Playoffs! Too much rain means first post-season game for Tropics SC will be Wednesday

AUBURNDALE – The post-season will have to wait for just a few more days.

The Tropics SC will face Greater Orlando Soccer Academy in the first round of the United Premier Soccer League playoffs Wednesday night at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale . Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

The game was originally set for Friday night (June 14), but days of heavy rains, with the forecast of more on Friday, forced the game to be moved to the middle of next week. 

It is the first time since the Tropics soccer clubs came into existence starting with the Florida Tropics in the 2016-17 Major Arena Soccer League Season that one of its teams has qualified for the post-season.

Its sister outdoor franchise, the Lakeland Tropics now in their third year of play in USL League Two at Bryant Stadium, finished in second in their division last year, but missed out on a playoff spot since it tied for that spot with The Villages SC which held the tiebreaker advantage.

The Tropics SC and GOSA  tangled during the regular season in Auburndale on May 4, with the Tropics SC taking a 2-1 win on goals by Victor Parreiras and Ricardo Diegues. The Spurs scored their goal on a penalty kick in the 74th minute, the first goal the Tropics gave up of the regular season after opening the year with five straight clean sheets.

The Tropics ended the regular season with a perfect 12-0 mark, atop the UPSL's Pro Premier Florida Central West table, and scored 37 goals while giving up just four. GOSA ended the season with a record of  6-3-3 in the Florida Central East group, good for fourth place, with a strong goal differential of +14.

Friday's game will be streamed live at www.cujoo.tv. The Tropics would advance to the second round of the UPSL playoffs with a win, a game likely to be part of a Bryant Stadium soccer doubleheader on June 22 when the Lakeland Tropics are also scheduled for a USL League Two regular season game that night as well. For more information, including tickets, call 863-240-0101 or go to www.lakelandtropics.com.