Match Recaps

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (September 3, 2016)—The Tampa Bay Rowdies are coming home with a point after a 1-1 draw against the NASL Spring Season champion Indy Eleven on Saturday night at Michael A. Carroll Stadium.

Indy has been one of the strongest home teams in the North American Soccer League this year, posting a 9-2-0 (W-T-L) record on its home turf this season, including Saturday night’s result.

“It was a good away performance,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “We spoke before the match about the importance of getting a result tonight. We would’ve loved to have won, but that was a well-earned point.”

Tampa Bay was first on the scoreboard in the first half, with Justin Chavez putting Tampa Bay ahead in the 28th minute with his first goal as a member of the Rowdies. Joe Cole sent in a lofted free kick from about 35 yards out which was calmly tapped between the legs of Indy goalkeeper Jon Busch by Chavez at the back post to put the visitors ahead.

The Rowdies’ lead was short-lived though, with Indy equalized just six minutes later on a goal by Omar Gordon. Indy’s goal was the result of a passing sequence that was nearly broken up by Rowdies captain Tamika Mkandawire, but his touch wasn’t enough to steer the ball clear of Gordon, who finished it cleanly past Rowdies goalkeeper Matt Pickens for the equalizing goal.

Tampa Bay had the better of the play on the night, but couldn’t become the first visiting team to pick up a win in Indianapolis.

The Rowdies had the majority of possession and controlled much of the play, particularly in the first half, but both teams tallied three shots on target in a tightly-contested match. In eight all-time contests against one another, only twice have the teams avoided a draw.

“I thought in the first half we performed really well, apart from disappointment in the goal we gave away,” Campbell said. “That goal could’ve been prevented, but the guys bounced back well. We shaded the first half with a better performance and they probably had the better of the second half.”

The Rowdies provided only flashes of threatening attacking play in the second half as Indy started to dig its heels into its home turf.

Indy had a few chances late in the match to steal a game-winning goal, particularly on Brad Ring’s laser shot from outside the corner of the box in stoppage time, but his shot went wide of Pickens’ right-hand post.

The Eleven’s second-best chance came in the 83rd minute when Eamon Zayed played a through ball between defenders for Don Smart to run onto in the 18-yard box, but Smart’s shot sailed over the crossbar.

“In the second half, they put us under a bit of pressure, but the guys withstood it,” Campbell said. “(The Rowdies) showed great attitude, great effort and great commitment and I think we deserved the point we got. This is one of the most difficult places to come because they know how to play on their turf and they’ve got a great home record. It’s a good away point and we can build on it.”

Tampa Bay is on the road again next week, visiting Puerto Rico FC on Saturday, September 10 before returning home to host the Carolina RailHawks on September 17 in its next home game.

Scoring Summary
Tampa Bay: Justin Chavez – 28th minute (Assisted by Joe Cole)
Indy Eleven: Omar Gordon – 34th minute

Caution Summary
Indy Eleven: Nicki Paterson – 29th minute
Tampa Bay: Martin Vingaard – 42nd minute
Indy Eleven: Don Smart – 45+ minute
Indy Eleven: Nemanja Vukovic – 88th minute
Tampa Bay: Michael Nanchoff – 88th minute
Indy Eleven: Gerardo Torrado – 89th minute

Lineups
Tampa Bay XI (4-2-3-1): GK Matt Pickens; D Darnell King, D Tamika Mkandawire (c), D Stefan Antonijevic, D Walter Ramirez; M Justin Chavez, M Martin Vingaard; M Eric Avila (Michael Nanchoff 59′), M Joe Cole (Keith Savage 90+’), M PC (Carlos Preciado 77′); F Georgi Hristov

Indy Eleven XI (4-4-2): GK Jon Busch; D Lovel Palmer, D Colin Falvey (c), D Daniel Keller, D Nemanja Vukovic; M Don Smart, M Brad Ring, M Nicki Paterson (Gerardo Torrado 62′), M Duke Lacroix (Dylan Mares 83′); F Omar Gordon (Justin Braun 68′), F Eamon Zayed

Up Next
The Rowdies travel to Puerto Rico for the first time since 2012, where they’ll visit Puerto Rico FC on Saturday, September 10. Tampa Bay will return home for a match against the Carolina RailHawks on Saturday, September 17. For tickets, call (727)222-2000 or click here.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (August 27, 2016) — Joe Cole bagged a brace and the Tampa Bay Rowdies eased to three points with a dominant 2-0 win over Rayo OKC on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium.

“It’s good to finally get the reward for our performance,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “I’ve stood here too often saying, ‘Well, we played really well but (didn’t get a result.)’ Tonight we played really well again but got the result. It’s really pleasing to see how the guys continually pick themselves up when things aren’t going for them. It shows the character, the togetherness and the team spirit is spot on.”

The Rowdies started the match on fire, causing trouble for Rayo OKC from the opening whistle. It seemed like Tampa Bay would take an early lead when Georgi Hristov was felled in the box and the Rowdies were given a penalty kick.

Cole stepped to the spot but his effort was saved by OKC goalkeeper Daniel Fernandes, one of his four saves in the first half.

“I need to thank the fans,” Campbell said. “When we missed the penalty kick in the first half, it would have been easy to sit there and think, ‘Oh no. Here we go again.’ But they didn’t. Straightaway the fans were back at it. They galvanized the team and the players bounced back.”

The first half felt like a repeat of last week, with the Rowdies controlling the match comfortably but unable to find a way past OKC goalkeeper Daniel Fernandes. Last week, Tampa Bay had nine shots on target but was stifled by Matt Van Oekel’s Player of the Week performance in goal for FC Edmonton.

This week, Cole made sure to change the script.

It was Cole that broke the deadlock in the 61st minute with a shot that deflected off OKC defender Futty Danso and the goalpost before making its way into the net for a 1-0 lead, snapping a 317-minute scoring drought for Tampa Bay.

“I feel we played well again tonight,” Cole said. “All credit to the staff and the players. It’s nice to score, but the main thing is the team wins. I’m all about the team.”

The Rowdies wouldn’t have to wait another 317 minutes for a second goal, with Cole tapping in his second of the night in the 70th minute after Georgi Hristov’s shot was saved by Fernandes to put the Rowdies ahead 2-0.

Tampa Bay totally dominated Rayo OKC on the night, tallying 23 total shots, including eight on target, compared to just one on target for the visitors. The Rowdies had 61 percent possession and completed 446 passes compared to just 290 for OKC.

Rayo’s lone shot on target came in the 50th minute with the match still tied at 0-0.

Former Rowdies midfielder Richie Menjivar had a point-blank shot saved instinctively by Pickens. It was Pickens’ sixth clean sheet of the season.

“We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Pickens said. “It’s kind of like a Christmas gift you’ve been wanting for a couple years and then you finally get it. We’re finally getting rewarded for our effort and putting the ball in the back of the net.”

Tampa Bay will look to make it back-to-back wins in Indianapolis next weekend with a Saturday night showdown against the Indy Eleven.

Scoring Summary
Rowdies: Joe Cole (assisted by Georgi Hristov) – 61st minute
Rowdies: Joe Cole – 70th minute

Caution Summary
Rayo OKC: Richie Menjivar – 9th minute
Rowdies: Walter Ramirez – 12th minute
Rayo OKC: Derek Boateng – 38th minute
Rayo OKC: Jared van Schaik – 45th minute
Rowdies: Justin Chavez – 77th
Rayo OKC: Georgios Samaras 77th

Starting Lineups
Rowdies (4-2-3-1): GK Matt Pickens; D Darnell King, D Tamika Mkandawire (c), D Stefan Antonijevic, D Walter Ramirez; M Martin Vingaard, M Justin Chavez, M Eric Avila (Keith Savage 90′), M Joe Cole (Juan Guerra 86′), M PC; F Georgi Hristov (Carlos Preciado 83′)

Rayo OKC (4-3-3): GK Daniel Fernandes; D Kosuke Kimura, D Futty Danso, D Sebastien Ibeagha, D Jared van Schaik; M Richie Menjivar (Devon Sandoval 79′), M Derek Boateng (Yuma 46′), M Michel, M Billy Forbes; F Marvin Chavez (Moises Hernandes 67′), F Georgios Samaras

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (August 20, 2016) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies shot and shot and shot on Saturday night, but couldn’t find a way past FC Edmonton Matt Van Oekel in a frustrating 1-0 loss.

Tampa Bay tallied 21 shots, including nine on target, but Van Oekel made the save time and time again to doom the Rowdies to defeat. The lone goal of the match came in the 74th minute when Tomi Ameobi drew a penalty kick, which was converted by Daryl Fordyce.

“I think we actually had a good performance tonight,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “I liked the way we moved the ball, the way we passed it and the chances we created, but ultimately, we didn’t score. We should have at least two or three goals in front before they got their penalty kick.”

Van Oekel’s nine saves added up to his league-high 10th clean sheet of the season in 19 matches. Goalkeepers can’t have dominant statistical nights like Van Oekel’s without facing a strong, threatening attack.

Tampa Bay was sharp on the night, passing the ball well and creating more than enough chances to win the game, but every time Van Oekel needed to make a save, he did.

“Edmonton are a well-organized, well-disciplined team who are on a great run, so it was a tough loss for us,” Campbell said. “We have to score when we create the chances we do.”

Van Oekel had five saves in the first half, highlighted by a tremendous double save in the 15th minute, denying both Eric Avila and Carlos Preciado’s on-target efforts from 12 yards out within seconds of one another.

In the 28th minute, Tampa Bay’s Tamika Mkandawire rose to meet a corner kick and thumped a header on target with power, but Van Oekel well positioned perfectly to catch it.

It was more of the same in the second half as Van Oekel continued to stymie the Rowdies at every turn.

With the match still tied 0-0 at the hour mark, Rowdies forward Carlos Preciado showed a tricky bit of skill to create space for a shot that he rocketed on target from just outside the 18-yard box, but Van Oekel palmed it over his crossbar to deny Tampa Bay once again.

In the 72nd minute, Joe Cole fired a shot that dipped safely into Van Oekel’s waiting arms.

FC Edmonton’s winner was scored in the 74th minute when Darnell King and Tomi Ameobi got tangled up in Tampa Bay’s box and both went to the ground. The referee blew his whistle and pointed to the spot with Fordyce calmly converting the penalty for a 1-0 lead.

The Rowdies chased the match in the last fifteen minutes, with forward Georgi Hristov and Tommy Heinemann both entering the attack, but Tampa Bay just couldn’t find a way past Van Oekel.

“I’m sorry that we lost the game, we were definitely the better team,” Hristov said. “We had enough chances to win the game easily, but we couldn’t score. If you don’t score, (losing) is how it happens in soccer most of the time. … (Van Oekel) is a good goalkeeper but we should’ve scored. He’s probably the Man of the Match.”

Tampa Bay will seek to snap its losing streak next week at home at Al Lang Stadium against Rayo OKC on Saturday night. For tickets, call (727) 222-2000 or click here.

Scoring Summary
FC Edmonton: Daryl Fordyce (penalty kick) – 74th minute

Caution Summary
FC Edmonton: Shawn Nicklaw – 19th minute
Tampa Bay: Justin Chavez – 35th minute
FC Edmonton: Albert Watson – 69th minute
FC Edmonton: Daryl Fordyce – 84th minute

Lineups
Tampa Bay XI (4-2-3-1): GK Matt Pickens; D Darnell King, Tamika Mkandawire (c) (Tommy Heinemann 78′), Neill Collins (Stefan Antonijevic 18′), Walter Ramirez; M Martin Vingaard (Georgi Hristov 71′), Justin Chavez; M Eric Avila, Joe Cole, PC; F Carlos Preciado

FC Edmonton XI (4-1-4-1): GK Matt Van Oekel; D Shawn Nicklaw, Pape Diakite, Albert Watson (c), Adam Eckersley; M Nik Ledgerwood (Nicolas Di Biase 64′); M Dustin Corea (Sainey Nyassi 71′), Shamit Shome (Cristian Raudales 78′), Daryl Fordyce, Jake Keegan; F Tomi Ameobi

BLAINE, Minn. (August 17, 2016) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies were defeated by Minnesota United FC 2-0 on Wednesday night at NSC Stadium in Blaine, Minnesota. The Loons scored a goal in each half, capitalizing on two costly mistakes by the Rowdies backline.

Both teams failed to created dangerous chances early on until midfielder Ben Speas capitalized on a Walter Ramirez defensive mistake, which left him one-on-one with goalkeeper Matt Pickens. Speas fired his shot past a hopeless Pickens to make it 1-0 for the home team in the 18th minute.

“It was a good overall performance by us, but it was individual mistakes that cost us the match,” said Rowdies head coach Stuart Campbell. “After their first goal, we created multiple scoring opportunities to equalize, but it was our errors that ultimately sentenced the match. We can’t keep performing well on the road and come away with zero points.”

The Rowdies settled down after the goal, creating most of the chances in the remainder of the half. Right after the half-hour mark, forward Carlos Preciado had the opportunity to equalize but he whiffed his attempt to shoot from just outside the 6-yard box. Forward PC was quick to jump on the ball, but right before he could get the shot off, it was cleared by Minnesota. 

Tampa Bay continued to apply the pressure, looking to equalize the match. Two minutes after the previous chance, PC got another opportunity to score, this time only to be denied by the crossbar. Just as his long-range shot looked to have gone past Minnesota goalkeeper Sammy Ndjock, it was the frame of the goal that denied PC and the Rowdies the equalizer. 

As the half was coming to an end, the combination of PC and Preciado created one of the most dangerous chances in the match. PC shook off his defender and sent in a low cross into the 6-yard box, finding an incoming Preciado. His shot went just inches wide of the net, keeping the match 1-0 in favor of the Loons.

With 45 minutes left to turn the match around, the Rowdies continued to apply the pressure on Minnesota. Forward Georgi Hristov had the chance to equalize in the 55th minute after a defensive mistake, which left the Bulgarian in one-on-one with Ndjock. Minnesota’s defenders were able to track Hristov down forcing him to take an uncomfortable shot that trickled to Ndjock.

Just when it looked like the Rowdies were coming close to equalizing the match, forward Christian Ramirez doubled the lead for Minnesota after another poor defensive mistake by the visiting team. This time it was Antonijevic that failed to properly clear the ball, leaving Speas with space to cross the ball to the far post. After defender Aaron Pitchkolan got a touch to it, Ramirez was waiting at the far post to tap it in.

Trailing 2-0, the Rowdies poured players forward hoping to cut the lead in half.

Chances by midfielders Keith Savage and Joe Cole were denied by Ndjock and a solid Minnesota defense multiple times, while Preciado continued to find space but could not get the Rowdies on the scoresheet.

Preciado had another clear chance in the 88th minute, redirecting a long ball just feet from Ndjock, but somehow Ndjock was able to get his hand on the ball to earn his sixth shutout of the season. Minnesota played with 10 men for the final minutes of the match, after midfielder Jack Blake was shown a red card for a foul on Cole.

Tampa Bay returns home to Al Lang on Saturday night when they host FC Edmonton with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (727) 222-2000 or by clicking here.

Scoring Summary
Minnesota: Ben Speas – 18th minute
Minnesota: Christian Ramirez – 62nd minute (assisted by Aaron Pitchkolan)

Caution Summary
Tampa Bay: Juan Guerra – 14th minute
Minnesota: Damion Lowe – 21st minute
Tampa Bay: PC – 64th minute
Tampa Bay: Joe Cole – 80th minute
Minnesota: Jack Blake – 82nd minute (red card)
Minnesota: Sammy Ndjock – 87th minute

Starting Lineups
Tampa Bay XI (4-3-3): GK Matt Pickens (C); D Justin Chavez, Neill Collins, Stefan Antonijevic, Walter Ramirez (Eric Avila 64′); M Keith Savage, Juan Guerra (Joe Cole 46′), Martin Vingaard; F Georgi Hristov (Tommy Heinemann 72′), Carlos Preciado, PC

Minnesota XI (4-2-3-1): GK Sammy Ndjock; D Jeb Brovsky, Damion Lowe, Aaron Pitchkolan (C), Justin Davis; M Juliano Vicentini (Jack Blake 46′), Ibson; M Jamie Watson, Ben Speas (JC Banks 82′), Ismaila Jome (Lance Laing 70′); F Christian Ramirez

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (August 13, 2016) – The Tampa Bay Rowdies were defeated 3-2 by the New York Cosmos on a wild night at James M. Shuart Stadium.

“I’m devastated,” said head coach Stuart Campbell. “I’m devastated for the players, coaches, and everyone associated with the Rowdies organization. We played a good match and came away with nothing. We have a midweek game that will help us move forward and get past tonight’s loss.”

Tampa Bay raced to an early 2-0 lead on goals by Joe Cole and PC in the opening 15 minutes, but the drama was just getting started.

The Rowdies got off to a flying start, scoring two goal in a three minute span to give the visiting team a 2-0 lead just 14 minutes into the match. 

The Rowdies goal came right after the Cosmos were just inches away from opening the scoring. Goalkeeper Matt Pickens was able to pounce on a free ball inside the 6-yard box and start the counter attack for the Rowdies. Moments before the clock hit the 12th minute, PC reached the endline and whipped a ball to the far post, finding an oncoming Cole who slotted the ball into the net. With the goal, Cole now has five goals and four assists in 11 league matches.

After picking up his first assist with the club, it wouldn’t be long before Brazilian midfielder PC would get his first goal with the Green & Gold. 

The Rowdies doubled the lead in the 14th minute, after forward Carlos Preciado played a ball to an oncoming PC. The midfielder smashed the ball into the goal to score his first goal with the club.

All looked controlled for the Rowdies after going up 2-0, but the Cosmos began to immediately push for that goal that would cut the lead to just one.

New York found what they were looking for in the 39th minute, after the referee signal to the penalty spot. It would be Moffat who sent the ball in the opposite direction of a diving Pickens.

The second half began with both teams creating chances as the match opened up. Midfielder Eric Avila looked to chip Maurer in the  52nd minute to extend the Rowdies lead but it was parried away by the goalkeeper.

As the match passed the hour mark, all went downhill for the Rowdies.

Moffat scored from the spot in the 62nd minute, capitalizing on a foul inside the box on forward Lucky Mkosana.

With the score tied up, each team had a player ejected in the 68th minute. Rowdies Assistant Coach Raoul Voss and Cosmos Assistant Coach Alecko Eskandarian were also ejected from the match, departing in the 63rd minute.

When it looked like the match was going to end in a draw, it was second-half substitute David Diosa who scored New York’s game-winning goal in stoppage time. A low cross by Andres Flores found an incoming Diosa who left Pickens with no chance to make a save.

The Rowdies will continue their two-game trip with a Wednesday match against Minnesota United FC before returning home to face FC Edmonton on August 20. Tickets are available by calling (727) 222-2000 or by clicking here.

Scoring Summary
Tampa Bay: Joe Cole – 11th minute (assisted by PC)
Tampa Bay: PC – 14th minute (assisted by Carlos Preciado)
New York: Adam Moffat – 39th minute (penalty)
New York: Adam Moffat – 64th minute (penalty)
New York: David Diosa – 90+ minute (assisted by Andres Flores)

Caution Summary
Tampa Bay: Juan Guerra – 20th minute
New York: Ayoze – 22nd minute
New York: Jimmy Mulligan – 29th minute
Tampa Bay: Tamika Mkandawire – 36th minute
Tampa Bay: PC – 59th minute
Tampa Bay: Darnell King – 68th minute (red card)
New York: Adam Moffat – 68th minute (red card)
Tampa Bay: Neill Collins – 68th minute
New York: Yasmani Duk – 68th minute
New York: Andres Flores – 90+ minute

Lineups
Tampa Bay XI (4-3-3): GK Matt Pickens; D Darnell King, Tamika Mkandawire (c), Neill Collins, Walter Ramirez; M Martin Vingaard, Joe Cole (Michael Nanchoff 83′), Juan Guerra; F Eric Avila (Justin Chavez 70′), Carlos Preciado (Georgi Hristov 76′), PC

New York XI (4-1-4-1): GK Jimmy Maurer; D Jimmy Mulligan, Hunter Freeman (c), David Ochieng, Ayoze; M Adam Moffat; M Lucky Mkosana, Juan Arango (David Diosa 86′), Andres Flores, Jairo Arrieta (Danny Szetela 72′), F Yazmani Duk (Sebastian Guenzatti 76′)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (August 6, 2016) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies are back to their winning ways after a 2-1 victory over the rival Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium.

Keith Savage and Joe Cole scored the goals for the Rowdies and Matt Pickens made another clutch penalty save in the second half to keep Fort Lauderdale behind and help the Rowdies earn all three points. Jose Angulo scored the Strikers’ lone goal.

With the win, the Rowdies have clinched their season series over the Strikers with a game to spare, beating Fort Lauderdale twice in two matches so far in 2016.

“I’m definitely pleased with the result,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “After two tough losses on the road, it’s not going to be pretty. You want to come and win three or four-nil, but it’s not like that. You’ve got to grind out a result. The players showed great character tonight. We asked for it before the match and they delivered.”

Playing in front of a home crowd of 4,997, the Rowdies looked sharp in the first half but ultimately followed a familiar script.

As has been the case so many times this season, Tampa Bay dominated possession and play, but failed to convert and take a lead in the first 45 minutes. 

With the match still scoreless as the second half kicked off, the Rowdies finally started to turn their domination on the field into domination on the scoreboard.

Savage opened the scoring in the 50th minute, receiving a cross from Joe Cole and smashing it off the underside of the crossbar and into the net for his first goal in nearly two calendar years.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” Savage said. “The stars aligned and it was meant to be. … I couldn’t believe it came to me. It’s fortunate because I just kind of stood there and it came right to my left foot. I’m thankful it went in.”

Eight minutes later, Cole got himself onto the scoresheet.

Cole played Hristov a ball into the box and then made a charging run to the penalty spot. Hristov spotted the run and found Cole 18 yards from goal for a first-time shot past Fort Lauderdale goalkeeper Bruno and into the net for a 2-0 lead.

Up a pair of goals, the match nearly slipped away from the Rowdies.

“Two-nil is probably the worst score you can have in professional football,” Campbell said. “Subconsciously, you probably think it’s game over and the opposition really has nothing to lose. They got that one goal and you could see the massive amount of pressure we were under.”

Fort Lauderdale found a lifeline on Angulo’s goal in the 71st minute which cut the Rowdies’ lead in half.

Just a few minutes later, Tamika Mkandawire was whistled for a handball and the Strikers were awarded a penalty shot. Pickens correctly dove to his left-hand side to deny Adrianinho’s spot kick and preserve the Rowdies’ lead.

Pickens was called upon again in the 89th minute to deny Angulo from point-blank range for his fifth and final save of the night to get the Rowdies back in the win column.

Up next, the Rowdies head to New York to face another rival, the Cosmos, next Saturday night.

Scoring Summary
Rowdies: Keith Savage (assisted by Joe Cole) – 50th minute
Rowdies: Joe Cole (assisted by Georgi Hristov) – 57th minute
Strikers: Jose Angulo (assisted by Adrianinho) – 71st minute

Caution Summary
Strikers: Gale Agbossoumonde – 19th minute
Rowdies: Tamika Mkandawire – 21st minute
Rowdies: Keith Savage – 55th minute
Strikers: Luis Felipe Fernandes – 61st minute

Starting Lineups
Rowdies (4-3-3): GK Matt Pickens; D Darnell King, D Tamika Mkandawire (c), Neill Collins, D Walter Ramirez; M Martin Vingaard, M Joe Cole, M Keith Savage (Juan Guerra 85′); F Eric Avila, F Carlos Preciado (Tommy Heinemann 82′), F Georgi Hristov (PC 78′)

Strikers (4-2-3-1): GK Bruno; D Nana Attakora, D Gale Agbossoumonde (c), D Julius James, D Jorge Luis Corrales; M Manny Gonzalez (Bryan Arguez 85′), M Luis Felipe Fernandes; M Geison Moura (Jose Angulo 57′), M Ramon Nunez (Adrianinho 70′), M Paulo Junior; F Maicon Santos

OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada — A difficult week for the Tampa Bay Rowdies hit another speed bump Saturday with a 2-0 defeat to the Ottawa Fury FC in Canada’s capital city.

Mallan Roberts scored Ottawa’s opener in just the second minute of play and Tamika Mkandawire scored an own goal in the 36th minute to put the Rowdies down a pair. Ottawa recorded just one shot in the entire first half, but led 2-0 at the break regardless.

The match could hardly have started worse for Tampa Bay, with a seemingly harmless ball looped into the box by Maxim Tissot following an Ottawa free kick.

Rowdies midfielder Joe Cole cleared the free kick delivery out of the box, but Tissot put it back in with his first touch and Roberts found an open path to the ball. His first touch was on target, sneaking under Matt Pickens and into the net for an early Ottawa lead.

“We defended the free kick well and cleared it, but in the second phase, we switched off and got caught sleeping,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “After a couple of minutes, the whole gameplan changes. The boys responded well and we were pushing and pushing for a goal before the own goal.”

Matters got worse half an hour later when Mkandawire, retreating toward his own goal, attempted to head a ball back to the safety of Pickens.

Pickens, however, was not where Mkandawire expected him to be and it was immediately clear that neither player could recover in time to prevent the own goal. Pickens made a heroic dive to get a touch on it, but couldn’t deflect it wide enough.

Tampa Bay didn’t give up on the match, consistently putting pressure on Fury FC goalkeeper Romuald Peiser. The Rowdies ended up with three shots on target, more than Ottawa’s two, but couldn’t recover from the wobbly start.

Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell used all three of his substitutions on attacking players, but with a two-goal lead, Ottawa could afford to sit back and safely absorb pressure as time ticked away.

Some of Tampa Bay’s best chances on the night came from set pieces, including a Mkandawire effort on target in the 54th minute, but Peiser was correctly positioned at every time of need.

Five minutes later, Tommy Heinemann had a chance to score in his former home stadium, but he sprayed a shot wide of target.

Tampa Bay’s last good chance of the match came in the 84th minute when Cole received a pass from second-half substitute Freddy Adu and fired a left-footed curling shot to the back post. It was deflected out for a corner kick and the Rowdies were unable to capitalize.

“We’re in one of those runs at the minute where things are going for us,” Campbell said. “We’re not getting the roll of the ball. The week we’ve had caught up on us. I think for the first time really we looked fatigued toward the end. We had a tough couple of days on the road so we’re definitely looking forward to getting back home and starting a new week to build for a great home game.”

Up next, the Rowdies return home to the friendly confines of Al Lang Stadium to host the rival Fort Lauderdale Strikers next Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, call (727)222-2000 or click here.

Scoring Summary
Ottawa: Mallan Roberts – 2nd minute (Assited by Maxim Tissot)
Rowdies Tamika Mkandawire – 36th minute (Own Goal)

Caution Summary
Ottawa: Jamar Dixon – 16th minute
Rowdies: Georgi Hristov – 38th minute
Rowdies: Darnell King – 70th minute

Starting Lineups
Rowdies XI (4-3-3): GK Matt Pickens; D Darnell King, Justin Chavez, Tamika Mkandawire (c), Walter Ramirez; M Martin Vingaard (Junior Burgos 64′), Joe Cole, Michael Nanchoff; F Eric Avila (Tommy Heinemann 46′), Georgi Hristov, Kalif Alhassan (Freddy Adu 74′)

Ottawa Fury FC XI (3-5-2): GK Romuald Peiser; D Mallan Roberts, Rafael Alves, Lance Rozeboom; M Jamar Dixon, Julian De Guzman, Mauro Eustaquio, Bryan Olivera (Giuseppe Gentile 84′), Maxim Tissot (Eddie Edwards 66′); F Carl Haworth (Ryan Williams 75′), Thomas Stewart

OKLAHOMA CITY (July 27, 2016) — A goalkeeping blunder cost the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City as the Rowdies fell 1-0 to Rayo OKC.

The decisive moment of the match came against the run of play late in the first half when goalkeeper Matt Pickens misplayed a ball, allowing Billy Forbes to calmly head it into the net to put the home team up 1-0. 

The Rowdies controlled much of the first half and long portions of the second, but couldn’t find the equalizer on a frustrating night at Miller Stadium.

Tampa Bay was without Head Coach Stuart Campbell and Assistant Coach Raoul Voss as both served one-game suspensions following their dismissal from Tampa Bay’s match last Saturday. Assistant Coach Stuart Dobson served as head coach, with Rowdies 2 Head Coach filling in as the first team assistant.

“I don’t know exactly what the stats are going to say, but the possession was outstanding,” Dobson said. “The guys fought really hard and we created numerous chances but couldn’t find the back of the net. One long ball down the middle beats us, something we should’ve taken care of. It was one of those nights.”

Dobson was aggressive in the second half as the Rowdies chased the 1-0 deficit, inserting Michael Nanchoff, Carlos Preciado and Kalif Alhassan into the match, but the Rowdies couldn’t find a way past Rayo OKC goalkeeper Daniel Fernandes on the night.

Tampa Bay’s only previous match against Rayo OKC, a 1-1 draw on May 14, also saw the Rowdies commit a defensive error that led to OKC’s only goal.

The mistake that allowed for Rayo OKC’s goal Wednesday night could have been overshadowed had the Rowdies finished their chances. Pickens came out of his 18-yard box to clear a ball before Forbes could get onto it, but an awkward bounce off the artificial turf meant the ball was difficult for Pickens to kick. Forbes capitalized on the mistake, comfortably heading the ball into the goal.

“I would never blame this loss on any one player because we created enough chances to win the game,” Dobson said. “Matt’s been terrific all year. He made a mistake, but that was probably his first of the year. He’s a top goalkeeper in this league. It was a mistake but we had enough chances to make up for it.”

It’s a quick turnaround for the Rowdies now, who head to Ottawa, Canada for a Saturday night tilt against the Ottawa Fury FC. Coaches Campbell and Voss will return to the sideline Saturday night.

Scoring Summary
Rayo OKC: Billy Forbes – 43rd minute

Caution Summary
Rowdies: Walter Ramirez – 21st minute
Rayo OKC: Kosuke Kimura – 23rd minute

Starting XI
Rowdies XI (4-3-3): GK Matt Pickens; D Darnell King, Justin Chavez, Tamika Mkandawire (c), Walter Ramirez; M Martin Vingaard, Juan Guerra (Carlos Preciado 66′), Keith Savage (Michael Nanchoff 57′); F Eric Avila (Kalif Alhassan 77′), Tommy Heinemann, Georgi Hristov

Rayo OKC XI (4-4-2): GK Daniel Fernandes; D Kosuke Kimura, Futty Danso, Sebastien Ibeagha, Moises Hernandez; M Sebastian Velasquez (Pecka 90+’), Derek Boateng, Michel (c), Billy Forbes (Richard Menjivar 86′); F Robbie Findley, Devon Sandoval

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (July 23, 2016) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies and New York Cosmos shared the points Saturday night with a wild 2-2 draw at Al Lang Stadium.

After a scoreless first half, the Cosmos took a 2-0 lead to the 84th minute, but a pair of late goals helped the Rowdies walk away with a point. Keith Savage forced an own goal in the 84th minute and Joe Cole equalized the match from the spot six minutes into stoppage time.

“I was really excited coming into the game,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “When the Rowdies and Cosmos clash, it’s a big, big event. There’s usually fireworks and there were definitely fireworks tonight, on and off the pitch.”

New York’s Juan Arango put the Cosmos ahead with a spectacular free kick in the 53rd minute and Yasmani Duk doubled the lead in the 67th, but the night was far from over.

A series of controversial calls brought the crowd of 6,301 to a boiling point on a steamy summer night in St. Petersburg with the Rowdies feeling like they were getting the worse end of decisions.

The most notable of the calls came with the Rowdies down a goal in the 57th minute when Cole cut his way into the Cosmos’ box. Cole was contacted from behind and fell forward onto the ball, which hit his arm before eventually trickling across the line to the pull the Rowdies level. The goal was waived off due to handball, ratcheting the intensity of the match up another few clicks.

“It was a competitive game with two good teams playing with tenacity,” Cole said. “It was a great game for the fans to watch and we showed a lot of mettle, but I just feel like we’ve been on the wrong side of so many decisions. … We don’t seem to be getting any decisions, any breaks, and I don’t know why.”

When the Rowdies started to hang their heads in frustration, the fire of the crowd lifted them back. Veteran leadership on the field started to show as Tampa Bay made its own luck down the stretch.

“The fans kept the players going,” Campbell said. “They could’ve easily felt sorry for themselves 2-0 down against a good Cosmos team, but the atmosphere in the stadium tonight was probably the best I’ve ever known it. The fans were unbelievable. You guys lifted the whole stadium. Everybody’s got to take credit for that.”

The resilience started to pay off in the 84th minute when a marauding run from Tamika Mkandawire into New York’s box ended up with Keith Savage receiving the critical pass and forcing an own goal to cut the deficit in half. 

The match carried on deep into stoppage time until Tommy Heinemann was fouled in the box and the Rowdies earned a late penalty kick. Cole buried the penalty to snatch a tie from the jaws of defeat in another epic chapter of the Rowdies vs. Cosmos rivalry.

Tampa Bay is on the road for two matches next week, visiting Rayo OKC on Wednesday and the Ottawa Fury FC on Saturday. The Rowdies will be without Campbell and Assistant Coach Raoul Voss in Oklahoma after both were dismissed from Saturday’s match.

The Rowdies will be home again Saturday, August 6 to host the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Tickets are available by calling (727) 222-2000 or clicking here. 

Caution Summary
Rowdies: Martin Vingaard – 30th minute
Rowdies: Michael Nanchoff – 45th minute
Rowdies: Georgi Hristov – 54th minute
Rowdies: Darnell King – 59th minute
Cosmos: Yasmani Duk – 62nd minute
Cosmos: David Diosa – 83rd minute
Cosmos: Juan Arango – 90+ minute
Cosmos: Jimmy Ockford – 90+ minute

Scoring Summary
Cosmos: Juan Arango – 53rd minute
Cosmos: Yasmani Duk (assisted by Lucky Mkosana) – 67th minute
Rowdies: Own Goal – 84th minute
Rowdies: Joe Cole – 90+’th minute (penalty)

Starting Lineups
Rowdies (4-3-3): GK Matt Pickens; D Darnell King, D Justin Chavez, D Tamika Mkandawire, D Walter Ramirez; M Martin Vingaard, M Joe Cole, M Keith Savage; F Eric Avila, F Georgi Hristov (Tommy Heinemann 81′), F Michael Nanchoff (Carlos Preciado 66′)

Cosmos (4-4-2): GK Brian Holt; D Hunter Freeman, D David Ochieng, D Carlos Mendes, D Ayoze; M Juan Arango, M Danny Szetela, M Adam Moffat, M David Diosa (Jairo Arrieta 82′); F Yasmani Duk (Ruben Bover 72′), F Lucky Mkosana