It’s a clash between two teams near the top of the USL Eastern Conference. Both figure to contend for a championship this year. And the visiting Tampa Bay Rowdies will bring household names to Louisville Slugger Field.
But Louisville City FC’s captain, midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo, is taking the longview heading into Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. “blackout” game against the Rowdies.
“I think Tampa is a great team, and I think Tampa is going to win a lot of games this year, but every game that we go into is an important one for us” DelPiccolo said. “Every point that we can get is massive, so we approach every game like that.”
The Rowdies (3-0-0, 9 points) returned their top two goal scorers from a year ago, Georgi Hristov and Joe Cole, plus added another international name in Marcel Schäfer while making their transition to the USL.
LouCity (2-0-1, 7 points) has featured as many as six newcomers in its starting lineups to open the season and also remains undefeated. Following last weekend’s 1-0 win over the Richmond Kickers, coach James O’Connor is preparing his team to face something more.
“In essence, it’s an MLS squad,” he said. “…You’ve got players there who have a lot of experience — who have played in the Champions League and World Cup — so you’ve got players who understand the game and are very, very good. When you play against people like that, you need to be on point and make sure that your game plan is going to work.
“They’ve played three. They’ve won three. They’re a very strong team. But, listen, we feel we’re going to cause them problems. We feel we’re a good team.”
• WATCH | O’Connor’s full pregame interview
LouCity’s also a stronger team from when it last played at Slugger Field, going scoreless in a March 25 draw with Saint Louis FC to kick off the season. Since then, defenders Paco Craig and Sean Reynolds have returned from suspension; midfielder Niall McCabe has pushed for selection on the comeback from injury; and Cameron Lancaster could be available Saturday after tweaking his hamstring in a March 30 win at Orlando City B.
“You know, we’ve got a lot of good players here,” DelPiccolo said, “and so ever since (preseason training in) Florida, it’s been really competitive and it’s just continued this week.”
Saturday’s game marks the first in which Reynolds is eligible. Craig is waiting for his 2017 debut, while McCabe and midfielder Guy Abend have both made impacts as substitutes so far this year.
The opponent, as well as new black third kits, aren’t the only things that have LouCity players excited heading into Saturday night. The club this week also unveiled its future stadium site and renderings for a 10,000-seat facility in the Butchertown Neighborhood. Plans call for it to open by the start of the 2020 season.
“If only it was being built ASAP,” McCabe said, “I’d like to get out there as soon as possible. It’s great for the city. It’s great for the team and everyone involved. It’s fantastic.”
Depending on how first-place Saint Louis FC fares Saturday night, the winner of LouCity-Tampa Bay could move into at least a tie for the Eastern Conference lead. Saint Louis has 10 points and will play its fifth game this weekend. The Rowdies (9 points) and LouCity (7 points) will both be playing their fourth games.
