by JAKE NUTTING
While they may not be natural geographic rivals, the matchup between Tampa Bay Rowdies and Charleston Battery has produced some exciting and contentious contests over the years. This Saturday’s meeting at Al Lang Stadium, the 22nd match between the two sides, is sure to be another compelling entry in the series history as both clubs look to gain ground in the standings race.
When the Rowdies first entered the league in 2017, Charleston was one of the club’s with a consistent track record of success that the Rowdies looked to emulate. At the time, Charleson had qualified for the playoffs nine straight seasons and claimed two league titles under then head coach Michael Anhaeuser. When Neill Collins took charge of the Rowdies in May of 2018, there was a sense that if the club was going to become a consistent title contender, they would inevitably have to go through clubs like Charleston and Louisville City FC to do so.
That’s exactly what they did in 2020, knocking out Charleston in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and then Louisville in the Conference Final. Those back-to-back playoff wins were a watershed moment for the Rowdies, who went on to repeat as Conference Champions and win the league’s Players’ Shield the following year.
As the Rowdies rose in the ranks with three straight appearances in the Conference Final, Charleston ebbed in the rankings. The South Carolina side missed the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons in 2021, leading to a parting of ways with Anhaeuser. Charleston fell even further the following year as they finished the 2022 season third from the bottom in the league standings with only 25 points.
Charleston’s fortunes have turned around the last two seasons, though. In his first season at the helm, head coach Ben Pirmann led the Battery to an Eastern Conference title and their first appearance in the league’s championship final in over a decade. Charleston is right back in the thick of the title race this season, as they currently sit second in the league’s overall standings with 40 points through 20 matches played. Sitting third in the standings with 35 points, the Rowdies will be eager to claim all three points off of Charleston this week and close the gap as the second half of the season gears up.
“Charleston has some real quality players,” says Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson, who will get his first taste of the Rowdies-Battery rivalry this Saturday. “They’ve got Aaron Molloy with them, and their strikers are real threats and have been scoring goals this year. There are threats, but we believe that if we play our game to our level, we expect to win these games.”
Along with the action on the field, the supporters of both clubs have embraced the budding rivalry through Tampa Bay and Charleston’s shared seafaring history. Inspired by the pirate roots of both regions, the independent supporters groups of the Rowdies and Battery have celebrated the No Quarter Derby since 2019. Every year, the supporters of the club who wins the regular-season series receives a trophy styled to look like a treasure chest which must be filled with local spirits for the winners to enjoy. Tampa Bay claimed the first No Quarter Derby in 2019, but Charleston have won three of the first five derbies and are the reigning winners after sweeping the Rowdies last year.
It feels fitting that Tampa Bay versus Charleston has grown into a marquee matchup on the calendar every year. Not many teams in the league have history dating back to before this century. Founded in 1993, the same year the original iteration of the Rowdies were playing their final season before going dormant, Charleston has stood the test of time over the past three decades. With both storied clubs boasting star players and stacking up as two strongest attacking and defensive sides in the league this season, there’s no doubt that this year’s matchups will be appointment viewing for fans across the league.
Top Moments in History of Tampa Bay vs Charleston
- August 3, 2019 – Lucky Mkosana notches an opening goal 32 seconds into the match against Charleston. Mkosana’s goal stood as the fastest goal in the Rowdies modern era until JJ William’s tally 27 seconds into a match against Louisville on October 15, 2023. Mkosana and the Rowdies posted a 5-0 that day in 2019, clinching the first ever No Quarter Derby.
- October 7, 20240 – The lone playoff meeting between the two sides. After losing three of four regular season meetings against Charleston, the Rowdies emerged victorious in the playoffs with a 1-0 win thanks to a late goal from Lucky Mkosana to earn a spot in their first Eastern Conference Final.
- July 2, 2021 – Rowdies captain Sebastian Guenzatti nets a game-winning goal from the penalty spot in his 100th appearance for the club.
- October 7, 2021 – Sebastian Guenzatti bags a brace, while Leo Fernandes and Steevan Dos Santos each score a goal in a 4-2 win at Al Lang Stadium, completing a four-game season sweep over Charleston.
- September 10, 2022 – Sebastian Guenzatti netted his 60th Rowdies goal, matching Georgi Hristov’s club scoring record. Guenzatti eventually broke Hristov’s scoring record a few weeks later.
NO QUARTER DERBY WINNERS
2019: Rowdies (6-1 season aggregate)
2020: Charleston (4-3 season aggregate)
2021: Rowdies (8-3 season aggregate)
2022: Charleston (3-1 season aggregate)
2023: Charleston (5-1 season aggregate)
