By Quin Welch, LouCity Insider
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Here’s something that should put a smile on your face. Your beloved Louisville City FC will play its first USL regular season game at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Homecoming
So, who’s on deck for Saturday? The Charlotte Independence.
LouCity goalkeeper Scott Goodwin hails from Raleigh, N.C., and should look forward to quite the homecoming tomorrow. The former Tar Heel is expecting more than 20 family members and friends.
For others, North Carolina was a part of their soccering lives. Midfielder Andrew Lubahn went to school at Wake Forest — just more than 80 miles away from Charlotte. University of Louisville alumnus Paolo DelPiccolo was lining up on the other side in 2015 — when he was a member of the Independence.
Milestone Watch
Davis IV
LouCity midfielder George Davis IV will remember his first match against Charlotte in 2015. His first professional hat trick served as the exclamation point as Davis led his Richmond Kickers to a 3-0 victory.
All in all, GD4 sits in a tie for third all-time on the USL scoring list. His 33 career goals have the University of Kentucky alumnus flirting with history as one of his favorite teams to score on lines up on in the opposite half.
Accessorize
Who gets the armband for the first match of the season?
It could any of LouCity’s 13 returning veterans. Goodwin, newcomer Davis or virtually anyone else on coach James O’Connor’s team sheet can be considered a viable option for one reason or another.
But the truth is, we have no idea who it will be.
The only man who knows the answer to this question is O’Connor, and he’s a bit busy at the moment.
Finding Our Bearings
LouCity gets to play at Charlotte’s Ramlewood Soccer Complex for the first time tomorrow.
In the matches against the Indpendence last season, LouCity played at UNC Charlotte’s Transamerica Stadium.
Kicking Off
Last season, LouCity played against the Independence twice. The Charlotte outfit defeated the first-year club, 1-0, in Charlotte, while LouCity defeated Charlotte in a rematch at Louisville Slugger Field, 1-0.
Entering 2016, Louisville City FC has returned 13 players from the 2015 roster — including reigning USL Goal of the Season winner Aodhan Quinn and former English Premier League striker Cameron Lancaster. New additions include MLS Cup-winning forward Chandler Hoffman, DelPiccolo and Davis.
Following the season opener on March 26 at Charlotte, LouCity will return to Louisville Slugger Field on April 2 to host New York Red Bulls II in the home opener, with a special 3 p.m. kickoff.
Fans can stay up to date with all of Louisville City’s breaking news, roster updates and ticketing information by following the Club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Season tickets are available for Louisville City’s historic second season via the Club’s official website.
