Game day! Tropics kick off inaugural PDL season with visit to FC Miami City

MIAMI – The Lakeland Tropics will kick off their inaugural season in the USL Premier Development League tonight when they take on the FC Miami City Champions at Tropical Park.

Kickoff is at 6 p.m. and the game will be webcast live on YouTube. (https://www.youtube.com/c/FCMiamiCity/live).

The Tropics feature eight players from their sister franchise, the Florida Tropics of the Major Arena Soccer League, including three offensive standouts led by Ricardo Diegues. He was tied for the lead in goals with 17, despite missing a month of the season with a leg injury. Second leading goal scorer Victor Parreiras is also expected to be a regular threat up front, and Victor Rojas, tied for fourth on the MASL team in goals, should spearhead the midfield group.

Veteran defender J.P Reyes was second on the team in blocks during the arena season. Also joining from the indoor side are speedy forward Maycon Franca, Alexi Cortez, Julian Pavlovski and Lakeland's starting goalkeeper Jonathan Valerio.

Miami returns 13 players from its 2016 team, and is an honorable mention selection in the PDL's pre-season power rankings of teams in the Southern Conference. Mohamed Kourouma  is one of those returnees, and was the team's leading scorer last year with 12 goals. Bryan Perea also returns, having spend the last two years as team captain.

The Tropics will not be in action again unitl their home opener on Saturday, May 20 at Bryant Stadium when the host the defending Southeastern Division champion Villages SC.