FC Tucson takes on league champion Olympians FC
Expect some new faces on pitch, says coach Biagi
It’s only been since the end of April that FC Tucson took to the practice field, but the local soccer side are already going to have their fourth match on Saturday. This one will be against Olympians FC, who ply their trade in El Mirage.
The game will be another cross-league friendly, with Olympians playing in the United Premier Soccer League. The UPSL is, by the reckoning of the organizers of the U.S. Open Cup, at the same level as FC Tucson’s USL League Two. Even with that, Olympians should prove a strong opponent: they currently hold the league championship.
Olympians won their championship on February 5 in a match against SCU Heat. The match was scoreless until the 90th minute when Isais German earned a goal. The defense weathered a barrage for seven minutes of stoppage time.
They’ve continued that form since their season got underway in March, winning five matches in the first seven.
“Having an opponent like this from another league will benefit our continued development,” said coach Mark Biagi. “The guys are ready for a good test tomorrow getting us into two games next week that are massively important to us.”
The team is scheduled for two away matches next week against Arizona Arsenal and Ventura County Fusion, both league opponents.
Coach Biagi noted that “four or five” new players will be available for Saturday’s match, and he expects them to get some time in the match. That should be good, given mid-day temperatures will necessitate some squad rotation.
Saturday’s match against Olympians FC will be at noon at Kino North Stadium.