Louisville City FC’s first United Soccer League game in two weeks presents quite the challenge. The host Charleston Battery sport an Eastern Conference-leading seven wins and 23 points.
With kickoff set for 7 p.m., here’s what to watch for…
Tune In
TV: WBNA-21 will air the game live and in high definition locally with Mike Watts, voice of the USL, on the call.
Radio: None.
Streaming: Watch live via the USL Match Center or at www.loucity.com.
Follow Along
For Starting XI information and in-game updates, check us out on social media. It’s @loucityfc on Twitter, Louisville City FC on Facebook and louisvillecityfc on Instagram. Vote for the Modelo Man of the Match on Twitter starting in the 75th minute.
Links
• Videos: O’Connor, players preview Saturday’s game
• LouCity to face off with MLS first-round pick
• Amid scoring drought, ‘believing in ourselves’ key
• LouCity’s Open Cup run ends in Cincinnati
• Kaye excited after Canada National Team call up
Notes
Glance at the table: Saturday’s game is a top-three matchup in the USL’s Eastern Conference. Charleston has the No. 1 spot through 11 games with a 7-2-2 record, good for 23 points. LouCity sits third with a 4-1-3 record, good for 21 points, and has three games in hand on the Battery. The Tampa Bay Rowdies are between the two clubs with 21 points in 12 contests.
Open Cup run over: After routing Tartan Devils Oak Avalon FC 9-0 in Pittsburgh in LouCity’s Second Round Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup game, the club came out flat in the Third Round Wednesday at FC Cincinnati. LouCity fell 1-0 to the blue and gold on a 49th-minute goal. A win would have offered a chance to host Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew.
Back at it: LouCIty played just four games in May. Saturday’s tilt represents the quickest turnaround of the year so far for the boys in purple, who return home Wednesday for another mid-week game. After that, a June 11 game at New York Red Bulls II will finish a flurry of five games in two and a half weeks.
Battery charged: LouCity hosted Charleston in both the 2015 and 2016 USL Cup Playoffs, coming away with wins. This Battery side appears stronger, and coach James O’Connor cited speed. “When you’ve got that kind of pace, both fullbacks have got good pace, they can counter really quickly,” he said.
Ones to watch: Forward Romario Williams, who was with Orlando City SC’s PDL side while O’Connor finished his playing career there, leads the Battery with eight goals in 10 appearances. Atualla Guerra and Forrest Lasso have four goals apiece in the attack. The club has five multi-goal scorers in all.
DelPiccolo to sit: LouCity midfielder and captain Paolo DelPiccolo will miss Saturday’s game due to red card suspension. DelPiccolo was shown a straight red late in the club’s May 20 win in Pittsburgh for a two-footed tackle. Expect Devon “Speedy” Williams and Guy Abend to feature in the holding midfield of LouCity’s 4-2-3-1 formation.
Ranjitsignh returns: LouCity goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsignh stepped into goal for the first time on Wednesday since LouCity’s March 25 season opener, making four saves and punching clear two other attempts. Rajitsignh, who suffered a hip flexor injury, was cleared to train in early May. In his absence, Tim Dobrowolski conceded only five goals and twice won USL Save of the Week.
Kaye’s call: LouCity midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye received his first full call up to the Canadian National Team on Tuesday as part of a 27-man roster to be whittled down for competition in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Kaye, who played with Canada’s U23s earlier this season in an overseas tournament, will report after Saturday’s away game against the Charleston Battery.
Injury report: Playing in his hometown, forward Luke Spencer took an early exit from Wednesday’s Open Cup game at Cincinnati. O’Connor labeled it a hamstring “tweak.” Spencer is unlikely to play Saturday at Charleston but hasn’t been ruled out. Ilija Ilic came on to replace Spencer in the 16th minute.
