USL Championship Matchday 21
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Detroit City FC
Saturday, August 22, 7:00 p.m. ET
Keyworth Stadium, Detroit, MI
2026 League Records:
Rowdies: 13W-2L-5D (7-0-3 on the road), 44 pts, 1st in the East
Detroit: 9W-5L-5D (6-1-2 at home), 32 pts, 3rd in the East
Broadcast: Tampa Bay 44, ESPN+
The Tampa Bay Rowdies kick off their final ten matches of the regular season campaign with a trip to Keyworth Stadium to take on Detroit City FC this Saturday. It will be the first meeting between the two sides since they drew 1-1 in last year’s regular season finale. That result saw the Rowdies officially eliminated from the qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Tampa Bay’s playoff outlook is in a much more promising place heading into this weekend’s matchup, though. With an 11-point lead over
second-place Charleston and a 12-point advantage over third-place
Detroit in the Eastern Conference standings, the Rowdies are on the verge of locking up a playoff berth and in full control in the race for the overall seed in the playoffs.
As has been the case for many clubs, Keyworth Stadium has proven to be a tough place to pick up three points for the Rowdies. The club has won only once in four previous regular season matchups in Detroit, a 1-0 victory back in 2023. The Rowdies can expect another hard-fought battle this weekend, with both sides fielding two of the league’s best
defenses. While the Rowdies lead the league with ten shutouts,
Detroit’s 17 goals allowed on the season is tied with New Mexico United for the second fewest concessions in the league.
Antley’s Accolades
Conner Antley has wasted no time settling back into the Rowdies squad since arriving on loan for his second stint with the club on August 7. The DC United loanee has already made three appearances, including two starts for the Rowdies. Antley nabbed his first-ever Rowdies goal to open the scoring for the Rowdies against Rhode Island and was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for his overall performance in his 105th career appearance for the Rowdies.
Goal(s) of the Week
Louis Perez became the latest Rowdies player to take home Goal of the Week honors this season thanks to his stoppage time volley to seal Tampa Bay’s win over Rhode Island. Perez also earned Goal of the Round in the Prinx Tires USL Cup in Round 2 of the tournament earlier this year. A Rowdies player has now claimed Goal of the Week in the USL Championship regular season five times this year, with three of those awards coming over the last four weeks. Sebastian Cruz, Russell Cicerone, Mattheus Oliveira, and Marco Micaletto have all also claimed the award for the Rowdies.
Bartlow Debuts
Defender Ethan Bartlow recently became the 22nd player to make his Rowdies debut in 2026, earning a start for the club against Rhode Island a few days after arriving in Tampa Bay on loan from Sporting KC. The Washington native registered Tampa Bay’s first shot on target of the night and made three clearances during his 55-minute shift to aid in the shutout effort.
Closing in on 150
The next Rowdies win will mark a significant milestone for the club in the USL Championship. Tampa Bay is only one victory away from reaching 150 regular season wins since joining the league in 2017. The club has found consistent regular season success over the years in the USL Championship, earning a playoff spot in seven of its nine previous seasons.
Double Digit Shutouts
With two straight shutout victories, the Rowdies now lead the league with 10 clean sheets on the season. It’s the sixth time in ten seasons that the Rowdies have registered double digit shutouts in the league. The club’s single season record for shutouts is 15, which was achieved in 2021 when the club claimed their first USL Championship Players’ Shield.
Milestone Watch
- Rowdies Forward Russell Cicerone (249 appearances) is nearing 250 USL Championship regular season appearances.
- Rowdies Forward MD Myers (38 goals) is nearing 40 USL Championship regular season goals.
- Rowdies Midfielder Lewis Hilton (37) is nearing 40 USL Championship regular season assists.
- The Rowdies (149 wins) are nearing their 150th regular season win in the USL Championship.
- Rowdies Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite (8 shutouts) is nearing his single season record of 10 shutouts. Waite set the personal record in 2023 when he helped Pittsburgh win the USL Championship Players’ Shield.
Rowdies Availability Report
OUT: Archer, Schaefer
