USL Championship Matchday 24
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Birmingham Legion FC
Wednesday, September 17, 12:30 p.m. ET
Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
2025 League Records:
Rowdies: 6W-13L-4D, 22 pts, 11th East (3-5-2 on the road)
Birmingham: 4W-9L-10D, 22 pts, 10th East (2-6-4 at home)
Tune In: Tampa Bay 44, ESPN+
The Tampa Bay Rowdies head to Alabama for a pivotal matchup in the playoff race this Wednesday against Birmingham Legion FC. Both sides are in desperate need of all three points as they sit even in the Eastern Conference standings at 22 points, five points back of Rhode Island FC for the final playoff spot. Tampa Bay and Birmingham will each aim to make the most of their game in hand on Rhode Island and Indy Eleven (9th in the standings) when they clash on Wednesday afternoon at Protective Stadium.
Birmingham enters Wednesday’s match well rested after taking last weekend off from USL Championship action. Meanwhile, the Rowdies are coming off a 3-3 shootout draw against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC this past weekend.
Keep it Going
The first 30 minutes of last week’s performance against Colorado Springs was near perfection as the Rowdies nabbed three goals through three different players. It was only the third time this regular season the Rowdies have managed to net three goals in a match. It’s an encouraging sign for a Rowdies attack that has underperformed and struggled with consistency all year. The trick is finding a way to replicate the performance week after week down the final stretch of the regular season.
Series History
There aren’t many other road trips that have proved more difficult for the Rowdies to earn a victory than away to Birmingham. In five previous trips to Birmingham, the Rowdies’ only win was their first ever match there in 2019. Since then, the Rowdies have earned two draws and suffered two defeats.
Marie Makes His Impact
Paul Marie has made the most of his loan to Tampa Bay so far. The San Jose Earthquakes defender has started in all three matches since he joined the club three weeks ago. While listed as a defender, Marie has been utilized in the midfield primarily during his time with the club. The Frenchman shined in this role last week against Colorado Springs, bagging the opening goal and adding an assist on the club’s third goal of the match.
Double Debuts
Two of the newest additions to the Rowdies made their club debuts this past Saturday against Colorado Springs. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid played all 90 minutes in net and recorded two saves, including a miraculous last-ditch stop in the final moments of the match to preserve the draw for the Rowdies. Former U.S. Soccer Young Player of the Year Alex Mendez also earned his first appearance for the Rowdies, entering as a substitute in the 59th minute only a few days after joining the club. Mendez marked the final roster addition for the Rowdies before last week’s USL Championship roster freeze for the 2025 season.
Rowdies Availability Report
OUT: Bassett, Fernandes, Moon, Niyongabire
QUESTIONABLE: Hilton
