Ghanaian Duo Asante, Awako Lose USL Cup Final With Phoenix Rising

Ghanaian duo Gladson Awako and Solomon Asante suffered defeat in the final of the United Soccer League with Phoenix Rising on Thursday.

Asante played the entire duration as a Luke Spencer strike handed Louisville City FC victory in the final.

Gladson Awako came on in the 85 minutes for Colin Fernandez but his effort wasn't enough as the West Conference champions lost.

Luke Spencer's second-half strike helped Louisville City FC become the first club to claim back-to-back USL Cups as the home side earned a 1-0 victory over Phoenix Rising FC in front of a sellout crowd of 7,025 fans at Lynn Stadium.

After conceding the lead, the visitors began pressing for an equalizer and created a pair of quality chances to level the scoring.

Solomon Asante's cross from the right wing found Johnson near the penalty spot in the 75th minute, but the winger directed his header just wide of Ranjitsingh's left-hand post.

Two minutes later, Phoenix found more space down the right and Abdul-Salaam's low cross from the wing found Billy Forbes in the center of the box, but the second-half substitute sliced his effort over the frame of the goal.

Phoenix had a penalty shout in the first minute of second-half stoppage time as Alexis Souahy bundled into Joe Farrell, but referee Joseph Dickerson wasn't moved and blew the final whistle moments after Drogba headed one last attempt wide from Asante's 92nd-minute corner kick as Louisville City FC held on for its second straight title.