News

The Basics:
FC Tampa Bay at Atlanta Silverbacks

Saturday, August 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Atlanta Silverbacks Park, Atlanta, Georgia

The match can be seen live online at www.fctampabay.com

Records (W-T-L):
FC Tampa Bay: 6-6-6, 24 points
Atlanta: 3-3-12, 12 points

2011 Series (W-T-L):
1-1-1

What’s at Stake:
FC Tampa Bay faces the Silverbacks in the final meeting of the season between the two clubs. The series is tied at 1-1-1, with each team owning a victory at home, 3-2 for FC Tampa Bay on June 12 and 2-1 for Atlanta on July 23. FCTB and the Silverbacks also played to a 1-1 draw in St. Petersburg in the first meeting of the year on April 30. In the last meeting in Atlanta, FC Tampa Bay saw its four-match unbeaten streak halted in the 2-1 loss. Forward Aaron King scored a goal for the fourth consecutive match at the time, but FC Tampa Bay could not overcome two first half goals by the Silverbacks.

Notes:
Saturday’s match opens a stretch of three matches in eight days for FC Tampa Bay, including a road contest at Montreal on Wednesday, August 10 before a home game against NSC Minnesota on Saturday, August 13 at Al Lang Stadium.

FC Tampa Bay used second-half goals by midfielders Shane Hill and Pascal Millien to knock off FC Edmonton, 3-1, at Al Lang Stadium on July 27 in its most recent match. King scored a goal for the fifth consecutive match as the teams were tied 1-1 at halftime.

Atlanta fell 1-0 to the league-leading Carolina RailHawks on Saturday, July 30 at WakeMed Park in Cary after only 50 minutes of play. The match was suspended three times and was ultimately abandoned due to inclement weather.

The Silverbacks are in eighth place in the North American Soccer League standings with only 12 points in 18 matches played this season. The Silverbacks have allowed 37 goals, the most in the league this year. Goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer has the fifth-most saves in the league with 58.

On Friday, King was named NASL Player of the Month for July. He scored a goal in all five league matches in July for FC Tampa Bay, which claimed three wins, one tie and just one loss during the month. FC Tampa Bay added a 1-0 win over the English Premier League Bolton Wanderers in an international friendly on July 14.  King received a total of 30 points and Atlanta midfielder Ciaran O’Brien finished second with 16 points. FC Tampa Bay teammate Pascal Millien finished third with nine points.

Up Next:
FC Tampa Bay closes its two-match road trip this Wednesday, August 10 at Montreal at 7:30 p.m. in the final meeting between the teams. FC Tampa Bay has already clinched the season series with two wins and a tie against the Impact.