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Friday’s 1-0 victory over Hartford Athletic was an important one for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. After a string of inconsistent results over the last month and change, the club was finally able to record back-to-back wins for the first time since early July. 

It was also a welcome result as the previous matchup at Al Lang Stadium against Hartford on July 13 was one of the frustrating recent outings for the Rowdies. Hartford shut the Rowdies out and took all 3 points that night despite the Rowdies out-shooting them 22 to 11. The visitors were minutes away from blanking the Rowdies again this week despite a similar lopsided shooting advantage for the Rowdies (26 to 2 this time), but the Rowdies were never discouraged and eventually found their winner.

“The players stuck to their task and they got what I think they deserved,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “You know with Hartford there’s always that threat and they showed that at times in the first half. So the players had to be 100 percent focused and I think that kept us very honest. I’m just pleased for the players that they got what they deserved for a lot of their hard work. I think their concentration paid off at the death.”

The win also put the Rowdies back on top of the Atlantic Division standings. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC had its chance to retake first place on Saturday night, but instead the club fell 1-0 on the road to the Charlotte Independence. Similar to the Rowdies, Pittsburgh has discovered it’s not so easy to keep hold of that stop spot when every other club is gunning for you. Pittsburgh has now dropped two straight matches for the first time this season.

Tampa Bay heads to Pittsburgh this Wednesday for one of two remaining matchups between the two sides in the regular season. The Rowdies are only ahead right now based on the goal differential tiebreaker and they also have two games in hand on Pittsburgh, so this week’s match is a good opportunity to create some space in the standings. In three trips to Pittsburgh since joining the USL Championship, the Rowdies have yet to record a win (1 loss, 2 draws).

“The preparation obviously starts now,” Collins said of the upcoming Pittsburgh trip. “It’s such a tight conference. I’m sure you hear it from every coach across the league, but right now every game is so difficult, every game’s a challenge. Not just because of the opponent, but because of the travel, because of the surfaces, because of the environment you’re going to play in. This is a great challenge for us going into Pittsburgh. I’m looking forward to it and I’m sure the players will be. It’ll be like every game on the road, we’ll have to bring our best to bring home some points.”

Dos Santos and Tejada Return
Other than the 3-point result, fans who made it to Al Lang on Friday were also treated to the return of strikers Steevan Dos Santos and Juan Tejada. Dos Santos made the starting lineup and got his first action since going down with a broken foot at the end of May, while fan-favorite Juan Tejada earned his first minutes of the year after coming back from a hamstring injury suffered in the offseason.

“When you get to know these guys, you feel for them when they go through those injury struggles,” said Collins. “Juan has stayed patient and now he’s back and hopefully we can keep him fit. We know he’s an asset… It’s just nice to have a bit of competition. I had to leave Zach Steinberger out tonight and, as much as I don’t like doing that to Zach who’s been fantastic for us, I actually do like the fact that we’ve got options and I hope we continue to have options between now and the end of the season.”

Despite the fact that he did not end up on the scoresheet, Dos Santos looked as much of a threat as he did back in May when he tallied 3 goals and helped the Rowdies start the season with 4 straight wins. The Cape Verde native narrowly missed with a left-footed strike taken as he was falling backward and also drew several fouls in dangerous areas.

“Steevan’s been a top player in this league for a number of years for a reason,” said Collins. “He brings some great physical attributes. He was unlucky to not get a goal. I think the biggest thing for me is he’s a nuisance to play against. I had to deal with him as a player and I know how awkward he is, so I know even on a bad day you have to be at the top of your game. If we can force teams to be at the top of their game more often than not, that’s a big positive. I think he makes us better and I also think some of our players show him in a good light.”

Adebayo-Smith’s Persistence
While Dos Santos and Tejada understandably got much of the attention on Friday, it was Jordan Adebayo-Smith who stole the show with the game-winning goal in the 85th minute. The tally was his second in as many matches and his fourth overall this year.

Adebayo-Smith came on strong in his first season with the Rowdies, bagging two goals in the first 5 matches. He then unfortunately hit a cold stretch and had a couple notable misses in front of goal. Collins elected to leave him on the bench a couple times in recent weeks, but the 20-year-old attacker has come back with two strong performances in a row.

“You’ve got to go back to Charlotte when we lost 2-nil,” said Collins. “We didn’t bring Jordan on that night. I don’t think he was going through his best spell at that point in time. It’s just like anything in life, but particularly sport, how do you react to that? I think he reacted fantastically leading into New York, then he went on and started and scored. Then I left him out (tonight) because I felt it was a night for something else but he’d had another great week in training and he responded with a goal. That’s how you go on to have a career. That’s how you go on to have a contribution for a team. Everyone in our team should be looking at that, thinking it’s not about the coach’s decision to not put them on or pick them. It’s about how they respond. Because he went from not getting on to starting the following week. I’m pleased for him. He’s got so much potential, we’ve just got to try and get the best out of him.”

Stingy Rowdies
Friday might have been the most sound the Rowdies have on defense this year, and that is saying something considering how resolute the club was in the first half of the season. The Rowdies are the only team to have shutout Hartford this year and they’ve done it twice now. On Friday, the Rowdies limited Hartford to two total shots, neither of which was on target.

“I thought we defended very well again as a team,” said Collins. “Hartford showed some threatening moments that really kept us on our toes. I think they’re one of the best attacking sides. I think their goals for column shows that. But tonight I think the boys put on an all-around performance… I don’t think it was any one specific thing, I just think it was a good all-around performance that we needed.”

A maddening aspect of the Rowdies recent slump is the conversion rate of opponents, who seemed to be taking advantage of every rare chance the Rowdies would allow. The Rowdies do not give up many scoring chances. Up to this point, no team has allowed fewer shots on goals than the Rowdies, who have allowed just 44. El Paso Locomotive FC is the only other side who has allowed fewer than 50 shots on goal.

ST PETERSBURG, Fla (August, 13 2021) – For 85 minutes on Friday night at Al Lang Stadium, it looked as if the Tampa Bay Rowdies were doomed to suffer a similar result as the last time they hosted Hartford Atheltic.

The Rowdies out-possessed and out-shot Hartford by vast margins just as they did in a 1-0 defeat last month, but this go around the Rowdies were the one on the winning end of that same scoreline.

“Credit to the players,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. ” There was a lot of good aspects to our performance and it would have been easy to get frustrated but they didn’t. They stuck to the task and got what I think they deserved.”

Substitute Jordan Adebayo-Smith was the one to break through for the Rowdies and secure all three points late into the match.

The Rowdies started the night on the front foot and didn’t let up on the visitors all night. In his first appearance since breaking a bone in his foot back in May, forward Steevan Dos Santos was a lively presence up top and came close to a headed goal five minutes in to the match off a corner kick from Lewis Hilton.

Aaron Guillen had the next look at goal and was thwarted well by keeper Jeff Caldwell. The rebound off Guillen’s attempt fell for Sebastian Guenzatti, whose ensuing shot clipped the shot of defender Thomas Janjigian. No penalty was awarded, though.

Guenzatti and Dos Santos each had promising opportunities on goal as the half wore on. Guenzatti missed a header wide right after midfielder Yann Ekra played a pin-point pass over the back line. Dos Santos missed to the opposite post, striking the ball with his left foot as hell backwards in front of goal.

Before making way for Lucky Mkosana in the 56th minute, Dos Santos came within a few inches from another headed chance. His replacement, Mkosana, then had the best chance of the night up to that point. Running on to a tremendous long ball forward from defender Forrest Lasso, Mkosana found the exact right line to split the defenders and slip into the final third. He struck the ball on frame with his first touch, but Caldwell was up to the task and parried the ball away.

The winner was eventually found through a set piece opportunity. Lewis Hilton’s initial corner kick was headed back from where it came by Lasso. Hilton then sprinted to regain possession and deliver the ball back in for Adebayo-Smith, who was stymied with his first attempt but found a way to thread his second shot through the crowd in front of goal.

The result seems to be a fair one given the Rowdies registered 22 shots compared to Hartford’s 2, and none of those efforts from Hartford were on frame. That resolute performance allowed the Rowdies were able to record their first clean sheet since July 2.

“It was a good all-around performance and it needed to be, and we still only managed to beat them with a late goal at the death,” said Collins. “That just shows you how good you have to play to get the better of any team in this conference. Obviously we’re pleased we were able to get and hopefully we can just keep building on the performance.”

With the win, the Rowdies move back into first place in the Atlantic Division standings by virtue of goal differential tiebreaker. They stand even at 33 points, though, with next Wednesday’s opponent Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.

Scoring Summary
Adebayo-Smith 85’ (Hilton)

Lineups
Rowdies: Louro; Scarlett, Lasso, Guillen; Antley, Hilton, Ekra, Wyke, Lachowecki; Dos Santos, Guenzatti

Hartford: Caldwell; Lara, Yacoubou, Janjigian, Torres; Ashitey, Martinez, Barrera; Boudadi, Elney, Obregon Jr

Gameday Info
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Hartford Athletic
Friday, August 13, 7:30pm ET
Al Lang Stadium, St Petersburg, FL

Pre-Game Show: Tune in for the pre-game show hosted by The Unused Substitutes live from Al Lang at 7pm T. The show can be stream on the Rowdies Gaming Twitch channel here.

Watch: Stream the match on ESPN+ here.

Follow Along: Live updates for the match will be posted on Twitter at @RowdiesGameday. Score Updates will also be posted on the Rowdies’ Instagram and Facebook accounts. 

After two weeks away, the Tampa Bay Rowdies are back in St. Petersburg and aiming to continue the momentum from last week’s 2-1 win at New York Red Bulls II. This Friday’s opponent is Hartford Athletic, a side that just took 3 points off the Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium 5 matches ago. 

“I think the players were very focused going into New York,’ said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “As you can see last night when New York played Charlotte, (New York’s) environment and their style is difficult. I thought we picked up a deserved win and the players are looking to build on it. The mood is good, the mood is determined.”

The win in New York was an all-around solid performance from the players, but Max Lachowecki stood out with a goal and an assist. Lachowecki was  a late addition to the starting lineup in New York after Leo Fernandes picked up a knock the day prior and he made the most of just his second start of the year.

“I’ve been in the league long enough to know you play different roles on different teams,” said Lachowecki. “I’ve been the guy that plays 33 games in a season and, not to say I couldn’t do that now, I’m just in a different role and a different team. Sometimes it can be frustrating. This is a very talented team, a very talented group of guys. Sometimes you find yourself on the out. That was the case at the start of the season, but with soccer you know your shot is going to come at some point and you’ve gotta be ready. That’s one thing I’m very proud of. That’s not just me. There are other guys on the team who do that as well.”

Lachowecki’s mentality to stay committed even when he’s not getting regular minutes is a huge reason why Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins has so much respect for Lachowecki as a player and a leader in the club’s locker room.

“The biggest thing about Max is he’s always the same,” said Collins. “By that I mean, whether he comes on in the first minute, the 65th minute, or the 85th minute he’s always gonna give me 100 percent effort, intensity, and attitude. He understands what we want. He always channels his frustration in the right way, with the mindset ‘I’m gonna train hard and I’m gonna show you.’ That’s why Max is here.”

Opposition Notes

Hartford enters Friday’s match off the back of a 4-2 loss to the Western Conference’s Colorado Switchbacks FC.  Coach Harry Watling’s side now sits fourth in the Atlantic Division standings but has also gone without a win in its last three outings. Expect Hartford to give the Rowdies another tough challenge as they did last month when the notched a win at Al  Lang.

“Hartford have had some really good results throughout the season,” said Collins. “I think they’ve been in every game. They’re a threat. They’ve scored goals. We are going to have to handle their attack. That’s going to be a big thing. Every team they’ve played, they’ve caused them problems. We need to be ready to deal with that. They go on the front foot, which is an exciting thing to watch.”

Since their trip to Tampa Bay in July, Hartford has added 17-year-old midfielder Kenan Hot, who has registered two appearances already and made his first start in the club’s loss to Colorado.

A Different Type of Challenge

Everyone, especially the players, are happy to have a full season of soccer this year after the 2020 condensed season. However, with that return to normalcy comes a new challenge of readjusting to the rigors of long season and more games on short rest. Now that the Rowdies have reached the midway point of the season, avoiding a lull in the back half is something the players are mindful of.

“We’re 16 games into the regular season and last year we only played 16 games in the regular season,” said Lachowecki. “Having it be almost a full year since guys have played a full 32 or 34 game season, it kind of sneaks up on you a little bit and you think alright we’ve still got 16 more games to go. That can mentally, maybe more than physically, be a little bit draining. I think our team is as good as any as being mentally equipped to handle that and that’s something I’m probably most proud of with our team, how prepared and willing we are to better ourselves and, even though we’ve had a few difficult moments, not to give in. Everybody seems to 100 percent bought in trying to weather that storm and it looks like we’re heading in the right direction and making our way out of that.”

The Remaining Unknowns

Several players that have been out for an extended period of time have either recently returned to the field or are nearing their return. Forward Steevan Dos Santos’s has healed and will in all likelihood play some amount of minutes on Friday night. His addition will be a big boon to the Rowdies. Through just four matches in May, Dos Santos bagged 3 goals and helped create several goals for others.

With Dos Santos’ return, as well as the imminent return of Juan Tejada, the Rowdies will become a bit more of an unknown factor again.

“The biggest thing for me and my coaching staff is we are planning for a lot of unknowns,” said Collins. “How is Juan Tejada going to be better playing with a Steevan Dos Santos? How is Lucky going to benefit from having Juan and Steevan back over the next few weeks? How is git going to help when Dayonn Harris is back fit? How is that going to help our wingbacks when these guys are back? How is it going to help our number 10s — Yann, Zach, Matt? I think we’ve adjusted relatively well and I think at times we could’ve done better without those names I’ve mentioned. But there’s a lot of unknowns. So for me, it’s not necessarily about what areas to improve, but it’s to find out how we can maximize once these guys are back. How successful can we be by putting these guys in the right position?… It all comes back to how can we get these pieces fit and then start utilizing them the right way.”

Injury Report
OUT: Dayonn Harris, Luiz Fernando
Questionable: Leo Fernandes, Juan Tejada

The Tampa Bay Rowdies picked up 3 much-needed points on the road on Friday night, defeating New York Red Bulls II with a 2-1 result. Max Lachowecki played a role in both of Tampa Bay’s goals, recording his first assist and goal of the season.

Tampa Bay’s night did not start ideally, as the hosts were able to grab the lead just 9 minutes into the match. After controlling the opening minutes, New York broke through on a quick buildup through the middle of the field that culminated with Serge Ngoma playing a pass to Jake LaCava at the top-left edge of the box. LaCava then drove forward before slotting a right-footed blast past Evan Louro.

After conceding the opening goal, the Rowdies began to assert themselves on the match. Jordan Adebayo-Smith earned the first chance of the night in the 25th minute, receiving a pass from Lachowecki, shaking off a defender in the box and getting a shot across goal that missed at the far post by inches.

Just 8 minutes later, though, Adebayo-Smith found the back of the net off a set piece opportunity. MIdfielder Lewis Hilton’s looping corner kick found the head of Forrest Lasso, who sent it back across goal. Lachowecki made a great effort to get onto Lasso’s header and sent back across goal one more time for Adebayo-Smith, who had been left unmarked on the back post for an easy header. The tally was Adebayo-Smith’s third of the year and his second against Red Bulls II.

The young Rowdies attacker threatened to add another just two minutes into the second half as well. Chasing down a long ball played into New York’s end of the field, Adebayo-Smith penetrated the box and had only keeper Luca Lewis to beat. New York’s keeper, though, was up to the attack and closed down Adebayo-Smith’s angle and blocked the ball out for a corner kick.

From the ensuing corner kick, the Rowdies were able to take the lead as Laurence Wyke collected a half clearance on the left edge of the box and crossed the ball for Lachowecki, who guided the ball into the bottom left corner with a diving header.

New York attempted to mount a comeback by ramping up the pressure in the final 20 minutes, but the Rowdies defense largely held its shape. Apart from a mixup between Louro and Lasso on a cross into the box that gave New York a look at goal, the Rowdies limited the hosts to very little in the final third. LaCava’s strike in the 9th minute remained New York’s only attempt on target of the night.

With the win, the Rowdies remain 3 points back of the Atlantic Division leaders, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, who knocked off the Charleston Battery on Friday. The Rowdies return to Al Lang stadium next Friday for a matchup against Hartford Athletic.  

Scoring Summary
NY – Jake LaCava (Serge Ngoma) 9’
TBR – Jordan Adebayo-Smith (Max Lachowecki) 33’
TBR – Max Lachowecki (Laurence Wyke) 47’

Lineups:
Rowdies: Louro; Scarlett, Lasso, Guillen; Antley (Dalgaard 68′), Hilton (Doherty 54′), Ekra (Steinberger 86′), Wyke, Lachowecki; Adebayo-Smith (Mkosana 68′), Guenzatti

New York: Lewis; Pendant, Williams, Tombul, Castillo (Brummet 79′); Rafanello, Zajec, Edelman, LaCava, Sowe (Jørgensen 64′), Ngoma

Gameday Info
Tampa Bay Rowdies at New York Red Bulls II
Friday, August 6, 7:00 pm ET
MSU Soccer Park, Montclair, NJ

Watch: Stream the match on ESPN+ here.

Follow Along: Live updates for the match will be posted on Twitter at @RowdiesGameday. Score Updates will also be posted on the Rowdies’ Instagram and Facebook accounts. 

This Friday, the Tampa Bay Rowdies travel to face New York Red Bulls II for the second time this season. The club took all three points from its last trip to New York in June, with 20-year-old forward Jordan Adebayo-Smith nabbing the lone goal in a 1-0 result. 

That match in New York was the first road trip of the year for the Rowdies and since then the club has had struggles finding points on the road. In their last five road contests, the Rowdies have lost four and won once. This Friday, the Rowdies will aim to return to the level they performed to two months ago 

“We have definitely been poorer on the road this year than we ever have,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “I don’t see so much the problem as us being on the road, the problem right now is we’ve just not performed. On the road you just have to have this stoic, resolute mentality that we’ve probably missed just slightly because maybe we’ve just been used to being dominant. Playing all those home games, (to start the season) you’re used to dominating and playing your way. It takes away some being on the road, knowing that you have to adapt and you have to be flexible and hang in there sometimes. That’s something we need to get back to and we will.” 

Veteran midfielder Yann Ekra, who recently became the fifth player in USL Championship history to reach 200 league appearances, believes they are still on the right path to start earning wins consistently again. 

“Of course when we don’t have the results we want, we’re mad and we’re angry, but we’re doing the right things. We always work hard in training. Everyone has a good mentality. We know we’re going to turn this thing around and get better. That’s all our focus right now, to keep doing what we’re doing and push even more to get better each day.” 

Everyone’s Target
With last week’s loss in Charlotte the Rowdies fell to second in the Atlantic Division standings, 3 points back of the new top team Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. As the defending Eastern Conference champions, the Rowdies to be the target of every team lining up against them this year. Success ultimately turns you into a team each opponent is excited to test themselves against. 

“We got ourselves to the top, but as they always say it’s much harder to stay there because it’s easy to motivate yourself to play against the top team,” said Collins. “Teams have always been motivated to play against us but more so than ever because we’ve been a bit of a yard stick. That’s been what we’ve noticed and something we relish. Every team has to deal with adversity. Every team has to deal with suspensions, injuries. I just feel we’ve had a real condensed period where it’s been much tougher than it has probably been since the start of my tenure in 2018. This year it’s been difficult every week to find the right team because you’re missing just vital pieces and the vital pieces affect other people on the team. That then makes it more difficult when these teams are so fired up. I think we’ve tried to keep it in perspective as a staff to not overanalyze.” 

Stretching the Squad 
As some injured Rowdies move closer to their return, others move into the injured column themselves. Forward Lucky Mkosana now has two appearances off the bench under his belt after missing the first three months of the season. Forwards Steevan Dos Santos and Juan Tejada have progressed well in their respective recoveries and could be in line to return this month. However, Matt Srbely and Dayonna Harris have both been sidelined in recent weeks with their own knocks.

Srbely could be in line for minutes this weekend, but it would still be in a limited capacity, meaning other players will need to continue to carry the load this Friday. 

“We’re a small squad and we’ve been pushed,” said Collins. “It’s not just that we’ve had injuries. It’s that we’ve had injuries in key areas of the team. We’ve had Sebastian Guenzatti and Jordan AdebayoSmith as our only fit and available strikers until Lucky’s come back. Lucky’s only just now come back. We’ve got to be mindful building him up. You can’t just come back from the layoff he’s had and come straight in. 

“Any team missing the talent we have at the top of the field are going to suffer. I think we still could have dealt with it better over the last month but I think now we’re going to come through that period. We learn when we go through these difficult periods. We’ve got a great team of lads that are willing to get better. They do all the right things. They respond the right way. We’ll learn from it. We’ll come out of it stronger. I’ve got no doubt we’ll come through this period stronger for the last half of the season. If we really do that and the lads continue to have that attitude we’ll actually benefit from those experiences and losses.”

Injury Report:
OUT: Juan Tejada, Dayonn Harris, Luiz Fernando

QUESTIONABLE: Matt Srbely, Steevan Dos Santos

The Tampa Bay Rowdies became the first visiting team to fall at the Charlotte Independence’s new home venue on Saturday night. After playing to a scoreless stalemate through the first 45 minutes, the Rowdies allowed the hosts to grab two goals to claim a 2-0 win at American Legion Memorial Stadium in North Carolina.

Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins kept the same starting lineup and bench from last week’s win over Loudoun United FC back at Al Lang Stadium. The only subtraction was Dayonn Harris, who suffered a hamstring injury coming off the bench against Loudoun.

For the first half hour or so in Charlotte, Collins was relatively happy with how things were shaping up for his side.

“I actually thought the start of the game was very good from our point of view,” he said. “We were very happy for about 20 minutes and then, whether it was intensity or concentration, I felt we let the individual mistakes creep in. When you look back, it was a lot of individual errors that gave them encouragement. I’m not taking anything away from Charlotte, but it was our individual mistakes that gave them hope and opportunities. That was what was most disappointing about the performance.”

Charlotte’s Sylvain Marveaux and Brandt Bronico both found themselves with space and the ball at their feet in the box in the first half, but they both were off the mark with their efforts.

The Rowdies had the only attempt on goal in the first half. That belonged to right wingback Conner Antley, who collected the ball at the top of the Charlotte’s box and rifled a rising shot on target. However, keeper Brandon Miller got just enough on the ball to tip it over and out for a Rowdies corner. Unfortunately, Antley’s attempt was the only shot on target for the Rowdies all night.

Charlotte grabbed its first of the night just two minutes into the second half. After midfielder Laurence Wyke was stripped of the ball near midfield, striker Dane Kelly beat center backs Aaron Guillen and Forrest in a foot race for the ball in Tampa Bay’s half. Kelly made the most of his one-on-one chance against Evan Louro and slotted the ball past the Rowdies keeper.

Collins eventually went to his bench in the 60th minute in hopes of finding a spark, inserting veteran forward Lucky Mkosana and wingback Sebastian Dalgaard. Charlotte, though, were the ones to find a spark from a substitute. Irvin Parra, who replaced defender Christian Dean at halftime, pounced on a loose ball in the box after the Rowdies could not adequately clear a corner kick in the 62nd minute.

“At 0-0, there was nothing in the game. It was fine,” said Collins. “Then we have a really poor turnover and a couple other mistakes after that and then you find yourself down 1-0 on the road and you have an uphill climb. I thought the 10 minutes after we lost the goal was poor and we let the game get completely away from us when it went 2-nil.”

Saturday’s loss coupled with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s second half rally to defeat Hartford Athletic means the Rowdies have ceded the top spot to Pittsburgh. The Rowdies do still have a match in hand on Pittsburgh and have two more head-to-head clashes to come with the new top side in the Atlantic Division.

The Rowdies return to the field for another away match next Friday against New York Red Bulls II.

Scoring Summary
Dane Kelly, 47th minute
Irvin Parra, 62nd minute

Lineups
Rowdies: Louro; Scarlett, Lasso, Guillen; Antley (Dalgaard 60’), Hilton, Ekra (Lahowecki 67’), Wyke (Doherty 67’), Fernandes; Steinberger (Mkosana 60’), Guenzatti

Charlotte: Miller; Johnson (Dimick 75’), Riascos, Roberts, Dean (Parra 45’); Martinez, Bronico, Palomino, Areman (Armour 45+3’); Marveaux (Zola 79’), Kelly (Bender 75’)

Gameday Info
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Charlotte Independence
Saturday, July 31 at 7:00 p.m. ET
American Legion Memorial Stadium, Charlotte, NC

Watch: The can be viewed on ESPN+ here.

Follow Along: Live updates for the match will be posted on Twitter at @RowdiesGameday. Score Updates will also be posted on the Rowdies’ Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Injury Report:
OUT: Juan Tejada, Steevan Dos Santos, Luiz Fernando, Dayon Harris, Matt Srbely

This Saturday, the Tampa Bay Rowdies return to North Carolina for a rematch with the Charlotte Independence, the club that handed them their first loss of the year back in June.

On that night in Charlotte, the Rowdies’ attack struggled to create meaningful chances and the hosts were able to convert on one of two opportunities from the penalty spot to earn a 1-0 win. Coming off another road match in New York a few days earlier, Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins chose to rest regulars like Leo Fernandes and Sebastian Guenzatti for that match. Now, with a full week to prepare, the Rowdies will hope for a different outcome this weekend.

“You always first look at yourselves and we feel we underperformed,” Collins said of that first trip to Charlotte. “But credit to Charlotte, they were very well organized, they countered well and they made it really difficult for us to break them down. We need to learn from that. I think Charlotte have even improved since then with the players they’ve added and got back from injury. There’s always lessons you’re learning so that the players, when they’re on the field can make those game-time decisions because they’ve been through it and experienced those mistakes in the past.”

After ending their three-match losing streak last week with a 3-1 win against Loudoun United at Al Lang, the Rowdies will seek to take that winning mentality back on the road again. Their last two away days were just 10 days apart, South Florida rival Miami FC taking both those matches 2-1.

Sustaining the Attack

Aside from the obvious boost of snapping a losing streak last week, the Rowdies also took confidence away from the fact that they were able to bag three goals in a match for the first time since early May. If the attack can find that kind of consistency where they’re consistently scoring multiple times a week, it will take a lot of pressure off the defense to be perfect week in and week out.

Captain Sebastian Guenzatti continues to produce at a consistent rate, adding his 9th goal of the year last week. Another player who has found his consistency in the last two weeks in Leo Fernandes, who has scored in the last two matches to raise his season total to 3.

Each game we just go out and try to create as many chances as we can,” said Fernandes. “As long as we keep doing that, hopefully the goals will start coming just like last game. Be positive, create a lot of opportunities and the goals will come.”

Langsdorf Hangs ‘Em Up

One attacker we know for sure we won’t be seeing play for the Rowdies again this year is forward Foster Langsdorf, who announced his retirement from professional soccer this week. Langsdorf’s return was highly unlikely anyway as he had returned to Minnesota United in MLS after joining the Rowdies on loan for 3 matches in June, though he remained eligible to return to Tampa Bay up until his retirement this week.

Langsdorf made 3 appearances for the Rowdies off the bench, tallying a game-winner against Loudoun in stoppage time in his final appearance. Langsdorf helped fill the gap for a time while Tampa Bay’s other forwards recovered from injury. Lucky Mkosana made his return the field this past match for a short shift off the bench, while forwards Juan Tejada and Steevan Dos Santos continue to inch closer to their own returns.

Opposition Notes

After beating the Rowdies in June, Charlotte went on to win 2 of its next 3. However, the club has hit a snag recently and gone winless in its last 5, with 4 losses and a draw. That one draw, though, came at home against Phoenix Rising FC, who recently claimed the best record in the league after the Rowdies’ recent skid.

“Charlotte was a well-organized team that actually had the best chances to win the game on the day.” Collins said of Charlotte’s draw against Phoenix. “It was 1-all, but Charlotte will look at that as an opportunity missed with the chances they spurned in the first half. It shows you how tough our conference is because we know how good Phoenix are. Charlotte definitely seem to have the ability to raise their game, particularly when they’re at home against some of the top teams. We know they can beat anyone in this league on their day. No question. They’ve got a lot of ability through the spine of their team.”

Since Charlotte and Tampa Bay last met, Charlotte has added several new faces to its roster. The latest is Christian Fuchs, a name those who follow the English Premier League will be familiar with. Fuchs, 35, won the Premier League title with Leicester City during the 2015-2016 season. The Austrian born defender is on loan to the Independence from Major League Soccer’s Charlotte FC, which will launch in 2022.

Charlotte has also added French midfielder Sylvain Marveaux, defender Adam Armour, keeper TJ Bush. Armour, 18, is on loan from Charlotte FC as well and just made his professional debut with the Independence.

Charlotte’s New Digs

Since the Rowdies were last in North Carolina, the Independence have moved into their newly renovated home at American Legion Memorial Stadium. The venue originally opened in 1937 and has gone through a major renovation project over the last two years, with most of the existing structure being demolished and replaced with new facilities for the Independence. In two outings at Memorial Stadium so far, the Independence have posted a draw and a loss. Still, they club has a solid overall home record  of 3W-1D-1L this year and the Rowdies want to avoid becoming the first team to fall in Charlotte’s new home.

“I don’t think it’s surprising they’re more comfortable at home,” said Collins. “They are in a new stadium now, so I think that’s going to be a challenge and a test. It’s just this league — when you add in the travel and add the other team in front of their home fans, it’s just more difficult for a number of reasons.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (July, 27, 2021) – The USL Championship announced the league’s Team of the Week for Week 14 of the regular season on Tuesday, with Tampa Bay Rowdies captain Sebastian Guenzatti earning a spot on the squad for the second time this year.

Guenzatti earned the league honor this week for providing the assist to center back Aaron Guillen in the 7th minute against Loudoun United FC and then burying the insurance goal in the second half to secure a 3-1 result this past Saturday. He also recorded 5 of the club’s 11 shots on goal in the match as Tampa Bay bombarded the visitors with shots throughout the night.

Rowdies midfielder Lewis Hilton was also rewarded with a spot on the bench for Team of the Week for his assist, 5 key passes, and 15 recoveries to help the Rowdies snap their losing streak.

After Saturday’s tally, Guenzatti is now second in the USL Championship in scoring. Only Colorado Switchbacks FC’s Hadji Barry is ahead of Guenzatti with 13 goals so far. As the Rowdies near the halfway point of the regular season with their 16th match this weekend, Guenzatti is on a similar pace as the 2019 season in which he set the Rowdies single season scoring record with 19 goals.

The Rowdies have needed Guenzatti more than ever this year. With attackers Steevan Dos Santos, Juan Tejada, and Lucky Mkosana all missing significant time this year due to injury, Guenzatti has had to carry a heavy workload up top and he has done so with impressive consistency. Excluding keeper Evan Louro and Tampa Bay’s three starting center backs, Guenzatti has played the most minutes of anyone on the roster.

Here’s a full look at the USL Championship Team of the Week from Week 14:

GK – Joe Kuzminsky, Charleston Battery: Joe Kuzminsky achieved a Championship first in recording both a penalty-kick save and an assist in a shutout for his side as the Battery took a 2-0 victory against the Charlotte Independence on Friday night.

D – Jonathan Dean, Birmingham Legion FC: Jonathan Dean scored a stoppage-time winner to lift Birmingham to a 2-1 victory on the road against Indy Eleven on Saturday night, capping a performance that also saw him record one assist, six key passes and complete 43 of 51 passes.

D – Alex Lara, Hartford Athletic: Alex Lara scored the opening goal and defensively recorded six interceptions, eight recoveries and won 3 of 4 tackles in the Athletic’s 2-0 victory against Miami FC on Saturday night at Dillon Stadium.

D – Brent Richards, Orange County SC: Brent Richards had a goal and assist while recording two shots and three key passes in attack while also winning 7 of 12 duels, making two interceptions and completing 51 of 62 passes in OCSC’s 2-2 draw with Sacramento Republic FC.

M – Jose Gallegos, San Antonio FC: Jose Gallegos recorded one goal and two assists in a standout attacking display during San Antonio’s 3-0 victory against New Mexico United last Wednesday night, while also completing five key passes and five dribbles as well.

M – Kenardo Forbes, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: Kenardo Forbes recorded a pair of assists and had six key passes overall in Pittsburgh’s 3-1 victory against the New York Red Bulls II on Friday night while also winning 3 of 4 tackles.

M – Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic: Danny Barrera recorded both assists in Hartford’s 2-0 victory against Miami FC – moving into third place in the Championship all-time – and completed 43 of 53 passes and six key passes overall in helping his side to victory.

M – Josh Drack, LA Galaxy II: Josh Drack notched a goal and an assist to help lead Los Dos to a 3-0 win against Oakland Roots SC on Sunday afternoon and was sharp on the ball throughout, completing 27 of 29 passes and winning 9 of 12 duels defensively.

F – Nathan Fogaca, San Antonio FC: Nathan Fogaca recorded a second consecutive two-goal performance in SAFC’s 3-0 victory against New Mexico United last Wednesday night, recording four shots on goal and completing 11 of 13 passes at Toyota Field.

F – Alex Dixon, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: Alex Dixon had a goal and assist in the Hounds’ 3-1 victory on the road against the New York Red Bulls II, and also won 7 of 11 duels and made 13 recoveries defensively in a fine two-way performance.

F – Sebastian Guenzatti, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Sebastian Guenzatti had a goal and assist, took nine shots overall including five on target and also won 3 of 4 aerial duels in the Rowdies’ 3-1 victory against Loudoun United FC on Saturday night.

Bench: Jeff Caldwell (HFD), Jonathan Gomez (LOU), Joe Farrell (PHX), Lewis Hilton (TBR), Todd Wharton (PIT), Rodrigo Lopez (RGV), Jorge Hernandez (LA)

The Tampa Bay Rowdies got exactly what they were hoping for on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium against the visiting Loudoun United FC. Tampa Bay snapped a three-match losing streak with a decisive 3-1 victory. Aaron Guillen and Leo Fernandes notched goals early in each half, while captain Sebastian Guenzatti recorded his ninth of the season late in the match to seal the result.

Guillen both initiated and finished off an attack just seven minutes in the match. Pushing forward into Loundoun’s half, Guillen flicked a ball into space for Steinberger, who then fed Sebastian Guenzatti in the box. The pass was just out of Guenzatti’s reach but he got enough on it to push it into Guillen’s path, who had sprinted into the final third. Guillen made the most of the moment and converted for his first Rowdies goal.

The Rowdies experienced a slight dip in momentum after the go-ahead goal, with the visitors settling into a comfortable stretch of possession. Loudoun nearly equalized off a corner kick during this spell, but center back Forrest Lasso stuck his leg out just in time to thwart an strike from Timmy Mehl that was on its way into the back of the net.

Eventually, the Rowdies regained control in the match and never relinquished it. Laurence Wyke was inches away from his first goal of the year, sending a strike past keeper Jermaine Fordah that clipped the far post and sailed right into Fordah’s arms. The Rowdies had a flurry of more chances before halftime, but Fordah made the stop every time.

Leo Fernandes was the player to break through for a second goal seven minutes into the second half. Receiving a pass from Lewis Hilton in the center of the field, Fernandes let loose with a left-footed blast that skipped over Fordah’s arms on its way into the net. The tally was Fernandes’ second in as many games.

Loudoun managed to pull a goal back with 20 minutes to go. Two minutes after entering off the bench, substitute Nicky Downs took a chance with a shot from distance that deflected off Jordan Scarlett and into Tampa Bay’s net. Keeper Evan Louro likely had the shot covered but was caught off by the deflection.

Fortunately, Guenzatti did not let the tension of a possible letdown build up and scored the third of the night just two minutes later. Receiving a pass from Yann Eka, Guenzatti streaked down the field and into the box before slamming home the insurance goal.

With the win, the Rowdies regained the top spot in the Atlantic Division standings over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. The Rowdies return to the field next Saturday for an away match against the Charlotte Independence.  

 Scoring Summary
TBR – Aaron Guillen (Guenzatti) 7’
TBR – Leo Fernandes (Lewis Hilton) 52’
LDN – Nicky Downs (Erik Sorga) 70’
TBR – Sebastian Guenzatti (Yann Ekra) 74

Lineups
Rowdies: Louro; Scarlett, Lasso, Guillen; Antley, Hilton, Ekra (Doherty 77’), Wyke (Lachowecki 77’), Fernandes (Dalgaard 87’); Steinberger (Harris 77’), Guenzatti (Mkosana 87’)

Loudoun: Fordah; DeShields (Walz 45’), Mehl, Dambrot (Paz 59’); Greene, Garay, Ku-Dipietro, Gamble (Amoustapha 45’); Smith, Ferrin (Downs 68’), Montesdeoca (Sorga 45’)