The Tampa Bay Rowdies take a break from their six-match unbeaten run in the USL Championship regular season to kick off their quest for the Prinx Tires USL Cup this Saturday at Al Lang Stadium. Lining up against the Rowdies in the opening round of group play is a new foe from south of the Skyway, USL League One’s Sarasota Paradise.
Tampa Bay met Sarasota earlier this year in the preseason, claiming a 1-0 win in the inaugural charity Cochol Cup, but this weekend marks the first competitive meeting between the two local rivals. The Rowdies home pitch at Al Lang is only 40 miles away from Sarasota home at Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch.
“The Cochol Cup in preseason was great,” said longtime Rowdies Midfielder Lewis Hilton. “To lift that preseason trophy with our fans was good. Hopefully we can do it now in a more competitive environment. To have these local rivalries is always a little more fun to be part of as a player. I’m sure it’s enjoyable for the fanbase as well. We’re looking forward to getting out there and playing in front of our fans.”
Last Year in the Cup
This year’s edition of the Prinx Tires USL Cup marks Tampa Bay’s second run in the competition. The tournament, now in its third year, was only opened up to USL Championship clubs last year. After picking up two wins and a draw in their first three group stage matches, the Rowdies missed out on advancing to the knockout rounds on the final day of group play in a defeat at the hands of Charleston. With the Rowdies out of contention for this year’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the Prinx Tires USL Cup offers the club a shot at earning some hardware outside of league play.
What They’re Saying
“It adds that little bit more motivation when you play in these local rivalries. We know what it means to the fanbase and we know what it means to the club to be the best team in the area… It adds that little more excitement to it all.” – Midfielder Lewis Hilton on the Rowdies matching up with all Florida teams in the group stage.
“I think the stakes are always high, so for me there’s no difference, but obviously with a chance to win silverware in a cup comeptition, it gets everyone excited. We’re really excited to go for it.” Rowdies Head Coach Dominic on the his outlook on the start of the cup competition.
How the Prinx Tires USL Cup Works
The field for this year’s Prinx Tires USL Cup includes 42 total teams from the USL Championship and League One. Teams have been split into seven regional groups, with the Rowdies group being comprised exclusively of teams based in Florida. Each team will play two home matches and two away matches in the group stage of the tournament, which kicks off this weekend and concludes on July 11.
During group play, teams are awarded the standard three points for a win and one point for a draw. However, games that end in a stalemate after 90 minutes will immediately go to a penalty shootout, with the winner of the shootout receiving an additional point.
The top team from each group at the end of the group stage and one wild card team will advance to the knockout phase of the tournament. The wild card spot will be awarded to the second-place team with the most points in group play. The eight advancing teams will battle it out in single-elimination matches until a cup winner is crowned on October 4.
Rowdies Group Stage Schedule
| Match | Kickoff Time | Tickets/Watch Party |
|---|---|---|
| April 25, vs Sarasota Paradise | 7:30 p.m. ET | Buy Tickets |
| May 16, at Miami FC | 7:00 p.m. ET | Colony Grill (St. Petersburg location) |
| June 6, at Sporting JAX | 7:00 p.m. ET | Colony Grill (St. Petersburg location) |
| July 11, vs FC Naples | 7:30 p.m. ET | Buy Tickets |
Prinx Tires USL Cup Knockout Rounds
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Quarterfinals | August 13 |
| Semifinals | September 9 |
| Final | October 4 |
