By Caitlin Ladd
By playing twice last week, Louisville City FC crossed the midway point of the 2016 season, and did so while leading the United Soccer League standings. Still, coach James O’Connor lamented the fact that LouCity “should’ve won” the latter of those matches, a scoreless draw with FC Cincinnati.
Overall, however, “Halfway through the season, we can be pleased with our performances,” O’Connor said at a press conference Monday. “…We just need to capitalize on the opportunities that we create.”
Even with nine days between games, preparation has started for a July 4 matchup with FC Montreal at Louisville Slugger Field. Along the way, O’Connor will reflect a bit.
“I think it’s important. I think when you reach the halfway point you need to assess quite a lot of things,” he said. “We’ve gone through a few things this morning once we started our recovery.
“We’ll go again tomorrow, and we start looking toward Montreal and make sure we’re prepared for what ought to be a tough game against them.”
Here’s more from O’Connor’s meeting with the media:
- Looking back on Saturday’s record-breaking crowd, the coach said, “The guys really appreciate everyone that was there, and I think it meant a lot to them to have that kind of support.” He said the next challenge is to draw that type of crowd for every home game, as the 10,062 on hand for the FC Cincinnati match “really energized the players and gave them a lift to have that type of support.”
- The Independence Day game will mark the last for LouCity’s Scott Goodwin. O’Connor called the goalkeeper “an incredible individual,” adding that Goodwin’s acceptance into Harvard Medical School “speaks volumes about Scott as a character and as a person…Like I’ve said to Scott, from a selfish point of view, we’re disappointed to lose such a good character. But, equally, you have to support somebody when they get an opportunity like that.”
- Goodwin’s departure provided O’Connor the chance to pick up two-time Missouri Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Year Tim Dobrowolski, who should start backing up Greg Ranjitsingh after the FC Montreal game. The coach won’t look to that point yet. “I think,” he said, “it’s important we stay focused on the next game — massive game for us now at home against Montreal — and so we need to really hone in on that game and analyze their play and see what we can do to make sure we’re fully prepared for that game.”
