Bethlehem Steel FC’s season came to an end Saturday as the club suffered a 2-0 loss to Louisville CIty FC in the USL Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Squaring off against Louisville for the second consecutive postseason, Santi Moar earned the first of six opening half corners for Steel FC in the fourth minute after creating a chance inside the Louisville box.
Steel FC continued to build quickly but the hosts made the most of their first shot on target. Niall McCabe dribbled through the midfield and laid if off for a racing Oscar Jimenez. With a quick touch, Jimenez sent a low cross into the box that Brian Ownby stole from a diving Steel FC defender and tucked it into the back of the net.
Steel FC nearly equalized before the halftime whistle, turning to Chris Nanco, who weaved his way toward the middle of the pitch from the wing and fired a hard left-footed try that forced a leaping stop from Louisville City goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh.
Holding a 1-0 lead after 45 minutes, Louisville City locked down its defense while looking for counter opportunities.
Steel FC snuffed out an early chance for the Kentucky squad in the 47th minute, as Brandon Aubrey went to the ground to end a scoring chance.
Louisville capitalized on its next chance as Niall McCabe collected a turnover and found Ownby, who flicked it over Bethlehem goalkeeper Jake McGuire and into the back of the net.
