USL Championship Matchday 4
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Sporting JAX
Saturday, April 4, 7:30 p.m. ET
Hodges Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
League Records
Rowdies: 3-0-0 (1-0-0 on the road), 9 pts, 2nd in the East
Jacksonville: 0-3-1 (0-2-0 at home), 1 pt, 11th in the East
Broadcast: Tampa Bay 44, CBS Sports Golazo
Watch Party: Join the official Rowdies Wach Party this Saturday at Colony Grill in downtown St. Petersburg. Don’t forget to wear your favorite Rowdies gear to enjoy discounts on food and drinks.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies aim to continue their perfect start to the 2026 campaign this Saturday as they hit the road to face Florida’s newest USL Championship side, Sporting JAX. Last week’s victory over Loudoun United FC gave the Rowdies three wins to start the season for the first time since 2021. Six teams ended the first month of the season without a loss in their ledger, but only the Rowdies and Louisville City FC have claimed wins in every matchup so far.
A win this weekend in Jacksonville would put the Rowdies one victory away from matching the five-match winning streak the club posted at the start of 2021 before going on to win the USL Championship Players’ Shield that year. However, the Rowdies must get the job done in Jacksonville before anyone starts seriously talking about matching or breaking records.
While Sporting JAX is new to the league, this Saturday won’t be the first time the Rowdies have faced off against a team from Jacksonville. A decade ago, the Rowdies battled Jacksonville Armada FC when the two sides competed in the NASL. The Rowdies held the edge in their all-time series with Armada FC, earning two wins and two draws from five matchups.
Schaefer’s Homecoming
Saturday’s contest in Jacksonville has extra meaning for Rowdies loanee Brian Schaefer. The defender will have his first chance to play in his hometown since he entered the professional ranks two years ago. Schaefer grew up in Atlantic Beach, one of Jacksonville’s largest beach communities, and was a standout for the Fletcher High School before moving down to Tampa Bay to join the University of South Florida. The 23-year-old, who is on loan from Major League Soccer’s FC Cincinnati, is off to a strong start in his first year with the Rowdies. He’s played every minute of the first three matches, helping the Rowdies earn two clean sheets and limit the opposition to three total shots on target across all three matches.
Cruz Blasts His Way into Team of the Week
Sebastian Cruz earned a couple of individual honors this week following his stellar showing against Loudoun United. The California native took home the USL Championship Goal of the Week for his right-footed strike to open the scoring early in the match. Cruz also earned his first USL Championship Team of the Week selection, becoming the third Rowdies player to earn a spot on the team so far this year. Cruz is one of just four players that has played every available minute in 2026.
Conway Continues Contributing
Rowdies Foward Evan Conway nabbed his first assist for the club last week by setting up teammate MD Myers for his team-leading second goal of the year. Conway now has a goal and an assist in only 22 minutes of action. With that assist, Conway has also recorded a goal contribution in his last five regular season appearances, recording four goals and one assist dating back to his final three appearances at the end of the 2025 season with North Carolina FC.
Scouting Jacksonville
Sporting JAX’s inaugural season in the USL Championship is off to a rocky start. The club has picked up just one point through its first four matches and conceded seven goal in their two matches last week. Scottish Manager Liam Fox, who most recently served as interim manager for Heart of Midlothian, has been tasked with leading Jacksonville in their first campaign. Former Republic of Ireland youth international Kyle Sadlier leads the club with two goals through the first four matches. The 31-year-old forward is one of the more experienced signings on Jacksonville’s inaugural roster. Sadlier has almost 300 professional appearances in England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland under his belt.
Upcoming Rowdies Milestones
- Rowdies Forward Russell Cicerone (70 goals + 29 assists) is nearing 100 regular season goal contributions in his USL Championship career. Cicerone would be the 11th player in league history to reach 100 goal contributions.
- Rowdies Defender Laurence Wyke (99 appearances) is nearing his 100th appearance for the Rowdies across all competitions. Wyke would be the 11th player from the Rowdies 2021 Players’ Shield winning squad to hit 100 club appearances.
- Approaching 100 regular season appearances: Jahmali Waite (98)
- Approaching 30 regular season assists: Russell Cicerone (29)
- Approaching 30 regular season shutouts: Jahmali Waite (29)
Rowdies Availability Report
OUT: Archer, Vivi, Wyke
QUESTIONABLE: Nigro
