The Basics
Swope Park Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
Sunday, July 7, 5 p.m. ET
Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kan.
Follow us for live updates on Twitter at @RowdiesGameday
How to Watch
The match will be broadcast online on ESPN+ here. International viewers can watch online here.
Records
Tampa Bay: 10-1-6 (W-L-T), 1st place; 5-0-2 on road
Swope Park: 2-8-6 (W-L-T), 16th place; 2-3-4 at home
Rowdies Notes
The Tampa Bay Rowdies reclaimed first place in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference last weekend via Sebastian Guenzatti’s stoppage time winner to beat Ottawa Fury FC 2-1 at Al Lang Stadium. The Rowdies had led the East from May 18 before falling to second place on June 26 after the Indy Eleven’s win over Birmingam Legion FC. Tampa Bay took first place back just three days later.
The Rowdies are at the halfway point of their regular season and lead the USL Championship in its entirety with a slim one-point edge over the Western Conference’s Phoenix Rising FC. Tampa Bay boasts the fewest losses in the league (1) and the best goal difference in the Eastern Conference (+16). The Rowdies are tied with Indy for fewest goals conceded (10) and clean sheets (9.)
Sebastian Guenzatti leads the team in scoring with nine goals, good for fifth-best in the league. He scored five goals last season and was Tampa Bay’s returning leading scorer coming into this year. His most frequent strike partner, Juan Tejada, is the Rowdies second-leading scorer with six goals in his first professional season. Guenzatti and Tejada have both scored in each of Tampa Bay’s last two matches.
The Rowdies acquired forward Lucky Mkosana in a trade with Louisville City FC last Friday. One day later, he came off the bench and provided the game-winning assist in the second minute of added time. Mkosana played for the Rowdies in 2013 and 2014. Saturday night’s appearance was his first match for the Rowdies in 1,702 days.
Rowdies defender Caleb Richards was voted the USL Championship Young Player of the Year this week. Richards, on loan from Norwich City FC, leads the Rowdies in minutes among field players this season, having missed only two minutes of action all season.
Flipping a trend from recent seasons on its head, the Rowdies have actually been much better away from Al Lang Stadium this season than at home. Tampa Bay has averaged 2.43 points per game on the road with a record of 5-0-2 (W-L-T), compared to 1.9 points per game at home.
Injury Report
DOUBTFUL – Jaime Siaj (quad strain)
QUESTIONABLE – Andrew Tinari (groin)
