The Basics
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
Wednesday, August 22, 7 p.m. ET
Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Follow us for live updates on Twitter at @RowdiesGameday
How to Watch
The match will be broadcast online on ESPN+ here.
Records
Pittsburgh: 12-3-8; 7-2-4 at home; 2nd place
Tampa Bay: 7-10-6; 2-7-1 on road; 12th place
Rowdies Notes
The Rowdies return to action after a bye week following their 2-0 home loss to North Carolina FC on August 11. Tampa Bay was locked in a scoreless draw at halftime of that game before a pair of goal from North Carolina in the second half doomed the Rowdies to their third home defeat of the season.
Tampa Bay heads to Pittsburgh mired in a scoring drought of nearly four matches. Since Stefano Bonomo scored in the eighth and ninth minutes of the Rowdies’ 2-2 draw with New York on July 28, the Rowdies have been shut out by Ottawa, Charleston and North Carolina.
Rowdies captain Joe Cole is eligible to play Wednesday night. He missed the Rowdies’ last match due to a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation.
Since they last played, the Rowdies have made one addition to their roster, signing goalkeeper Daniel Vega, who played the previous three seasons with Miami FC in the NASL and NPSL. Vega made 65 NASL appearances for Miami FC in 2016 and 2017 and then led Miami FC 2 to the NPSL National Championship earlier this month.
It’s been a summer of upheaval for the Rowdies, who have undergone a significant midseason roster rebuild since Neill Collins was appointed head coach May 18 Of the 27 players on the current roster, nine were signed after the season began. That group includes Leon Taylor (signed April 5), Dominic Oduro and Afrim Taku (both signed June 20), Kwadwo Poku (June 26), Stefano Bonomo (July 3), Kyle Porter (July 13), Pape Diakite (July 20), Tarek Morad (August 8) and Daniel Vega (August 16).
Center back Tamika Mkandawire could become the sixth player in the Rowdies Modern Era to reach 100 appearances in green and gold if he plays Wednesday night. Mkandawire has started eleven matches this year. He made his first appearance July 12, 2014 against the Atlanta Silverbacks. When he reaches 100 appearances, he will join Georgi Hristov, Keith Savage, Takuya Yamada, Matt Pickens and Frankie Sanfilippo as the only Rowdies to reach 100 in the Modern Era.
- Suspended: None
- Injury Report: OUT: D David Najem (torn ACL, April 14)
D Kyle Curinga (sprained ankle, May 12)
M Lance Rozeboom (right knee sprain, June 2)
