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The Basics
2013 Disney Pro Soccer Classic

Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Orlando City SC

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Kickoff: 6:00 p.m.

Location: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (800 Victory Way, Kissimmee, FL  34747)

Admission: Tickets start at $14 using the “Rowdies” promotional code. Click here for more ticket information.  

Matches will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

Roster
The Rowdies will have 15 signed players available for Saturday’s match, as well as 8 trialists.

2013 Disney Pro Soccer Classic
The NASL Champions will play a fourth match on Saturday, January 23 against Orlando City Soccer Club who finished fourth in Group A. In all four ‘Championship Day’ matches, there will be no overtime, but any match tied at the end of regulation will move immediately to penalty kicks.

Schedule for “Championship Day” Matches

Scouting Orlando City
Orlando City and Tampa Bay will meet for the first time this Saturday, in a prelude to the I-4 Derby that will take place in March. The Lions, who currently play in third division USL Pro, are coming off a regular season title having finishing with a record of 17-6-1 (W-T-L). The first-place finish earned Orlando City their second consecutive regular season title, but they would go on to lose in the playoffs to the Wilmington Hammerheads in the semifinal match 4-3.

Adrian Heath has been at the helm of Orlando City since the 2011 inaugural season, where they won the regular season title and the league championship. The Lions play a traditional 4-4-2, led by the 2012 USL Pro leading scorer forward Dennis Chin. The Oviedo native scored 11 goals in 24 matches, becoming the largest offensive threat in the league.

Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo captains the Lions, finishing the 2012 season with a league-leading goals-against average of .780. Gallardo was the 2011 USL PRO Goalkeeper of the Year, leading the league with with 11 clean sheets during the regular season. Orlando City has added to their attack for the 2013 season by signing forward Long Tan. The Chinese native is no stranger to the Rowdies, as he played for Tampa Bay in the 2010 inaugural season. Tan went on to suit up for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2011 and D.C. United in 2012, before returning to Florida.

Orlando City closed out group play last Saturday losing to the Columbus Crew 3-2. Crew’s Federico Higuain assisted midfielder Agustin Viana to put Columbus up 1-0 early in the first half. Orlando would equalize in the 57th minute, when midfielder Jamie Watson’s finish made it 1-1. Columbus went ahead 2-1 in the 74th minute, as Josh Williams was able to position himself on the corner kick, heading the ball into the back of the net. The Lions leveled the score just four minutes later with Brian Fekete’s shot going in after bouncing off a Columbus defender. Crew’s Higuain scored off a penalty kick in the last five minutes of play, giving Columbus the 3-2 lead.

Rowdies Notes
The Tampa Bay Rowdies lost 1-0 against Sporting Kansas City in the final group match of the Disney Pro Soccer Classic last Saturday. The lone goal came in the 76th minute from attacking midfielder Graham Zusi, who slotted the ball next to the right post. Rowdies goalkeeper Andrew Fontein was close to getting a touch on it, but Zusi’s shot was well placed. Tampa Bay had a better performance than the first two matches, controlling Kansas City throughout most of the match.

The reigning NASL Champions signed 6-foot-2 forward Amani Walker on Thursday, adding an aerial threat to the Rowdies attack. He joins Tampa Bay after two successful years with the Minnesota Stars FC, leading the team last season with nine goals and five assists.

Quotable
Rowdies Midfielder Stuart Campbell
“We haven’t achieved the results we were expecting going into the Disney tournament. No one likes to lose three games in a row but we know having started preseason two weeks ago, our fitness level was not up to par with the MLS teams. With a couple more practices under our belt, we showed improvement against Sporting KC, controlling the match at certain points. Our match against Orlando will be just as tough and it will serve as a good test to see where we are as a team.”  

Up Next
The Rowdies Fan Fest presented by the Tampa Bay Times will be this Sunday, February 24th from 12:30-3:00 p.m. The event at Al Lang Stadium will be filled with interactive activities for fans of all ages. It will also be an exclusive chance to see the new 2013 Al Lang Stadium field configuration, and an opportunity to secure your 2013 season tickets.  Admission to Rowdies Fan Fest is free, including free event parking in the East Lot at Al Lang Stadium, located at 230 1st Street SE in downtown St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay will continue their 2013 preseason on Saturday, March 2 when they face off against the University of South Florida at Corbett Soccer Stadium. Prior to the 7:30 p.m. kickoff, USF and the Rowdies will be holding a youth clinic from 6:00-7:00 p.m. The clinic will be held at the USF training grounds featuring former Tampa Bay Rowdies and current USF players and coaches. The youth clinic will be for kids ages 7-13 and the cost to attend the clinic will be $10, which includes a game ticket. Kids tickets for the clinic must be bought in advance, and please bring a soccer ball. Click here to purchase tickets.

The reigning NASL Soccer Bowl Champions will start the 2013 NASL Spring Season by hosting the Carolina RailHawks in its 2013 home opener on Saturday, April 6 at Al Lang Stadium. For information on 2013 season ticketscontact the front office at 813-287-1539 or tickets@rowdiessoccer.com. Single-game tickets will go on sale at a later date.