LIPAFC

The Louisville–Indianapolis proximity association football contest (LIPAFC) () is a rivalry between American professional soccer clubs Louisville City FC and the Indy Eleven. Louisville City play their home games at the Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky, while the Indy Eleven play their home games at Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Overall, Louisville have won the most matches in the rivalry's history, having won 11 times to Indy's 5 with 6 draws (as of April 6, 2024). Louisville's record win was a 4–1 victory in the USL Playoffs at their former stadium, Slugger Field, on October 20, 2018. Indy has several 1 goal wins with the last of which being a 2–1 victory at Carroll Stadium on August 21, 2022.

History

Early matches

The Indy Eleven began play in 2014 as a member of the NASL while Louisville City began play in 2015 as part of the USL. As they were members of different leagues they didn't play regularly. Their first competitive match came in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup on May 27, 2015. A match that Louisville City won at Carroll Stadium 0–2. As the USL was officially a third-tier league at the time this was Louisville City's first victory over an opponent from a higher-tier league. Their second meeting was also third round U.S. Open Cup match at Carroll Stadium. A 2–1 victory for the Indy Eleven giving them their first win in the series.

USL

With the NASL on the verge of financial collapse the Indy Eleven joined the USL in January 2018 making the Indy Eleven and Louisville City league rivals for the first time. Both were placed in the USL's Eastern Conference where they remain to this day. Their first league match took place on May 5, 2018, at Lucas Oil Stadium. A match the Indy Eleven won 1–0 after Ayoze García converted a penalty in the 78th-minute. Louisville City's first loss of the season. This was the first of four matches during 2018 with second being a 2–2 draw at Slugger Field. This began a ten-match unbeaten streak for Louisville. They would play one more match in the regular season before meeting in the USL Playoffs for the first time on October 20, 2018. Louisville City won this match 4–1 behind a Niall McCabe brace. The largest margin of victory in the rivalry to date.

In 2019 the Indy Eleven and Louisville City played two 1–1 matches during the regular season and would again meet in the rebranded USL Championship Playoffs. This time the Eastern Conference final on November 9 at Carroll Stadium. The Indy Eleven came in on a 27 match home unbeaten streak and scored the opening 67th-minute off the foot of Tyler Pasher. Four minutes into stoppage time Antoine Hoppenot scored the tying goal sending the match in extra time. Four minutes into extra time Magnus Rasmussen put Louisville City ahead and a Luke Spencer in penalty in the 113th-minute lead to a final score line 1–3 as Louisville City advanced to the USL Championship Final.

The next two seasons were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic causing the USL to modify its format. During both seasons the Eastern Conference was subdivided into multiple groups and divisions with the Indy Eleven and Louisville City being placed in the same subdivision each year. During both years the clubs would play a record four regular season matches against each other. The Indy Eleven would fail to win a match against Louisville City until May 29, 2021. When a pair of Jordan Hamilton penalties at Lynn Family Stadium lead to a 1–2 Indy Eleven victory. The result ended a three-match winning streak and ten-match unbeaten run in the rivalry for Louisville City. On October 16, 2021, the Indy Eleven would earn a 1–0 at Carroll Stadium which began a 3 match unbeaten streak.

Louisville City's 5–3 victory over Indy Eleven on April 6, 2024, was the first USL Championship match to be nationally broadcast on network TV through CBS. The match is also the highest-scoring LIPAFC game to date, surpassing the 3–3 draw on June 26, 2021.

Mythology

The name "LIPAFC", used in an unofficial capacity by the clubs' supporter groups, is a tongue-in-cheek parody of rivalries manufactured through geographic proximity as opposed to on-field action. Satirical pseudohistorical stories color the rivalry, such as an 1865 match in which Indy Eleven played in infantry uniforms after returning from combat in the American Civil War, an 1868 match in which a Civil War veteran assaulted a referee with his prosthetic leg, and 1926 match which ended in a 36–35 penalty shootout. Internet memes and In-jokes also bolster the satirical nature of the rivalry, such as Indy Eleven supporters opposing Kentucky Fried Chicken, and claiming Louisville City are Nickelback fans. The overall winner of the two LIPAFC games each season are presented with the fan-made LIPFAC Barrel Trophy — a construction barrel with an Interstate 65 sign stuck on top, and a small plastic trophy taped on the side. Fans claim the trophy was partly made with pieces of the mythological Trojan Horse.

Results

Summary

Matches

† Matches played at reduced capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eastern Conference standings finishes

• Total: Louisville City with 6 higher finishes, Indy Eleven with 1.

Top goalscorers

Honors

:''Table correct as of 2024 season.''

†Includes 2016 NASL Spring Championship.

Players who have played for both clubs

Louisville City, then Indy Eleven
* Ilija Ilić
* Aodhan Quinn

Indy Eleven, then Louisville City
* Tyler Gibson
* Dylan Mares
* Kenney Walker (loan between the two clubs)

References

Sources

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Citations

External links

*
Louisville City FCIndy Eleven

{{Indiana Sports

Louisville City FC
Indy Eleven
Soccer rivalries in the United States
USL Championship matches