ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies picked up their fourth consecutive victory in league play with a 2-0 result over Rhode Island FC on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium. With the win, the Rowdies now lead the USL Championship table with 44 points earned and 10 matches left to play in the season.
“The spirit and the heart that the guys showed tonight was really impressive,” said Rowdies Head Coach Dominic Casciato. “It made me really proud to coach these guys. I mean, they were excellent tonight against a good team, a strong, physical team with really good players.”
The two sides fought to a scoreless stalemate through the first 45 minutes of play, with each keeper producing impressive saves to keep the ball out of the back of the net. Rowdies newcomer Ethan Bartlow, making his first appearance since joining the club on loan from Sporting KC on Tuesday, guided a header on target five minutes into that match that was denied at the last second by a diving save from Rhode Island’s Goalkeeper Koke Vegas.
Rhode Island attacker Yutaro Tsukada earned a chance for the vistors just a few minutes following Bartlow’s header, firing a powerful strike toward the near post that Rowdies Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite managed to contain. The stop on Tsukada marked Waite’s 250th career regular season save in the USL Championship. The Jamaican international finished the night with three total saves to secure his eighth shutout of the season.
Tampa Bay’s breakthrough goal finally came just past the hour mark when Dion Acoff slipped a ball down the right edge of the box for teammate Conner Antley, who shook off a defender by cutting inside and drilling a left-footed strike past a helpless Vegas to break the deadlock. The tally was a long time coming for the Georgia native, who recently rejoined the Rowdies on loan from DC United for his second stint with the club late last week. Antley’s go-ahead strike marked his first-ever goal for the Rowdies in his 105th club appearance.
“Conner was excellent tonight,” said Casciato. “He scored an unbelievable goal and defensively solid. He does what great players do, which is show up and perform when you need them to.”
Tsukada probed Tampa Bay’s goal again a few minutes after Antley’s goal. Waite was up to the task, though, getting down to his left to trap the attacker’s low strike from inside the box.
Substiutes Russell Cicerone and Louis Perez combined in the second minute of added time to ice the match for the Rowdies. With a couple of defenders closing in on him in the box, Cicerone chipped the ball over them and back toward the top of the box where Perez was waiting to smash a volley straight into the bottom right corner. The Frenchman now has four goals on the season.
Saturday was the third shutout recorded by the Rowdies over the last week, with the club now ranking first in the league with 10 clean sheets. Despite falling in penalties to Louisville City FC in the Prinx Tires USL Cup on Wednesday, the defensive showing by the squad is an encouraging sign as the club heads into the final third of the regular season.
“I just think the response this week shows how diligent the guys are, how focused the guys are in terms of our approach and what we know how to do,” said Rowdies Dender Nate Dossantos. “We know how to do it. We know we can keep clean sheets consistently. It’s just about applying ourselves and bringing that focus each game.”
With the Charleston Battery and Detroit City FC both dropping points on Saturday, the Rowdies were also able to extend their lead at the top of the Eastern Standings while also maintaining their pace as the frontrunners for the Player’s Shield.
“We’re very happy with the win,” said Rowdies Midfielder Pedro Dolabella. “It was a very tough week. We had three very hard games. We’re just so happy to bring the win in front of the fans. I think this is for them, and to make their weekend better. It’s all we can ask for, so very happy.”
The Rowdies will have a chance to increase their lead over Detroit City again as they hit the for a head-to-head meeting in the Motor City at Keyworth Stadium next Saturday, August 22 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
“Every game is a final, especially when we go away,” said Dolabella. “Away games are usually decided by one goal. It’s hard to score multiple goals away… We are very confident. This win tonight lifts us up. We rest a little this coming week. It’s been a tough week. Hopefully we rest a little now and go there with full power and bring three points home.”
Scoring Summary
TBR – Antley (Acoff), 61’
TBR – Perez (Cicerone), 90+2’
Caution Summary
RI – Bacharach (Yellow Card), 45+2’
TBR – Conway (Yellow Card), 53′
RI – Klein (Yellow Card), 77′
TBR – Schneider (Yellow Card), 90+1′
Stats Summary: TBR / RI
Shots: 18 / 7
Shots on Goal: 6 / 3
Saves: 3 / 4
Corner Kicks: 8 / 3
Fouls Conceded: 6 / 14
Offside: 8 / 3
Possession: 45.2 / 54.8
Lineups
TBR: Waite, Acoff, Antley (Nigro, 84′), Bartlow (Wyke, 55′), Dossantos, Ostrem, Dolabella, Hilton (Schneider, 55′), Micaletto (Perez, 75′), Henderlong (Cicerone, 66′), Conway (Myers, 55′)
TBR Bench: Pack, Nigro, Rodriguez, Wyke, Perez, Schneider, Cicerone, Myers
RI: Vegas, Scardina (Rovira, 83′), Stoneman, Nodarse, Sanchez (Afonso, 67′), Bacharach, Shapiro-Thompson (Klein, 73′), Lwizera, Fuson (Rodriguez, 67′), Tsukada (Atkinson, 67′)
RI Bench: Castro, Rovira, Rodriguez, Williams, Atkinson, Klein
