LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Defender Paco Craig wasn’t part of last season’s battles against the Rochester Rhinos, twice in the regular season and again in the United Soccer League playoffs. But he has heard about them, and he, as with a number of his Louisville City FC teammates, watched the Rhinos battled Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls earlier this week in U.S. Open Cup play.
Craig sees a “great challenge” in Saturday’s road match against the defending USL champion Rhinos. But it’s the type of task LouCity players want.
“All the better,” Craig said. “I wish we could play the defending champions every week.”
LouCity meets Rochester at 6:05 p.m. in a match to be broadcast on LouisvilleCityFC.com, withthe club’s official watch party in Louisville at Great Flood Brewing Company on Bardstown Road.
Two lengthy streaks will be tested at Rhinos Stadium, both Rochester’s 23-match unbeaten streak in USL home matches and LouCity’s 11-game undefeated run in league play.
“The respect New York Red Bulls showed Rochester (Wednesday) night — they had pretty much their MLS team out there,” LouCity coach James O’Connor said of the 1-0 New York victory. “I think for us, obviously, it’s a challenge. But we enjoy challenges.”
A regional rivalry between fans of Saint Louis FC quickly developed during LouCity’s first season. On the pitch, the club to catch was Rochester, a defensive-minded side still coached by Bob Lilley.
Much else with the organization changed year over year. Rhinos Stadium, formerly called Sahlen’s Stadium, received new turf and a video board as team ownership switched to locals David and Wendy Dworkin.
“They haven’t gotten the start that maybe they’ve wanted, but we know they’re a strong team,” said LouCity midfielder Niall McCabe.
Rochester enters the weekend 5-3-3, with its 18 points good for sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. The Rhinos have played two fewer matches than LouCity and other teams above them on the table.
Roles have switched from last season, when Louisville chased Rochester in the standings. On the heels of a draw and two defeats to the Rhinos in 2015, LouCity’s No. 1 in the standings at 8-1-4, with 28 points one better than New York Red Bulls II.
Players reeled this week from a stoppage-time goal allowed to Wilmington Hammerheads FC that turned a likely victory into a draw at Louisville Slugger Field. Both the Hammerheads’ goal in the 2-2 result followed corner kicks.
“You don’t forget about something like that,” McCabe said. “You have to make sure that doesn’t happen again. When you work so hard to get a lead, you can’t just give it away in the last minute on something cheap like a set piece. We’ve just got to be stronger collectively, not just on set pieces but on stopping crosses coming into the box.”
O’Connor, the second-year coach, lauded his team’s response to a disappointing result in training this week.
“That’s very pleasing,” he said, “but obviously, it’s always the next game. For me, it’s we win, it’s the next game. We draw, it’s the next game. We lose…”
O’Connor then started on another subject. It would be on to the next game in the event of a loss, too, but LouCity hasn’t dealt with a USL defeat since April 2.
