Countdown to USL Cup: SPR and Louisville boast impressive numbers entering Monday

For the second straight year, the Swope Park Rangers are on the precipice of USL Cup glory. The back-to-back Western Conference champions advanced to this exact stage in 2016, only to fall short of a league title in their inaugural season. With unfinished business still at hand, the Rangers will travel to face Louisville City in the 2017 USL Cup Final on Monday, airing live nationally at 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

During the week leading up to the championship match,SportingKC.com has visited seven relevant storylines surrounding the biggest game of the United Soccer League season. In the seventh and final part, we offer up a statistical comparison of both finalists.

• Part One: The Road to the Final
• Part Two: SPR seeks road breakthrough
• Part Three: The next among KC soccer champs?
• Part Four: Belmar on the brink of history
• Part Five: Void of individual honors, SPR aim for bigger prize
• Part Six: SPR eager to exorcise demons of 2016

In a single-game, winner-take-all matchup involving two teams who have never previously met and shared just one common opponent during the 2017 campaign, predicting the winner becomes a bit more complicated. Such is the complexion of the USL Cup Final, where Louisville City FC will host the Swope Park Rangers at 8 p.m. CT Monday on ESPNU.

At first glance, Louisville would appear to have an edge by simple virtue of home-field advantage. The club boasts a 13-2-4 record on home turf in 2017, including a 6-0-2 mark in their last eight fixtures at Louisville Slugger Field. The Rangers, meanwhile, have been relatively tough to beat on their travels, dropping just six of their 16 away games throughout the season.

But win-loss records at home and away are only the tip of the iceberg. A deeper statistical comparison of the two teams suggests that Monday's contest could swing either way, with no discernible advantage held by either side. We offer a position-by-position breakdown below.

Goalkeeping

Both men between the posts will enter Monday with plenty of confidence. Louisville's Gregory Ranjitsingh, who turned down a call-up to the Trinidad and Tobago national team this week, posted shutouts in the first two playoff rounds before making two saves in a victorious penalty shootout last Saturday to knock off New York Red Bulls II in the Eastern Conference Final. Ranjitsingh has a 0.88 goals against average in 24 appearances this year.

On the opposite end of the pitch, Adrian Zendejas is riding high after a heroic performance in the Western Conference Final. The 22-year-old stopped four penalties in the decisive shootout before burying the match-winning attempt in the 11th round of spot kicks to give the Rangers their second straight conference title at the expense of OKC Energy FC. Zendejas is a ridiculous 23-4-6 as SPR's starting keeper over the last two seasons, and his 0.90 goals against average in 2017 speaks to his solidarity in goal.

Defense

Both teams have conceded just one goal in their three previous matches during the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs. Louisville is anchored by USL Defender of the Year candidate Paco Craig, who leads the team in clearances and interceptions. Sean Totsch is another integral piece as the team leader in appearances, tackles won and duels won. Among Eastern Conference clubs, only the Rochester Rhinos have conceded fewer goals (30) than Louisville's 32. 

The Rangers are currently amidst a 231-minute shutout streak, and their 38 goals allowed are third-fewest in the Western Conference. Second-year professional Amer Didic is the unquestioned linchpin of the backline and leads USL defenders in passes, while fullbacks Colton Storm (three assists, 47 interceptions) and Parker Maher (team-best 58 tackles won) have remained steady contributors in their first seasons with SPR.

Midfield

Perhaps the most fascinating battle will unfold in the middle of the pitch. The Rangers, who predicate themselves on keeping the ball in Nikola Popovic's 4-3-3 setup, led the USL during the regular season in possession (58%) and passing accuracy (83%). James Musa and Christian Duke are among the league's passing leaders but also put in defensive work: Musa leads the team with 66 interceptions, while Duke leads SPR in duels won (189) and fouls won (69). The primary source of offensive creativity will likely come from Kevin Oliveira, who has five assists this season.

Oscar Jimenez has pulled the strings for Louisville during a strong 2017 campaign, assisting six goals with 75 chances created. Captain Paolo DelPiccolo and Devon Williams are likely to sit deeper in the midfield, tasked with disrupting SPR's possession-based approach.

Attack

Kharlton Belmar (15 goals) and Luke Spencer (11 goals) lead the attacking lines for SPR and Louisville, respectively, but both teams wield a deep crop of forwards. The Rangers' Lebo Moloto has seven goals and four assists to go with his team-leading 51 chances created, while Nansel Selbol's nine goals are the most among USL players aged 20 or under. SPR's 57 goals this season are third-best in the Western Conference, 37 of which have come in the second half or extra time.

Three Louisville players have bagged seven goals this season. That includes streaking forward Brian Ownby, who has scored in all three playoff matches, as well as George Davis IV and Cameron Lancaster, both of whom came off the bench in last Saturday's Eastern Conference Final. Louisville's 64 goals scored (including playoffs) are second-most in the USL.

2017 USL Team Stats (including playoffs)

2017 USL Leaders (including playoffs)

No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District (1370 Grand Blvd.) will host the official watch party for Monday's match, offering 50 percent off beer pitchers, sangria pitchers and Moscow Mule bowls. All in attendance can also enter a free raffle to win Swope Park Rangers autographed playoff t-shirts.