Matchday 30
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Memphis 901 FC
Saturday, September 23, 7:30 p.m. ET
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, FL
Matchday Special: $8 Buy One Get One Free Bud Light and Budweiser beer all match long
Tickets: Fans can purchase tickets by clicking here or at the stadium box office starting at 4 p.m. ET
Watch: Stream the match on ESPN+
The Tampa Bay Rowdies are set for round two versus Memphis 901 FC this Saturday at Al Lang Stadium. Tampa Bay and Memphis squared off only a couple weeks ago, with Memphis securing all three points in the final moments after Tampa Bay had led for most of the night.
That late loss in Memphis isn’t the only time in recent weeks that the Rowdies dropped points in the dying moments of a match. This past Saturday, the Rowdies rallied from down 2-0 to take a 3-2 lead in San Antonio only to allow an equalizer off of a corner kick in stoppage time. Conceding late is a trend the Rowdies will look to halt as they aim to pick up as many points as possible in their final five matches of the regular season.
With the playoffs fast approaching, there is little more room for error if the Rowdies want to secure the top seed in the east and the best overall regular-season record in the league to guarantee home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
“As a group we’re mentally engaged in getting the most out of ourselves in the last stretch of the regular season,” said Rowdies forward Josh Perez. “I think this team is resilient and dedicated to getting what they want. We want to make the most out of what we have left and get the maximum points.”
Making Al Lang a Fortress
If you need to know why clinching home field advantage in the playoffs is so important, just look at how formidable the Rowdies have been at Al Lang this year. The Rowdies have now won six straight matches at Al Lang, matching a club record for consecutive home wins. In fact, the Rowdies have not been on the losing end of a league result at home since April 12.
Depth Test
Just as it seemed as if the Rowdies were nearing full strength for the first time since the start of the year, a few more players have joined the injury list. The Rowdies were without two-time USL Championship Defender of the Year Forrest Lasso for most of last Saturday’s contest in San Antonio. Lasso joined the injured ranks with Conner Antley and Aaron Guillen, who both missed out last week due to knocks picked up the week before. Still, the Rowdies managed to secure a point off of last year’s league champions, maintaining their place in the race for the top seed in the east and the Players’ Shield. That depth will continue to be tested over the next week as the Rowdies face three matches in seven days.
Milestone Watch
A trio of Rowdies are nearing their 100th appearance for the Green & Gold. Jordan Doherty, made his professional debut with the Rowdies versus Memphis as an 18 year old in 2019 will make his 100th appearances this Saturday. Meanwhile, midfielder Lewis Hilton sits with 98 appearances and defender Conner Antley has 96 heading into the weekend.
Injury Report
OUT: Leo Fernandes, Sebastian Dalgaard, Zach Herivaux, Abel Caputo
QUESTIONABLE: Conner Antley, Forrest Lasso, Aaron Guillen
