Louisville City FC’s schedule shows 9 a.m. starts for training this week, with early sessions designed to get players off the pitch during the heat of the day.
But coach James O’Connor hasn’t forgotten about the last time his club played Wilmington Hammerheads FC, allowing a stoppage time equalizer on a night when “we really struggled with the heat.”
With game time set for 6 p.m. Sunday in North Carolina, O’Connor pushed training back to 10 a.m. leading up to it, turning up the temperature again.
“I think we’re trying to take advantage of that,” O’Connor said. “The intensity has been good and what we’re looking for.”
Highs Sunday in North Carolina should touch the upper 80s. A chance of rain exists, but that could either cool off the beach town or spike humidity.
O’Connor doesn’t want a repeat of LouCity’s first meeting with the Hammerheads.
“We’re expecting a very difficult game,” he said. “When you look at their grounds, their pitch, the heat and the humidity — lots of factors we need to consider — and make sure to be ready for what should be a very tough game.”
LouCity’s trip to Wilmington marks the end of a four-game home stand, during which club beat Toronto FC II and FC Montreal and drew with FC Cincinnati and the Charleston Battery. On a 16-match unbeaten streak, first-place Louisville sits four points up on the New York Red Bulls II in the USL’s Eastern Conference standings.
The streak isn’t something players often mention.
“I don’t even know how many games it’s been,” said goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh. “We don’t even think about that. We take it one game at a time, and right now we’re just focused on Wilmington and getting a result up there.”
Wilmington, meanwhile, will deal with more than the heat Sunday. The club saw the momentum of two straight wins squelched Thursday by a 3-0 loss at Bethlehem Steel. Now comes a quick turnaround.
LouCity took an extra day off from training this week, returning to the pitch Thursday. Along with players, O’Connor looked the part of a rested coach.
“I’m always animated,” he said. “I think they’ll all tell you I’m very passionate about my job, so I like things to be done well all the time. It could come across as, or people could think, ‘Coach is angry.’ If that’s what you think, I’m going to be angry every day and every minute of every day.
“I’m just very passionate, and I like things to be done right.”
Added Ranjitisngh: “We got a little rest, and back at it again — high intensity, pushing forward so we can get a good result at Wilmington…We have a deep roster with guys fighting for spots on the team. Big competition. I think every time we go out to training, it’s going to be high-intensity, no matter what time of the season it is.”
