Match preview: Tropics put perfect mark on line Sunday hosting North County United

LAKELAND, Fla. – The Lakeland Tropics will put their early season two-game winning streak on the line Sunday night on SYKES Field at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland when they host North County United in a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Lakeland is currently in second place in the USL Premier Development League Southeast division with six points and a 2-0 mark, a point behind the SIMA Aguilas who are 2-0-1 with seven points. SIMA is the defending division champs.

However, the Tropics are actually ranked first in the latest USL Power Rankings of teams in the Southern Conference, which includes 22 teams in the Southeast, Deep South and Mid-South divisions. Lakeland is the only Southeast division team in the top five.

Forward Ricardo Diegues once again is pacing the Tropics offense, with goals in each win so far this spring including the only marker in a 1-0 season-opening win against Next Academy Palm Beach, and a big 3-2 road win at FC Miami City, runners up in the Southeast last year.

North County United is the former South Florida Surf, which joined the PDL three years ago. Last season, the Tropics and Surf met just once, in Stuart, Fla. The teams battled to a 1-1 tie, with Diegues getting the equalizer in the 75th minute.

After the holiday weekend match, Lakeland will be right back on the pitch with a road trip to take on Weston FC on Wednesday, May 30, before returning to SYKES Field at Bryant Stadium for a Saturday, June 2 contest against IMG Academy Bradenton. That too is a 7 p.m. start. Tickets for Sunday's game, and all remaining home matches including what is shaping up as a huge showdown June 30 against the Aguilas, are available online at www.lakelandtropics.com, or by calling 863-240-0101.