Lakeland opens third season in USL League Two when it hosts Daytona SC Saturday night

LAKELAND, Fla. – The Lakeland Tropics will open their third season of USL League Two play at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland Saturday night, May 11, when they host Daytona SC.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed live at www.my.cujoo.tv.

It is the first league game for both sides, although the Tropics played Tuesday night against league foe The Villages SC in a first-round 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup game at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale. After batting to a 1-1 tie over 120 minutes of regulation and overtime time, The Villages won in the 10th round of penalty kicks.

The Tropics will once again play in the eight-team southeastern division, which has several new franchises this season in addition to Daytona. They include the Treasure Coast Tritons, Sarasota Metropilis FC and Florida Elite SA. 

Lakeland will play a 14-game regular season, with six Saturday night games at Bryant Stadium, including a rematch with the Buffalo on Memorial Day weekend. That Saturday night showdown on May 25 will also be a 7 p.m. start.

The Tropics earned a tie for second in the division last spring, with The Villages, who moved on to the post-season based on their 1-0-1 record against Lakeland during the regular season. Each finished the regular campaign at 9-2-3, just behind the SIMA Aguilas, who are not in the division this season. The Villages advanced all the way to the USL League Two final four.

Back for his third season as head coach is Eoghan Conlon, who guided the team to a 9-3-2 mark in 2017, good for third place in the division. 

Lakeland will play five of its first seven at Bryant Stadium, and finish the year with a stretch of five away games in six starts, before ending the regular season at home Friday, July 12. For more information, including ticket information, go to www.lakelandtropics.com, or call 863-605-4131. All Tropics home games will be streamed live at www.mycujoo.tv. The season schedule and league standings follow:

Saturday, May 11        vs. Daytona SC                            7 p.m.

Saturday, May 18        at Weston FC                               6:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 25        vs. The Villages SC                     7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1         vs. FC Miami City                        7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 4          at Florida Elite SA                        7 p.m.

Saturday, June 11        vs. Treasure Coast Tritons       7 p.m.

Saturday, June 18        vs. Weston FC                             7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 18        at  FC Miami City                         3 p.m.

Saturday, June 22        vs. Sarasota Metropolis FC      7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 25         at Daytona SC                              7:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 29        at The Villages SC                      6 p.m.

Saturday, July 6            at Treasure Coast Tritons         7 p.m.

Tuesday, July 9            at Sarasota Metropolis FC         7 p.m.

Saturday, July 21        Florida Elite SA                            7 p.m.

USL LEAGUE TWO SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION

                                                  GP    W    L       D      Pts    GF    GA    DIF

Sarasota Metropolis FC        1       1      0      0        3       0      0      +1

Lakeland Tropics                    0     0       0      0        0        0      0     0

The Villages SC                      0     0       0      0        0        0      0     0

FC Miami City                         0     0      0      0         0       0      0      0

Treasure Coast Tritons        0     0       0      0        0        0      0      0

Florida Elite SA                     0     0        0    0         0         0      0     0

Daytona SC                           0     0        0    0         0         0      0     0

Weston FC                            1     0        1    0         0          0      1    -1

14 game regular season, top two teams qualify for USL League Two playoffs