ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (July 13, 2024) – The Tampa Bay Rowdies picked up all three points in their return to Al Lang Stadium after nearly a month on the road, posting a 2-0 result over Orange County SC. Forward Cal Jennings nabbed both goals for the Rowdies, increasing his season total a team-leading 11 goals.
“Getting back to Al Lang was big for us,” said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. “The last three games have been difficult on turf, going to venues that are really hard to play soccer on. You can’t link passes, so you end up changing your style of play. So we were really looking forward to this game and the buildup to it all week. We just wanted to show what we can do.”
Jennings and the Rowdies were on the front foot out of the gate on Saturday. It took only six minutes of action for Jennings to grab the opening goal and snap his three-match scoring drought. With teammates Pacifique Niyongabire doing some dirty work against a defender in the box, Jennings pounced on a loose ball as it rolled in his direction. Sensing an opening, Jenning drove in from the left edge and fired a low, left-footed strike through a crowd of bodies and right at keeper Colin Shutler. However, Orange County’s keeper was unable to handle the attempt, letting it slip through his arms and then between his legs to hit the back of the net. The goal was Jennings’ 60th career tally in the USL Championship.
“A scoring drought for Cal [Jennings] usually is 30 minutes, you know,” said Neilson. “He’s always a threat. He makes great movements in behind. He probably could have had two or three more tonight. The team could have had more tonight overall. Cal and Manuel Arteaga are huge threats for us up top.”
The Rowdies continued to control the match from that point on. Manuel Arteaga nearly doubled the lead shortly after Jennings’ goal, as the ball bounced over Shutler into the box. Arteaga slipped past the keeper, but he sent his effort just wide right of the goal.
Play was halted in the 28th minute for nearly an hour due to lighting in the area. The Rowdies did not let that delay hinder their momentum, though. Four minutes after the restart, Jennings found the back of the net again. A long ball played out of Tampa Bay’s defensive end by Eddie Munjoma bounced favorably for the Rowdies. Arteaga swooped in to beat a defender to the service and headed the ball into the path of the streaking Jennings. After carrying the ball into the box, Jennings deposited a shot into the bottom left corner.
“I went to school at [University of Central Florida], so we had a number of lighting delays, a couple of make-up games,” said Jennings. “A lot of it is just keeping your body moving, keeping your mind right… We’re coming off a moment where we’re playing well in the game, creating lots of chances. We’re talking to each other in the locker to keep our foot on the pedal, keep doing what we’re doing well and have our bodies right once we get back out there.”
Orange County’s hopes at mounting a comeback were hampered when they went down to ten men. After picking up a yellow card just before halftime, Orange County’s Ben Norris earned a second caution with a late sliding tackle on Joshua Perez in the 52nd minute.
While the Rowdies were in the driver’s seat for the rest of the match, a third goal eluded them. Midfielder Charlie Dennis was inches away from scoring when he sent a rocket from just outside the box right into the woodwork.
“When you play against ten men you’ve got to dominate possession more and switch the game up,” said Neilson. “We were a little too edgy to go get the third goal and that hindered us. But we’re creating chances. There will be days when they go in and days when they don’t.”
Coupled with Indy Eleven’s draw against Loudoun United FC on Saturday, the Rowdies win over Orange County lifts them over Indy and into third place in the standings. The two sides are set to square off in Indy in a can’t-miss match next Saturday.
“We’re delighted to get into third place, but we know Indy is a tough place to go. We watched the game today and it’s a difficult surface to go to. But we love these games, these important games where you’re competing against each other to get up in the standings.”
Scoring Summary
TBR – Jennings, 6’
TBR – Jennings (Arteaga), 31’
Caution Summary
OC – Norris, Yellow Card, 43’
OC – Norris, Second Card, Red Card Ejection, 53’
TBR – Crisostomo, Yellow Card, 67’
TBR – Kleemann, Yellow Card, 83’
Lineups
Rowdies: Farr, Doherty, Kleemann (Bubb, 90’), Guillen, Niyongabire, Worth (Crisostomo, 63’), Hilton (Skubis, 90’), Perez (Dennis, 63’), Munjoma, Jennings (Rivera, 69’), Arteaga
Rowdies Bench: Breno, Bubb, DeZart, Skubis, Crisostomo, Dennis, Rivera\
Orange County: Shutler, Lambe, Nakkim (Fox, 46’), Miles ( Chavez, 46’), Doghman, Jamison (Powers, 61’), Norris, Chattha (Dunbar, 74’), Scott, Flood, Zubak (Sorto, 74’)
Orange County Bench: Santana, Chavez, Fox, Powers, Dunbar, Sorto
