Prinx Tires USL Cup Group Stage Round 4
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs FC Naples
Saturday, July 11, 7:30 p.m. ET
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, FL
2026 League Records:
Rowdies: 9W-2L-4D (4-2-2 at home), 31 pts, 1st in the East
Naples: 5W-10L-2D (1-6-1 on the road), 17 pts, 13th in USL League One
Matchday Giveaway: The first 2,000 fans through gates on Saturday will receive a “Greetings from Al Lang Stadium” mini poster.
Broadcast: Tampa Bay 44, ESPN+
Radio: Florida Alumni Radio, 1010 AM
The Rowdies look to close out the group stage of the Prinx Tires USL Cup and carry momentum into the Quarterfinals with their fourth straight victory of the tournament this Saturday as they host in-state foes FC Naples. While the Rowdies may already have the top spot in Group 7 locked up, the club will still be eager to earn a positive result after last week’s loss to Lexington and esnure they head into the knockout rounds of the USL Cup in August on a positive notes.
The Rowdies and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC are the only two sides who have yet to lose a match as the tournament heads into the final round of group play. A win over Naples would also give the Rowdies bragging rights over their fellow USL teams based in the Sunshine State. The Rowdies have already dispatched Sarasota Paradise, Spoting JAX, and Miami in the first three rounds of the tournament, outscoring them eight to one.
Quarterfinals Draw
The Rowdies will learn their opponent in Quarterfinals round of the Prinx Tires USL Cup on Monday when the USL conducts a random draw to determine matchups and hosting rights for the eight teams that advance past the group stage. So far, only the Rowdies and Colorado Springs have secured their spot in the knockout phase of the competition, which is set to be played on Wednesday August 12.
International Soccer Night
In honor of the world’s largest soccer tournament taking place in North America for the first time in over 30 years, the Rowdies are set to celebrate thec club’s first International Soccer Night at Al Lang Stadium. Fans can enjoy food trucks featuring food from around the world in the Michelob Ultra Fan Zone outside of Gate 2 prior to the match. Fan can also pick up a free Panini FIFA World Cup Sticker booklet while supplies last.
This year’s Rowdies roster ansd technical staff has a significant internatiojal makeup. A total of 12 players on this year’s squad were born outside of the U.S., hailing from countries like Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, England, France, Germany, Italy, Jamiaca, and Trinidad.
Series History
Saturday marks the third competitive meeting between the Rowdies and FC Naples. Tampa Bay defeated Naples 2-0 in last year’s USL Cup and prevailed over the USL League One side in a penalty shootout in last year’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after battling to a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes. Both matchups were played at Naples’ Paradise Coast Sports Complex.
Naples Makes a Change
On Friday, FC Naples parted ways with the club’s first-ever head coach and sporting director Matt Poland. Assistant coach Zak Gordon has been named interim head coach following the move. Poland led Naples to a playoff appearance in the inaugural season last year, but the club currently sits outside of the playoff picture with 10 losses from from 17 regular season matches.
A Year in Tampa Bay
This Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of Dominic Casciato’s appointment as head coach of the Rowdies. After taking the helm at one of the lowest points in the club’s Modern Era, Casciato now has the Rowdies back on top as one of the frontrunners for a spot in the playoffs and the USL Championship Players’ Shield race. The turnaround over the last year is undeniable. During Casciato’s first year in charge, the Rowdies have a record of 18W-9L-9D in all competitions, with 12 shutouts and 60 goals tallied.
MD on the Leaderboard
Rowdies Forward MD Myers has been one of the more consistent performers in this year’s edition of the USL Cup. Myers has three goals through the first three rounds of the tournament, putting him in a tie with three other players for the most goals tallied in the competition. The New Jersey native also leads the Rowdies with five goals in the regular season. If Myers can bring his finishing touch yet again this weekend, he could find himself alone at the top of the scoring leaderboard moving into the knockout rounds.
Upcoming Milestones
- Rowdies Midfielder Lewis Hilton (168 appearances) is closing in on Rowdies legend Georgi Hirstov (173) on the club’s Modern Era appearances list. Hristov currently has the second most appearances in the Rowdies Modern Era.
- Rowdies Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite (239 saves) is nearing 250 USL Championship regular season saves.
Rowdies Availability Report
OUT: Pack, Rodriguez, Schaefer, Wyke
QUESTIONABLE: Acoff
