for raising his arms and catching McFadden above the shoulders attempting to hold off the LouCity defender as he played out of pressure. While the decision was debatable, it left the Battery down to 10 players with 20 minutes to go as the hosts appeared in position to push on for victory.

“The red card changed everything and the whole thing, the whole team talk was about managing emotions,” said Battery Head Coach Ben Pirmann. “And I thought we did, I thought we managed emotions. Our attitude was good, our effort was good. It's just disappointing.”

That could have been sustainable, but Luis Zamudio’s whiff on a long-range effort by Louisville’s Adrien Perez proved decisive as the shot snuck inside the right post and proved the winner. Zamudio has been a solid goalkeeper in the Championship over his career, posting a -3.09 Goals Prevented mark for his career, but that’s one he needed to make. As Charleston looks ahead to its rematch with Rhode Island next Saturday night at Patriots Point, it’s a moment he’ll need to shake off quickly.