USL Championship Matchday 23
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Brooklyn FC
Saturday, September 5, 7:30 p.m. ET
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, FL
2026 League Records:
Rowdies: 13W-3L-6D (6-2-2 at home), 45 pts, 1st in the East
Brooklyn: 4W-12L-4D (1-6-3 on the road), 16 pts, 12th in the East
Broadcast: Tampa Bay 44, ESPN+
A playoff spot is within reach for the Tampa Bay Rowdies this Saturday as the club returns home to host Brooklyn FC. Three points over Brooklyn this weekend is all the Rowdies need to get the job done and become the first USL Championship side to secure their place in this year’s playoffs.
To be in a position to clinch a playoff spot with eight matches left to play in the regular season is quite an achievement for the Rowdies considering where the club was at the same point last year. After taking the reins in early July of last year, Rowdies Head Coach Dominic Casciato spent the back half of the 2025 season trying to lift the Rowdies from the bottom of the standings and chasing the rest of the field for a playoff spot before falling just short of their goal on the final matchday.
This year, it’s the Rowdies that are being chased by the rest of the league. The club occupies the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings with a six-point advantage over the Charleston Battery and a five-point edge over El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship Players’ Shield race.
Community Heroes Night
The Rowdies are set to celebrate Community Heroes Night at Al Lang Stadium this Saturday, honoring the first responders and educators who make a difference in our region every day. Fans will have the chance to get an up close look and interact with an ambulance and a fire truck from St. Petersburg Fire Rescue in the Michelob Ultra Fan Zone outside of Gate 2 prior to the match.
Teddy Bear Drive
Ralph’s Mob, an independent supporters group of the Rowdies, will hold their annual “Teddy Bear Drive” at Saturday’s home match. Fans are encouraged to bring new or gently used teddy bears or soft toys for donation at the Ralph’s Mob tailgate in the Al Lang Stadium parking lot. All toys will be donated to the Tampa Police Department for officers to give to children in need of comfort. The Teddy Bear Drive originated over a decade ago with longtime Rowdies fan and Ralph’s Mob member Lizzie Burda, who passed away last year. Rather than asking for his presents for her birthday, Burda asked family and friends for teddy bears to donate for children in need.
Keeping it Clean
The Rowdies picked up their league-leading 11th shutout of the regular season last week in Pittsburgh, preventing the defending league champions from registering a single shot on goal. Tampa Bay has now recorded three shutouts in their last four league matches, denying the opposition from recording a shot on goal in each of those three shutouts. Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite has minded the net for nine of Tampa Bay’s clean sheets, leaving the Jamaican international one more clean sheet away from matching his career single-season record of ten shutouts.
Back to Scoring Ways
As the Rowdies continue to excel as one of the elite defensive sides in the USL Championship, the squad is aiming to find their finishing touch again at Al Lang this weekend. The Rowdies were held scoreless in their last two outings, failing to find the back of the net on the road against two of the league’s stingiest defenses in Detroit and Pittsburgh. Despite the scoreless efforts, the Rowdies still rank third in the league with 38 goals tallied this season. Expect an eager showing from the Rowdies to get back to bagging goals this Saturday and recapture some momentum up top during the final stretch of the season.
Scouting Brooklyn
It’s been a rough debut season for Brooklyn FC in the USL Championship. The newcomers sit second from the bottom in the Eastern Conference standings with 16 points through 20 matches. That said, Brooklyn heads into Saturday on the back of their highest scoring effort of the season, a 4-1 victory over last place Sporting JAX. The Rowdies claimed three points off Brooklyn in a 2-0 result in the first-ever meeting between the two sides at Maimonides Park back in June.
Rowdies Playoff Clinching Scenarios
- Rowdies win vs. Brooklyn FC, move to 48pts
OR
- Rowdies draw vs. Brooklyn FC, move to 46pts
Brooklyn maximum points drops to 44pts
AND Birmingham Legion FC draws/loses at Indy Eleven, maximum drops to 45pts
AND Loudoun United FC draws/loses vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, maximum drops to 45pts
AND Miami FC draws/loses vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, maximum drops to 44pts
Milestone Watch
- Rowdies Forward MD Myers (38 goals) is nearing 40 USL Championship regular season goals.
- Rowdies Midfielder Lewis Hilton (37 assists) is nearing 40 USL Championship regular season assists.
- Rowdies Defender Nate Dossantos (9,750 minutes) is nearing 10,000 USL Championship regular season minutes played.
- The Rowdies (149 wins) are nearing their 150th regular season win since joining the USL Championship in 2017.
Rowdies Availability Report
OUT: Archer, Schaefer
