Tropics top stars looking forward to U.S. Open Cup showdown with rival Villages SC

Since day one, Ricardo Diegues and Victor Parreiras have been the face of Tropics soccer, not to mention their most consistently talented offensive stars.

So Tuesday's 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup game at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex isn't only a special treat for fans, it's a reward for the club's “Dynamic Duo” who have played soccer together now for the last eight years.

For Parreiras, in fact, it will be his first ever Cup game, while Diegues will be playing in his third. Diegues, who also played in a Cup game while with a team in Ocala a few years back, played in last year's Tropics Cup game in Midland, Texas, but Parreiras was recovering from surgery following the indoor campaign and did not make the trip.

Given that this will be the fifth time in the last three years the Tropics and Cup foe Villages SC will have played each other, Parreiras said he doesn't mind the fact the Buffalo will know shutting him down will be a key Tuesday night. 

“The pressure is always good, a little bit of pressure makes you get on your toes,” Parreiras said. “We want to play and show what we're capable of. They're going to be looking for us We'll have to use our chemistry to beat the challenge.”

Both Brazilian born, the two didn't know each other until they arrived at the University of Texas-Brownsville. As co captains their senior season, they led the Ocelots to the NAIA national championship game. They started together in the Major Arena Soccer League as teammates with the Brownsville (now RGV) Barracudas for one season before signing in the fall of 2016 with the MASL Tropics.

Diegues led the USL League Two Lakeland Tropics with 10 goals in 2017, while Parreiras led in assists with five. The two both missed a good chunk of the 2018 outdoor season with injuries, but are healthy heading into this game. 

Indoors, Ricardo was tied for the team lead in goals three years ago, and has led the team in goals each of the past two season. In 2017-18, Victor was second on the team in  assists behind his good friend, and this past season led the team in total points.

Even though they play off one another brilliantly at times, Diegues knows that it will take more than just the two playing well if the Tropics are to advance to meet the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 14.

“Victor knows me really well, so we can actually put that chemistry out there,” Ricardo added. “But I mean we have 11 players on the field so if only me and Victor are doing one thing and the rest are doing different stuff, I think we can build that up before the game. It's really going to be great to be there. It's always a different experience. I personally love the, the level is higher, it's one game, it's a knockout, so you just play 200 percent. You have to do it. It's either that or you go home.”

For ticket information, call the Tropics front office at 863-340-0101.