LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As heated as the River Cities Cup has become in the short span it has existed between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati, Louisville Head Coach James O’Connor believes keeping a lid on the emotions of the game is going to be crucial when they meet on Saturday at Slugger Field.

“I think it’s very important you don’t let the emotion get involved,” O’Connor said at his weekly press conference. “I think for us we need to make sure we do our homework and be prepared for what will be a tough game. We’re looking forward to the game for sure.”

The teams played to a 1-1 draw at Nippert Stadium in the first league meeting of the season, when former Louisville player Aodhan Quinn scored the equalizer for Cincinnati late in the second half. Saturday’s game will mark the first visit to Slugger Field for both Quinn and Kadeem Dacres since their moves north this offseason.

FCC has the small matter of its Quarterfinal in the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night against Miami FC ahead of the contest, and O’Connor said he wished both players well as they look to help Cincinnati continue its sterling run.

“I had a good relationship with both the lads, I wish them all the best in the Open Cup,” said O’Connor. “For us, because we’ve spent so much time with our players, we create a relationship where we obviously want for them. We’ll always maintain those relationships, and even some of the other guys who have left and gone to other places, we try to stay in touch with guys and make sure they’re doing well and that their welfare is where it needs to be.”

Louisville is coming off another 1-1 draw with Eastern Conference leader the Charleston Battery on Saturday night at MUSC Health Stadium, where Ilija Ilic’s first goal of the season answered a penalty kick by the Battery’s Justin Portillo. The result left City still six points back of Charleston with two games in hand, and left O’Connor slightly disappointed his side hadn’t been able to have more precision in the final third.

“I think we had enough chances to win the game,” said O’Connor. “There might have been a couple of instances where if our passing had been a little bit crisper maybe we would have created a couple more opportunities, but I think in the way it pans out, a 1-1 draw, you take it, but I definitely think we had a couple of chances that we maybe could have capitalized on.”

With the buildup to the game already underway for the hosts, and a big crowd expected at Slugger Field, Louisville is now ready to lock in on one of its biggest games of the season.

“When you look at any rivalry game, there’ll be a big crowd, there’ll be a big atmosphere,” said O’Connor. “I think it’s making sure you play the game and not the emotion, so I think that’s the biggest thing for us is making sure we focus on the technical side and what’s needed to actually perform.

“If the emotions start getting involved and all of that starts it becomes a little bit awkward, so we need to be fully focused on how to prepare, how to get a good solid week’s training, and then at the end we get that performance we’re looking for.”