ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies closed the preseason on a high note with a 1-0 win over USL Championship newcomers Sporting Jacksonville at the Rowdies training facility in Tampa on Saturday afternoon.
“I think it was a good outing for us,” said Rowdies Head Coach Dominic Casciato. “Jacksonville have got some good players, they were well organized and had some good ideas with the ball. It was a good test for us, and I thought the players were excellent in terms of the way they applied themselves. We perhaps could have had one or two more goals, but that’s just another thing for us to look at heading into the season. But overall, it was a really good performance from the guys.”
Tampa Bay’s margin of victory could have been much higher if not for several quality saves from Jacksonville’s goalkeepers. The visitors fielded a different keeper in each half, with the two combining to make six saves in the match.
Rowdies wingback Charlie Ostrem earned the first two attempts on frame of the contest, heading two efforts toward the goal that were handled by the keeper. Midfielder Pedro Dolabella then came close to nabbing a go-ahead goal at the half hour mark when he flicked a cross from teammate Karsen Henderlong on target that Jacksonville’s keeper managed to kick away.
Tampa Bay’s Sebastian Cruz then forced the keeper into a diving save in the 42nd minute, firing a low strike from the top of the box that looked to be on its way into the back of the net.
Dolabella eventually put the Rowdies ahead from the penalty spot in first half added time. Henderlong earned the penalty after being dragged down by a defender as he turned toward goal just inside the top of the box. Dolabella struck his penalty with confidence to the right as the keeper dove the opposite direction.
The Rowdies wrapped up the preseason with just one loss in their slate of seven matches. Saturday saw several players play their first 90-minute match of the preseason, including midfielder Lewis Hilton. The Englishman, who missed a significant amount of time due to injury last year, heads into his seventh Rowdies season as the longest tenured player on a squad full of nearly 20 new players.
“Everything is really positive in this group,” said Hilton. “The team is really starting to implement how Dom wants us to play, and I think everyone is fully committed to how we want to look like as a team. It was good to get 90 minutes under my belt and to get everyone more minutes today against a proper USL Championship team. We’re all really excited for the season to start. I’m feeling good and happy to just be playing. I’m ready to help the team however I can.”
The real action starts next week as the Rowdies travel to face Birmingham Legion FC in the USL Championship Season Opener on Saturday, March 7. Kickoff for the match is set for 8 p.m. ET.
““I think everyone is excited for the start of the season next week,” said Casciato. “It’s been a good preseason. All the guys know exactly what’s expected of them, and when you’ve got that type of clarity, I think you’ve got the chance to be successful. Hopefully we can start well and kick off from there.”
Scoring Summary
TBR – Dolabella (Penalty), 45+4’
Rowdies Lineup: Waite, Acoff (Perez, 46’), Schaefer, Dossantos (Wyke, 68’), Ostrem (Ostrem, 46’), Hilton, Dolabella (Vivi, 68’), Schneider, Cruz, Cicerone (Micaletto, 68’), Henderlong (Trialist, 68’)
