The stage is set this Saturday for what could be a make-or-break match for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in their quest to lift the Prinx Tires USL Cup. It’s only Round 2 of the group stage for the Rowdies, but the stakes are high as they head south aiming to overtake Miami FC for the top spot in Group 7.
Miami has a headstart on the Rowdies, having already picked up six points from two matches played in the tournament. The Rowdies sit second in the group with three points from just one match played, a 2-0 win over USL League One’s Sarasota Paradise back on April 25.
Essentially, a full three-point victory this Saturday could swing the group in favor of either side. A win for the Rowdies in Miami this weekend would put them in the driver’s seat to finish first in the group with two more rounds to play. However, a loss would put Miami on the verge of locking up first in the group and a spot in the knockout phase of the competition. In the event the Rowdies and Miami did finish even on points at the end of group play, the tournament’s first tiebreaker to determine a winner is head-to-head points earned.
Finishing second in the group wouldn’t automatically eliminate the Rowdies or Miami from advancing to the knockout rounds. The second-place team with the most points from all seven groups will be awarded a wild card spot for the next stage of the tournament. But leaving your chances in the hands of other teams outside of your group is a scenario the Rowdies want to avoid.
“I feel like cup matches are very exciting,” said Rowdies Midfielder Pedro Dolabella. “It’s either win or go home, and this tournament is no different. Every game matters in the group stage. We want to score as many goals as possible and win as many games as possible to make sure we’re in knockout rounds of the competitions as well.”
Confidence is high for the Rowdies heading into Miami. The club currently leads the pack in the race for the USL Championship Players’ Shield as the only undefeated team in league play this year.
“Especially not being in the U.S. Open Cup, the USL Cup is kind of our only tournament to go and try to win another trophy,” said Rowdies Forward Evan Conway. “We’re taking none of these group games lightly. We’re doing great in the league. We go into every place expecting a win, so hopefully we can deliver that.”
While the Rowdies remain undefeated in the league, the squad still knows there’s room to still grow with over two thirds of the regular season left to play. The Rowdies have dropped points with three draws in their last four league outings, a trend they will look to snap soon.
The good news is that history is on Tampa Bay’s side as they travel to Miami. The Rowdies have won eight straight road matches in Miami. In fact, their last defeat in South Florida was back in 2021.
“We definitely want to be back to our winning ways,” said Dolabella. “Dropping points is not acceptable for this group. We always want more. This is going to be a great opportunity for us to go there and keep the streak going and bring the three points back to Tampa Bay.”
Kickoff for Saturday’s match at Pitbull Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET. Join the official Rowdies Watch Party at Colony Grill in Downtown St. Petersburg or tune in to watch the match on Tampa Bay 44 or ESPN+.
