Game preview: Tropics looking for second straight PDL win in matchup against Weston FC

LAKELAND – The Lakeland Tropics will look for their second straight win when they go on the road Wednesday for their third match of the Premier Development League season meeting Weston FC.

The Tropics will look to building on an amazing home opener last Saturday when Lakeland thrilled a hometown crowd of over 6,000 fans with a heart-stopping 4-3 victory over the PDL's defending southeast division champion The Villages SC.

Victor Rojas had two goals, including a perfectly placed shot from 15 yards out to the far, top corner of the net for the game winner in the 59th minute of the second half, which gave the Tropics a 4-2 lead.

Rojas, the team leader in shots with eight after two games, scored in the 43rd minute for a 3-1 Lakeland lead in the first half. Ramzi Toure's perfect strike from 22 yards out gave Lakeland a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute, and Ricardo Diegues, on a pretty through ball from Victor Parreriras, gave the Tropics a 2-0 lead in the 39th minute.

The win evened the Tropics PDL table at 1-1, while Weston comes in 0-1, after dropping their season opener, 5-1, at home against. FC Miami City. Inigo Sagarduy got Weston's lone goal.  Lakeland opened its season in Miami, and fell 4-0.

The Villages SC peppered Lakeland goalkeeper Jonathan Valerio with 23 shots. Valerio was credited with 10 saves, while Lakeland got 15 shots away at Tim McGlynn, who had three saves. Both teams had four corners each.

Wednesday's game at Broward College South Campus will kick off at 5 p.m.

Saturday night, the Tropics will be back at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland when they host the Palm Beach Suns FC. Kickoff is 7:35 p.m. Tickets are available at the team's website www.lakelandtropics.com, or by calling 863-240-0101.