by Taylor Sorrels (@taylorsorrels)

Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at Lynn Stadium represents our first chance, weather permitting, to see Louisville City FC in action, this time against the Louisville Cardinals men’s soccer team. Here’s what we can expect from the City eleven:

  • It’s a friendly, I don’t know.
  • Matt Fondy + Matt Fondy’s hair = goals.
  • Somebody in goal for Louisville City FC. That person may or may not be a ghost.
  • Maybe another appearance by trialist Cameron Lancaster, who scored the game winner against IU?
  • A hopefully improved defense, or a very angry Tarek Morad.

It’s not easy to say who on UofL’s roster will be playing, as they haven’t seen fit to update it since the fall. The Cards scored 33 goals against an ACC schedule last year, so that’s nothing to sniff at. Freshman midfielder Tim Kubel would be their top returning goal scorer, with seven goals and five assists in 22 games last year, followed by junior forward Ricardo Velazzo and junior midfielder Ben Strong, who had six and five goals, respectively. The Cards are led by one of the best college coaches in the country in Ken Lolla. They’re pretty aggressive on offense, but are prone to giving up about a goal per game, as well.

This is a friendly, so results don’t matter. That said, if Louisville City doesn’t beat a college team, I might scream. Just kidding, it’s a friendly. The point is for James O’Connor to see what he’s got on his first team. I’m excited to see the product, unfinished as it is, on the field, and get a glimpse at players that Louisville City might yet sign. We don’t know who they are yet because the team is bound by USSF rules, per team communications officer Steve Peake, that don’t permit public disclosure of trialists. That doesn’t mean we can’t stalk them and figure out what their favorite colors are, though.

Okay, no stalking. That’s creepy and against the law. Don’t do that. But DO come to the game on Sunday, and afterwards join us at Against the Grain to watch Orlando City and NYCFC play in front of 60,000 warm fans in Orlando, Florida. Those jerks.