Louisville City FC hits the road for the first time in 2017 for Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. kickoff at the new Orlando City Stadium, home to USL Eastern Conference rival Orlando City B.
Tune In
TV: WBNA-21 will air the game live and in high definition locally. Mike Watts (play by play) and Morgan Conklin (color) have the call.
Radio: Pregame coverage begins at 7:15 p.m. on 790 WKRD and the iHeartRadio app. Jeff Milby (play by play) and Keith O’Loane (color commentary) have the call.
Streaming: Watch live on the USL Match Center.
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 a Model Man of the Match on Twitter starting in the 75th minute.
Links
• O’Connor returns to Orlando, this time building LouCity
• Videos: O’Connor, players preview Orlando City B game
• LouCity signs third keeper Bledsoe after trial
• Bledsoe will travel with Ranjitsingh injured
• Louisville native Ballard shines in pro debut
• Kaye earns Man of the Match with Canada U-23s
Notes
Hometown hero: Consider it a successful pro debut for Louisville native Richard Ballard. Playing on the right wing, he created some of LouCity’s best chances in a scoreless draw Saturday with Saint Louis FC and was voted Man of the Match by fans. Ballard graduated from DuPont Manual High School and Indiana University before signing with LouCity out of invitation tryouts.
Other newcomers: Four others made their first starts for LouCity in the opener. Midfielder Brian Ownby, a USL veteran who played previously for the Richmond Kickers, started on the left wing. Devon “Speedy” Williams manned the central midfield, Oscar Jimenez slotted in at left back and Sean Totsch at center back. Forward Luke Spencer entered as a sub in the second half.
The captain: Midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo was given the armband Saturday and, as with past LouCity captains, figures to wear it throughout the 2017 season. A Denver native, DelPiccolo attended the University of Louisville, where he still holds the program record for career assists with 23. DelPiccolo played the full 90 minutes in a standout performance against Saint Louis FC.
Purple powered: LouCity has connections to Orlando City’s franchise outside of coach James O’Connor, who finished his playing career there. Midfielder George Davis IV played on loan with the Lions in 2012, for a stint as a teammate of O’Connor’s. Assistant coach Daniel Byrd met O’Connor while working within Orlando City’s youth system. Now, all three wear purple in Louisville.
Injury report: Team doctors continue to work with Greg Ranjitsingh after the goalkeeper left Saturday’s game due to a non-contact, lower-body injury just before halftime. LouCity’s traveling goalkeepers this week will be Tim Dobrowolski and Micah Bledsoe, a rookie out of Lipscomb University offered his first pro contract last Friday following a successful trial.
Discipline, etc.: Defender Paco Craig will be eligible to compete for the first time this year having served a one-game suspension dating back to a red card in 2016. His fellow defender, Sean Reynolds, has two more games to sit out for the same reason. LouCity coach James O’Connor said Mark-Anthony Kaye will be available for selection upon returning from Canada’s U-23 team.
