Down the stretch of the 2016 USL season, coach James O’Connor’s message to his Louisville City FC players is simple: control what you can control.
Players can’t influence calls in their own games, nor can they change outcomes elsewhere around the country, particularly in New York and Cincinnati, where rival clubs are fast closing on Eastern Conference-leading LouCity.
But they can take care of business at home, where on Saturday Louisville hosts the defending USL champion Rochester Rhinos. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Slugger Field only three days after LouCity played the Harrisburg City Islanders to a 1-1 draw.
“We have so much to be positive about,” O’Connor said. “I love the work ethic of our guys. I love the passion they show. But, equally, I love how they play.
“…We’ve got such a great group of guys that are desperate for success and show every week what it means to play for Louisville City. I think the supporters acknowledge that and love how passionate the guys are.
“I think for us, it’s making sure tomorrow we get as many people as we can into Slugger and make it a real sort of boisterous atmosphere that we can go get a great performance from the guys.”
Since seeing its 17-game unbeaten streak end, Louisville City has played to a 1-1-1 record. The loss came to Orlando City B, the only one of those teams on the top half of the table. But LouCity has out-shot its last three opponents 41-22 and led Orlando until the Lions scored twice in the dying minutes.
Against Harrisburg, the club had to rally from a 1-0 halftime deficit to draw.
“We just have to be better, play quicker and bring the intensity more in the first half,” defender Kyle Smith said. “I think if we do that, we can go on and win the game.”
The City Islanders sit 12th of 14 teams in the Eastern Conference. Because of that, midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo thought similarly to LouCity’s supporters: points were left on the table.
“It’s tough,” he said. “These are games that, going into them, are meaningful games, and every point is quite valuable. Obviously you look at it — the table’s getting tight at the top, and we have to keep picking up every point that we can.”
Seven games remain for LouCity, which is chasing a championship a year after finishing second to Rochester in the Eastern Conference. This year’s version of the Rhinos sports many of the same features, mainly a solid defense that hasn’t given up multiple goals in a game since June 11.
With only two full days between games, O’Connor gave his players time off and trained outside the heat of the day.
The New York Red Bulls I playing Friday against Orlando City B, so it’s possible LouCity goes into Saturday somewhere other than first place. That’s not a concern yet for the coach.
“I think a lot of people, for me, are focusing on things way too soon,” O’Connor said. “There’s so much football still to be played. There’s seven games. That’s 21 points.”
He added that “it’s about focusing on what you control.”
