LOUISVILLE, KY - Last week, in between league matches, Louisville City FC took advantage of the international soccer spirt still haunting the United States to host Trinidad and Tobago. It was the first time the club hosted a senior international team and 102nd ranked TNT were great guests! While they missed out on the World Cup this summer, Trinidad and Tobago have qualified in the past - joining England, Sweden, and Paraguay in group B in the 2006 tournament.

The Soca Warriors current squad includes several players who lace up for USL teams: Denzil Smith for AV Alta, Anthony Herbert for Indy Eleven, Noah Powder for Westchester SC, Michel Poon-Angeron for Portland Hearts of Pine, and Kaihim Thomas who plays for Corpus Christi FC.

“With the 2026 FIFA World Cup being partially hosted in the United States, American sports fans will be fully immersed in international soccer this summer,” club president James O’Connor said. “We’re thrilled to bring Louisville City fans a taste of the international game with this historic friendly between our club and the Trinidad and Tobago national team.” To add a little atmosphere to the event, the club invited the Melody Makers to play on the steel drums in the beer garden with Afro-Caribbean fare available from caterers Eden and Kissi.

There were just over 7,000 fans to see Cameron Duke get a rare start for the Boys in Purple and he was free in the box to put away his opportunity in the 43rd - it was his first LouCity goal. Despite a lot of opportunities, Louisville City FC were only able to score the one goal - see the highlights HERE. TNT goalkeeper Jabari Brice made eight saves in a solid performance.

Jansen Wilson, who leads the club with 6 goals in league play, had a goal called back. Zach Duncan hit a ball off the Crossbar; Ray Serrano and Manny Perez also had some dangerous moments together but in the end it was Duke’s goal which was the winner. “We need to finish chances and bury teams off,” LouCity interim head coach Simon Bird said. “When you look at the opportunities we missed throughout the game, we should have had a lot more. And we need more of a killer instinct to finish teams off.”

The Boys in Purple returned to league play on Wednesday the 29th with a home win vs Birmingham Legion and travel away to play first place Rowdies at Al Lang. LouCity started the season well, with 6 wins from their first 8 matches but have dropped points in places where they might not have the last few years. If anything, this is a sign that the teams around them, like Miami and Tampa, have improved from last season and that traditional conference foes like Charleston and the Riverhounds are keeping the pressure on for playoff places as we get knee-deep into the second half of the season.

Photographer Shawn Payne was on assignment for Protagonist Soccer and able to share his work from the evening.

Visit Shawn’s Website to see more of his work https://paynesonphotography.myportfolio.com/featured-work

written by Joshua Duder
photos by Shawn Payne