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A rivalry expected to rest until later this summer will renew May 31 when Louisville City FC travels to play FC Cincinnati in a Third Round U.S. Open Cup game at Nippert Stadium, site of a heated 1-1 draw last month that saw star Cincinnati striker Djiby Fall sent off late for a tackle on LouCity defender Kyle Smith.

The United Soccer League suspended Fall six games for his actions after receiving the card, but the forward will be eligible throughout the Open Cup, a single-elimination knockout tournament.

“For me, I don’t care about which team we’re going to play or something like that,” Fall said. “For me, the most important thing is for me to just be on the pitch and do what I like to do.”

Fall’s overtime goal lifted FC Cincinnati over defending NPSL champion AFC Cleveland in a Second Round game Wednesday night. LouCity played to a much wider margin in its 9-0 victory over Tartan Devils Oak Avalon, an amateur side from Pittsburgh.

The winner of LouCity at Cincinnati will host Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew in June.

“Obviously,” said FC Cincinnati coach Alan Koch, “I’ve only coached one game against Louisville, and I don’t really have to think too far back as to how I felt during that game and after that game. When the day comes that we get to play against them, we’ll be very, very excited to play against them.”

LouCity will host FC Cincinnati on July 15 and Aug. 12 at Louisville Slugger Field in the final two legs of the USL regular-season series.

• A keeper: LouCity goalkeeper Tim Dobrowolski earned the United Soccer League’s Save of the Week for a double deflection during last Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the USL announced Thursday.

Dobrowolski posted back-to-back saves early in the second half to keep the Rowdies scoreless at that point. Darwin Jones fired one at the goal off a short corner kick that Dobrowolski turned away. The keeper then denied the rebound attempt from Joe Cole. 

This is Dobrowolski’s second Save of the Week honor after earning his first of the season in Week 5 for a save against FC Cincinnati’s Matt Bahner.

Dobrowolski earned 46 percent of a fan vote, with the remaining going to Seattle Sounders FC 2’s Tyler Miller (38 percent) and OKC Energy FC’s Cody Laurendi (16 percent).

• On the map: LouCity went international in the wake of the Tampa Bay loss, which saw the Rowdies move ahead in the second half just a sideline reporter was explaining how Dobrowolski buys bagels for his teammates after shutouts.

The Guardian, out of the United Kingdom, picked up what they called “glorious” commentary from there.

As Tampa Bay’s striker curled a shot pasted Dobrowolski, they announced, “GEORGI HRISTOV WILL NOT ALLOW THE BAGELS!”

“He takes the bagels off the scoreboard,” the announcer continued.

LouCity walked away with a defeat, but Dobrowolski posted a bagel next time out when the boys in purple nabbed their 9-0 Open Cup win Wednesday night.

• Other Open Cup matches: With all games set for May 31, 14 USL clubs other than LouCity and FC Cincinnati advanced through to the Third Round. Here’s the schedule:

Rochester Rhinos (USL) vs. GPS Omens (Mass.), 7 p.m. ET, Capelli Sport Stadium; Rochester, N.Y.

Jacksonville Armada (NASL) vs. Charleston Battery (USL), 7 p.m. ET, Southern Oak Stadium; Jacksonville, Fla.

FC Cincinnati (USL) vs. Louisville City FC (USL), 7 p.m. ET, Nippert Stadium; Cincinnati, Ohio

Reading United AC (PDL) vs. Harrisburg City Islanders (USL), 7:30 p.m. ET, Exeter Township; Reading, Pa.

North Carolina FC (NASL) vs. Charlotte Independence (USL), 7:30 p.m. ET, Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.

Miami FC (NASL) vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL), 7:30 p.m. ET, FIU Stadium; Miami, Fla.

Chicago FC United (PDL) vs. Christos FC (Md.), TBD, home team TBD

Michigan Bucks (PDL) vs. Saint Louis FC (USL), 7:30 p.m. ET, Ultimate Soccer Arenas; Pontiac, Mich.

Tulsa Roughnecks FC (USL) vs. San Antonio FC (USL), 8 p.m. ET, Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium; Tulsa, Okla.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL) vs. OKC Energy FC (USL), 9 p.m. ET, Weidner Field; Colorado Springs, Colo.

Phoenix Rising FC (USL) vs. San Francisco Deltas (NASL), 10:30 ET, Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex; Scottsdale, Ariz.

L.A. Wolves FC (Calif.) vs. Orange County SC (USL), 10:30 p.m. ET, Azusa Pacific University Soccer Field; Azusa, Calif.

Sacramento Republic FC (USL) vs. Reno 1868 FC (USL), 10:30 p.m. ET, Papa Murphy’s Park; Sacramento, Calif.

The winner of Louisville City FC’s May 31 U.S. Open Cup game at FC Cincinnati will host Major League Soccer competition in the knockout tournament’s Fourth Round to be played on or around June 14, U.S. Soccer announced Thursday. A coin toss determined home sides.

Should LouCity advance, the Columbus Crew would be the only MLS team to visit Slugger Field other than former club affiliate Orlando City SC, which played a friendly there in August 2015.

The FC Cincinnati matchup looms first at Nippert Stadium, where back on April 22 the sides played to a 1-1 draw. LouCity fans can purchase tickets in the away section by using the code “LOUISVILLE17” at this link, or by calling (513) 977-KICK.

A 9-0 win Wednesday over Tartan Devils Oak Avalon in the U.S. Open Cup’s Second Round advanced LouCity to a Third Round game against FC Cincinnati, which topped AFC Cleveland by a 1-0 score.

FC Dallas last fall extended a 17-year streak of MLS teams winning the U.S. Open Cup. But lower-division clubs often score upsets, and in 1999, the Rochester Rhinos became the most recent USL member to win the tournament.

LouCity met MLS competition in the 2015 U.S. Open Cup, its debut appearance, and took the Chicago Fire to overtime on the road before falling 1-0.

This year, the winner will receive $250,000, a berth in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions’ League and have its name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in U.S. team sports. The runner-up will earn $60,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home a $15,000 cash prize.

An American champion has been crowned for 103 consecutive years dating back to 1914. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor United States soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.

While it’s not quite a return to Jamaica, this week’s Louisville City FC games in Pittsburgh are serving as a homecoming of sorts for Devon “Speedy” Williams.

The midfielder spent four years there while playing collegiately for Division I Robert Morris University after growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, the island’s capital.

“It was very rough for the first year,” Williams said. “It was, a new culture. Everything was different, and it was really cold in Pittsburgh. But as the years went on it got better.”

Williams starred for the Division I Colonials from 2011-2014. During his time with Robert Morris, he appeared in 71 matches, scoring six goals and assisting 15. 

Williams also played in 2014 for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ U-23 team. After defeating Tartan Devils FC by a 9-0 score Wednesday night in a U.S. Open Cup game, LouCity will face the Riverhounds’ United Soccer League side at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Williams expects to have his former college coach, Bill Denniston, in attendance at Highmark Stadium, which sits on the Monongahela River just across from downtown Pittsburgh.

“The stadium is in like a perfect spot,” said Williams, who has ranked among LouCity’s most accurate passers in the holding midfield, completing 79.7 percent of his attempts. “You can look and see all the beauty, so I’ll be looking forward to that.”

Williams has been in the United States since 2011 but remembers how hard the transition was when he first moved here. He credits Robert Morris for helping him launch a professional career.

Now 25, Williams went on to play for the New York Red Bulls II in 2015 and 2016. There, he scored two goals and contributed to a club that last season won both the USL regular-season and playoff championships.

LouCity coach James O’Connor described Williams as a player with “pace, speed of mind and great athleticism.”

“I think the difficult thing for the Red Bulls is they have a conveyor belt of talent,” O’Connor added, “and I think when you have players that are coming through, then some fall through the cracks and I certainly feel like Speedy is one that has fallen through the cracks.

“I think he could be back in MLS in a short period of time.”

Louisville City FC on Wednesday night coasted to the next round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in record fashion.

Cameron Lancaster scored twice, three of his teammates registered their first LouCity goals, and the club went on to beat amateur side Tartan Devils Oak Avalon by a 9-0 score at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh.

“When you look at how our guys approached the game, we tried to move the ball quickly and do the things we spoke about,” said LouCity coach James O’Connor. “The difficulty when you get a game like that is to not pay them respect or play them how you normally do. We played the game in a really professional manner.”

The final tally marked the most goals scored by LouCity in a single game, eclipsing the six racked up on Oklahoma City Energy FC in a June 27, 2015 game at Louisville Slugger Field.

As a result, LouCity advanced to a Third Round matchup against FC Cincinnati, a 1-0 overtime winner Wednesday against AFC Cleveland, to be played May 31 at Nippert Stadium. Other details will be announced later.

LouCity opened scoring in the eighth minute, when Ilic’s shot bounced off the post, at the keeper and in the back of the net. From there, the visitors controlled a game where Opta statistics registered them with 75.5 percent of the possession.

Tartan Devils Oak Avalon conceded again in the 16th minute when Sean Totsch delivered a lengthy cross to Mark-Anthony Kaye, who headed in a goal. Ballard scored his first professional goal in the 22nd and Ilic was later credited with one in the 41st, sending LouCity into the locker room ahead 4-0.

In the second half, Cameron Lancaster converted on an assist from Ilic before Totsch (68th minute) headed in a corner kick by Oscar Jimenez for his first LouCity goal. Minutes later, Jimenez netted a shot of his own. Lancaster (81st) minute and Guy Abend (85th minute) rounded out the scoring.

“I’m obviously very pleased with the professionalism of our players,” O’Connor said. “There are some players who have been unfortunate not to get more minutes so far this season, so it’s great to get the full 90 minutes from multiple players tonight.”

LouCity returned to its winning ways just days after suffering its first defeat of the season, by a 2-0 score to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The club had opened its season on a run of six straight games unbeaten. A return to United Soccer League play is set for Saturday, also at Highmark Stadium, against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

The U.S. Open Cup continues throughout the summer, with Major League sides entering in the Fourth Round. In 2015 LouCity took the Chicago Fire to overtime before falling 1-0, marking its deepest run in the single-elimination tournament.

Guy Abend stood before cameras and microphones Monday, fewer than 48 hours after Louisville City FC’s first defeat of the season, in a state of calm.

The club’s only setback of the year — a 2-0 away loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies — hasn’t seemed to rattle LouCity, but rather provided perspective. Improvement’s in the works on finishing, both goals and games. 

“Obviously today was the first day of training since Saturday,” said Abend, a third-year LouCity midfielder. “It was very positive about a lot of things in the game, especially first half. I mean, I think we played well. The intensity was good. There are just days when the ball doesn’t go in, and it’s part of the game.”

LouCity was credited with just one shot on goal, a header off a corner from Kyle Smith in the second half. But Mark-Anthony Kaye drilled a shot off the post in the 15th minute, Luke Spencer saw a header fly just wide, and Brian Ownby rocketed a shot just over the bar in the minutes following the Rowdies’ first goal.

Tampa Bay managed to keep LouCity off the board, sending the boys to their only loss in seven games this season.

“From our standpoint, in the final third our decision making and that last little bit of quality we just need to sharpen the pencil,” said coach James O’Connor. “I think the first two-thirds of the field have been very good, and the passage of play has been excellent. It’s just that final third we need to nail down.”

Abend said little will change in LouCity’s approach between Saturday’s game and what’s next, a two-game swing in Pittsburgh.

LouCity starts its U.S. Open Cup run Wednesday against amateur side Tartan Devils FC and will stay in town to play the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday in a United Soccer League game. Both are set for 7 p.m. kickoffs at Highmark Stadium.

Offensively, O’Connor will look for his side to take its chances. He felt more shots should have been attempted against the Rowdies in a game his club seemed to control until Georgi Hristov curled a shot into the corner of the goal to open scoring in the 59th minute.

“In fairness to Hristov, it’s a really good finish,” O’Connor said.

“Goals change games,” the coach added. “This is the old cliche in football. They get a goal out of nothing — great piece of quality — and then we’re one-nil down.”

Tampa Bay’s Deshorn Brown then capitalized on a turnover to score in the 72nd minute. Three of five goals conceded this season by LouCity came after the 70th.

Abend said LouCity treats each game individually rather than review them as a whole.

“We hit the post a lot. We’re going to hit the cross bar a lot,” he said. “We’re going to get goals. We’re going to score goals. We’re a very talented team, and I believe the goals are going to come.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Louisville City FC suffered its only setback of the season so far Saturday night, falling by a 2-0 score to the host Tampa Bay Rowdies after opening 2017 on a string of six games unbeaten.

Georgi Hristov, a Bulgarian striker who played first division soccer in Europe, curled a go-ahead goal past LouCity’s defense in the 59th minute before Deshorn Brown capitalized on a turnover to double the lead in the 72nd.

The second half outburst offset a solid opening first — albeit a scoreless one — by LouCity. Midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye banged a shot off the near post in the 15th minute, and forward Luke Spencer pushed a header just wide before the break.

A defeat dropped LouCity to No. 4 on the USL Eastern Conference table following a week-long hiatus in the schedule. The club has at least one game in hand on others in the top eight, which designate playoff positions.

“There were passages of play we can be pleased with, but today we’ve been beaten two-nil,” said coach James O’Connor. “You don’t get anything for playing well. It’s important we take it on board and analyze the game. It’s frustrating to lose for sure.”

Momentum swung out of the locker room in LouCity’s first visit to Al Lang Stadium. Shots were even at five apiece heading into the half, but Tampa Bay wound up with 7 on goal to the visitors’ 1. LouCity did find some vulnerability in the Rowdies’ back line, as all four defenders were assessed yellow cards — but they stood up to every attack.

The best chances to strike both immediately followed Tampa Bay’s first goal. Three minutes later, midfielder Brian Ownby squared up on a shot from distance that was tipped over the bar. On the ensuing corner kick, the Rowdies came up with a save on defender Kyle Smith’s header at the far post.

Tampa Bay’s goals marked the first time LouCity has trailed this season. The club had also yet to allow more than one goal in a match.

“I think our pressure was good in the second half, but we didn’t maintain enough possession,” Kaye said. “It’s very difficult to get ahold of the game when you don’t have the ball. They fed off of it, and they ended up scoring a good goal. After that, you’re under pressure, and it’s a harder climb to get back. It’s not impossible, but I think us not maintaining possession of the ball definitely hurt us.”

LouCity faces a short turnaround to its next game, a Wednesday matchup against Pittsburgh-based Tartan Devils FC in the Second Round of the U.S. Open Cup. That game, as with LouCity’s May 20 meeting with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, will be played a Highmark Stadium.

Game Summary

Match: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Louisville City FC

Date: May 13, 2017

Venue: Al Lang Stadium

Kickoff: 7:35 p.m.

Weather: 78 degrees, partly cloudy

Man of the Match: Tim Dobrowolski

Scoring

Tampa Bay Rowdies (0,2,2)

Louisville City FC (0,0,0)

Goals

Tampa Bay Rowdies: 59’ Georgi Hristov right footed to top right corner, assisted by Joe Cole. 72’ Deshorn Brown right footed to top left corner, assisted by Joe Cole.

Lineups

Tampa Bay Rowdies: 18- Matt Pickens, 2- Darnell King, 4- Marcel Shafer, 31- Damion Lowe, 3- Neill Collins, 32- Martin Vingaard, 26- Joe Cole (89’ 23- Michael Nanchoff), 13- Justin Chavez, 7- Darwin Jones, 11- Leo Fernandes (53’ 10- Georgi Hristov), 8- Deshorn Brown (78’ 19- Martin Paterson)

Subs not used: 50- Akira Fitzgerald, 14- Luke Boden, 17- Tamika Mkandawire, 9- Alex Morrell

Head coach: Stuart Campbell

Louisville City FC: 28- Tim Dobrowolski, 24- Kyle Smith, 19- Oscar Jimenez, 4- Sean Totsch, 18- Paco Craig, 36- Paolo DelPiccolo, 7- Mark-Anthony Kaye (65’ 23- Richard Ballard), 8- Guy Abend, 10- Brian Ownby (71’ 9- Cameron Lancaster), 22- George Davis IV (79’ 12- Ilija Ilic), 12- Luke Spencer

Subs not used: 13- Micah Bledsoe, 6- Tarek Morad, 15- Sean Reynolds, 80- Speedy Williams

Head coach: James O’Connor

Discipline

Tampa Bay Rowdies: 46’ Darnell King shown yellow card, 70’ Damion Lowe shown yellow card, 73’ Neill Collins shown yellow card, 78’ Deshorn Brown shown yellow card, 89’ Justin Chavez shown yellow card.

Louisville City FC: 87’ Paco Craig shown yellow card.

Officials

Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr

Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Osterhouse

Assistant Referee 2: Hassan Belmnahia

4th Official:  Alexander Derostaing