ST. PETERSBURG, FLA (May 7, 2025) – The Tampa Bay Rowdies run in the 2025 edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup came to an end in the Round of 32 on Wednesday night at Al Lang Stadium in a 5-0 defeat to Major League Soccer’s Orlando City SC.
“We’ve been punished by Louisville for making mistakes, punished, again, by Birmingham last weekend for making mistakes in moments of the game and tonight was no different,” said Rowdies Interim Head Coach Steve Coleman. “We have a responsibility to fix those mistakes. But at the same time, we can’t keep having the same conversations over and over again. It’s not for me to single anyone out in this environment right now, but we’ll certainly look at the video over the next 24 hours and let people know that some of the stuff that we did tonight is not good enough.”
Tampa Bay’s defense held firm until just past the half hour mark when Orlando’s Gustavo Carballo netted two goals in the span of just two minutes. With space on the left edge of Tampa Bay’s box, Orlando’s Martin Ojeda centered a pass for Carballo to drive into the back of the net. Carballo completed his brace two minutes after a Tampa Bay turnover allowed Orlando Midfielder Dagur Dan Thorhallsson to slip a pass into the box for Carballo to convert and double Orlando’s advantage.
The visitors grabbed a third tally in the 42nd minute, as Rafael Santos drove in a cross from the endline to the near post that Ramiro Enrique clipped past the shoulder of Rowdies keeper Nico Campisi.
Orlando recorded two more goals to seal the result in the second half. Substitute Duncan McGuire collected and finished off a long ball played over Tampa Bay’s back line in the 59th minute for the fourth goal, while Thorhallsson added the fifth goal just a few moments before the final whistle with a right-footed strike from just outside the box.
“[The fans] are paying to come watch a game, for us to win, to support us,” said Rowdies Captain Aaron Guillen following the Open Cup exit. “They’re always behind us and we’re not doing well enough. We just have to go out there and do it for them, for everyone that loves this club. The history this club has doesn’t deserve what we’re putting out there.”
The Rowdies remain at Al Lang Stadium this Saturday for a matchup with the Charleston Battery at 7:30 p.m. ET.
“We have to pick ourselves up tomorrow, with a short turnaround to play Charleston at the weekend, “said Coleman. “I’m expecting a response from the group of players that know where we stand.”
Scoring Summary
ORL – Caraballo (Ojeda), 34’
ORL – Caraballo (Thorhallsson), 36’
ORL – Enrique (Santos), 42’
ORL – McGuire (N. Rodriguez), 59’
ORL – Thorhallsson (Angulo), 90’
Caution Summary
TBR – Crisostomo, Yellow Card, 13’
ORL – Caraballo, Yellow Card, 55’
Lineups
Rowdies: Campisi, Wyke, Castellanos (Bodily, 62’), Lasso, Guillen, Niyongabire (Mustali, 62’), Crisostomo (Worth, 46’), Fernandes (Rodriguez, 70’), Vancaeyezeele, Bassett, Arteaga (Pacius, 46’)
Rowdies Bench: Bandre, DeJesus, Bodily, Worth, Mustali, Pacius, Rodriguez
Orlando: Otero, Freeman (Guske, 46’), Schlegel (Brekalo, 62’), Smith, Santos, Carballo, Araujo (Taifi, 62’), Thorhallsson, N. Rodriguez (Angulo), Enrique, Ojeda (McGuire, 46’)
Orlando Bench: Gallese, Brekalo, Taifi, Guske, Angulo, McGuire, Muriel
