News

Gameday Info
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Loudoun United FC
Saturday, July 24, at 7:30 p.m. ET
Al Lang Stadium, St Petersburg, FL

Tickets: Tickets are available for purchaseby clicking here or at the Al Lang box office starting at 2 p.m. ET the day of the game.

Pre-Game Show: Tune in for the pre-game show hosted by The Unused Substitutes podcast for analysis, guests, and giveaways. Former Rowdies forward Jochen Graf joins the show this week. The show kicks off live from Al Lang at 7 p.m. ET on twitch.tv/ROWDIESGG

Watch: The match can be viewed here on ESPN+.

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.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies (8W-5L-0D, 24 pts) are seeking a much-needed rebound result this Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium after dropping a third straight match for the first time since May of 2018.

“When you’ve been on the kind of run we’ve been on for as long as we have, getting three defeats is disappointing, there’s no getting away from that,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “For me, I look at it more from a performance point of view. We had disappointing performances in Miami. We had good spells in those games, but not for long enough… I know we’ve got players that are ready to put it right.”

Standing in the Rowdies’ way of a positive result this week is Loudoun United FC (2W-10L-0D), a team with its own struggles and one that enters the weekend sitting last in the USL Championship’s Atlantic Division standings. Even with their challenges so far this year, Loudoun came just a few minutes away from earning a point off the Rowdies in their last trip to St. Petersburg in June. The Rowdies needed a stoppage-time winner from loanee Foster Langsdorf on that night to secure a 2-1 win. Langsdorf has since returned to Minnesota United FC in Major League Soccer.

“We’re mindful that Loudoun maintain high possession. They’ve done it against every team in the league,” Said Collins. “That’s their style but they’ve obviously struggled in the results. But the performances have been pretty good because they’ve kept a lot of possession. We’re very mindful of, when we perform the way we want to perform, we generally get results I would say 9 times out of 10.”

Atlantic Division Update

The Rowdies recent three-match skid has allowed other teams in the Atlantic Division to close the gap in the standings. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC are now level with the Rowdies at 24 points at the top of the table, but the Rowdies hold the edge by virtue of the goal differential tiebreaker. Miami FC, who account for two of the Rowdies’ recent defeats, are also now just one point back of the Rowdies. Tampa Bay still maintains a game in hand on both Pittsburgh and Miami, but Hartford Athletic is within shouting distance at 20 points and has three games in hand on the Rowdies.

That Finishing Touch

The Rowdies have managed to hold their top spot in the division despite a dip in offensive production. After tallying 10 goals through their first four matches, the Rowdies have only found the back of the net 8 times in their last 9 outings. At 18 goals scored, the Rowdies have now dropped out of the league’s top ten in scoring.

With forwards Lucky Mkosana, Juan Tejada, and Steevan Dos Santos all still working their way back from injuries, the onus is on the healthy players to start producing goals again.

“There aren’t many teams in the league that are able to lose three players like that and still manage to produce some of the results we’ve managed to get.,” said Collins. “I’ve got to be careful that I don’t start doing things that I don’t really believe in. We need to be creative. I need to get better as a coach about how can we get more out of our attacking players that have different attributes. But it still comes back to the fact that we’ve got 5 strikers and 3 of them are out injured…. There’s no panic here.  If we create the same amount of chances we did against Hartford, I think we’ll have a good night.”

Staying the Course

Center back Forrest Lasso has emerged for the Rowdies since joining last year. When regular captain Sebastian Guenzatti was held out of the starting lineup for the first time this year in order to get some rest last week in Miami, Lasso was the one to take the captain’s armband.

From his perspective, Lasso wants to get back to the fundamentals that brought them success in 2020.

“It’s pretty easy when you have a couple losses to have your judgment clouded, you’re a little biased because the losses are at the forefront,” said Lasso. “For us, we’ve obviously not done things great but there are parts of the game I feel we have done well and things we obviously need to sustain… We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel or build Rome or something crazy like that. We’re gonna do what the Rowdies have been doing, what got us rewards last year. We’ll do those things that pay dividends. I think if we can sharpen those edges, we’ll get the results that we need.”

When the Rowdies turned the ball over on Miami’s first goal last week, Lasso laid out with a diving effort trying to cover the empty net. His attempt was unsuccessful, but the effort shows the desire he has to always push to be at his peak, even when things aren’t going your way. 

“I don’t like complacency. I think I can always get better. I think the past 13 games this year, individually I’ve had some good moments, especially in terms of the beginning of the year. Like our team, and maybe all other athletes, you go through slumps, you go through waves. It’s a roller coaster ride. If we were 13 and 0 and had no goals against us, I would say I’m doing excellent. But that’s not the case. We have five losses and conceded goals recently that are frankly unacceptable. That kind of motivates us and inspires us, definitely me personally. I never think I’m good enough. I think I can always get better.”

Ekra Approaches 200

Rowdies midfielder Yann Ekra is approaching an impressive USL milestone. The next time he steps out onto the field will be his 200th appearance in the USL Championship. That would make him just the 5th player in the USL to reach 200 or more appearances. Ekra, 30, joined the Rowdies in 2019 and, when healthy, has proven to be a key contributor in 31 appearances for the Rowdies. Prior to Tampa Bay, Ekra played for the Harrisburg City Islanders and Charlotte Independence.

Injury Report
OUT: Lucky Mkosana, Juan Tejada, Steevan Dos Santos, Luiz Fernando

You would have to go pretty far back to find a three-match stretch as rough as the one the Tampa Bay Rowdies have just come through. Before Saturday’s loss at Miami FC, the Rowdies had not dropped three straight league matches since May of the 2018 USL Championship season. And before the narrow loss to Hartford Athletic this past Tuesday, the Rowdies had not even posted consecutive defeats in the regular season since 2018.

“We’re going through a tough moment,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “We’ve not lost two in a row in the regular season since 2018. But you know what, I’ve seen good teams have that happen in the past. It’s a low scoring game. When things don’t go your way and you’ve got a few players that are just off form, which we have, and they’re not quite at their best, then that’s what happens; you come to these places and you get beat. We’ll recover because we’ve got resilient players, they’ve shown that. But we’re going to have to work hard together to get the solutions.”

A rocky stretch such as the one the Rowdies are experiencing is going to sting no matter what, but the fact that the Rowdies lost each of the last three by a single goal only compounds the disappointment.

“We know we’ve got to take some of the result with a pinch of salt, but at the same I’m definitely concerned about a couple of things. I know how we can sort it. I know how we can improve it. We will improve it. We were happy to take the plaudits when things were going well, so we take any criticism right now, but I know there will be a response.”

By virtue of their nearly perfect start in the first two months of the season, the Rowdies remain first in the Atlantic Division standings. However, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC pulled level with the Rowdies at 24 points after a win over Loudoun United FC this weekend. Additionally, the lead over Miami is now down to just one point. Fortunately, the Rowdies do still have a game in hand on both Pittsburgh and Miami.

Resting Guenzatti

Collins took a gamble resting captain and forward Sebastian Guenzatti in Miami on Saturday. Guenzatti leads the club in scoring with 8 goals but he had also played virtually every minute of the season heading into Miami. With over half the season still to go, Collins elected to start with Guenzatti on the bench for the first time this year and give others a chance to carry some of the offensive load.

“Of course (Seba) would have made a difference,” said Collins. “He’s our captain, he plays every game, but I think we’ve got to be mindful that we need him for the 19 games and not just for tonight. Unfortunately, that was one of many things that kind of let us down.”

After an early strike from midfielder Laurence Wyke hit the post and another by Zach Steinberger missed at the near post, the Rowdies’ attack lacked a bite the rest of the first half. Guenzatti did enter at the halftime break, along with midfielder Yann Ekra and wingback Sebastian Dalgaard. All three offered positive changes, with Dalgaard creating chances for Guenzatti and assisting on Leo Fernandes’ stunning finish in the 65th minute.

Ultimately, the changes still were not enough for the Rowdies to claw their way out of the two-goal they found themselves in at the break after conceding on a turnover in the 10th minute and switching off momentarily to allow another in the 34th. Like the loss to Hartford the Rowdies, outshot Miami r17 to 3. However, only three of those attempts were directed on frame.

“Not (the start) we expected, certainly not what we wanted. I’ll take the blame for that,” said Collins. “We set up in a way that we thought would give us our best opportunity to go and win the game but it certainly didn’t work. Despite having a couple of good opportunities, we didn’t take them. We were in some respects lucky to go into halftime down 2-nil. Definitely disappointing and we’ll need to look at some things but I’ll certainly take responsibility for that first half performance.”

The Missing Ingredients

The Rowdies’ long list of injuries has been well documented. Veteran forwards Juan Tejada and Lucky Mkosana as well as attacking midfielder Luiz Fernando have yet to play a single minute as a result of knocks suffered in the preseason. On top of that, forward Steevan Dos Santos has now missed two months due to a broken bone in his foot.

Based on the last few results and the struggles up top, it would appear their absences have finally caught up with the Rowdies.

“Prior to these three games, the team had done a great job making themselves adaptable and flexible and making the best of what we’ve got, ” said Collins. “Look, we’ve got some very good players, but some of their strengths need other complementary strengths. We’re certainly missing that. It’s my job as a coach to work out how we can be a threat. I think the thing I would say is, we should’ve put the ball in the net (against Hartford). We should’ve put the ball in the net tonight. We create chances. We had chances tonight in the second half we should’ve scored. It’s definitely something we need to look at and we will. I know for a fact we’ll improve it.”

Another benefit to having more fit players around is the competitive edge it brings in training. With Mkosana, Tejada and Fernando all starting to integrate back into training, their presence might provide that extra intensity and competition for spots that will drive others.

“It will be good to get a week at the training ground, and we’re looking at getting some players back fit as well,” said Collins. “We need competition. That’s one thing I did say to the guys, a lot of guys have had a lot of opportunities. They’ll want to take them, because guys will be coming back and the competition’s going to be fierce. That bodes well. I think some of the guys wish we could play again tomorrow so we could put it right, but we’re going to have to be patient.”

The Tampa Bay Rowdies dropped their third straight match on Saturday night, losing out to in-state rival Miami FC in a 2-1 result at FIU Stadium. A lackluster first half ended up sinking the Rowdies, as the gave up two goals to the hosts and were unable to dig themselves out in the second half.

Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins made a few changes to the starting lineup coming off Tuesday’s loss to Hartford. The most notable change was captain Sebastian Guenzatti starting on the bench, with Forrest Lasso taking up the captain’s armband.

It didn’t take long for the hosts to grab their go-ahead goal. After a misplaced pass by Conner Antley back into Tampa Bay’s defensive third, Miami’s Ariel Martinez scooped up the ball and drive into the left edge of the box. Evan Louro rushed out to try and disrupt but Martinez pushed the ball past him and fired a shot on frame. Forrest Lasso made a valiant diving effort to clear but Martinez’s strike beat him to the near post.

In his first start since returning from injury, midfielder Laurence Wyke came close to levelling the match just three minutes after Martinez’s tally. Wyke penetrated the box and let off a shot that had beat Conner Sparrow but clipped the post and bounced back into play. A few minutes later, Wyke fed a ball to Zach Steinberger at the near and he sent his attempt wide by a few feet.

Those two chances were the only few for the Rowdies in the first half, while the Rowdies managed to take hold of the match. Othello Bah scored the eventual winner in the 34th minute when Pierre Da Silva drove the ball deep into Tampa Bay’s corner before playing a low cross into the box for Bah to hammer home.

Collins made several changes at the halftime break, bringing on forward Sebastian Guenzatti and midfielders Yann Ekra and Sebastian Dalgaard. Guenzatti and Dalgaard combined for an excellent chance on goal in the 55th minute, with Dalgaard finding Guenzatti for a diving header that was deftly parried away by Sparrow.  

Dalgaard did end up setting up a goal later on to give the Rowdies hope. In the 65th minute, Dalgaard played a long cross from the right wing all the way to Leo Fernandes, who chested the ball down and rifled a half volley into the net.

The Rowdies controlled the possession for the rest of the night failed to capitalize and create any more meaningful chances.

With the win, Miami pulls to within one point of the Rowdies at the top of the Atlantic Division standings. Meanwhile, PIttsburgh Riverhounds SC managed to match the Rowdies’ 24-point total with a 1-0 win over last-place Loudoun United FC, though the Rowdies stay on top thanks to the goal differential tiebreaker.

The Rowdies next take the field back at Al Lang Stadium next Saturday when they host Loudoun for the second time this season. In that prior encounter back in June, the Rowdies prevailed with a 2-1 victory.

Scoring Summary
Martinez – 10th minute
Bah – 34th minute
Fernandes – 65th minute

Lineups
Rowdies: Louro; Scarlett, Lasso(c), Guillen; Antley (Dalgaard 45′), Hilton, Wyke (Doherty 72′), Fernandes; Harris (Guenzatti 45′), Adebayo-Smith (Srbely 68′), Steinberger (Ekra 45’)

Miami: Sparrow; Ballard (Baggio 29’), Chapman-Page, Craig, Loebe; Francois (Forbes 76′), Palacios, Da Silva, Akinyode, Bah (Englin 65′); Martinez (Reid 77′)

Gameday Info
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Miami FC
Saturday, July 17, 7:30 p.m.
FIU Stadium, Miami, FL

Watch: The match 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.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies return to South Florida just one week after falling in a 2-1 result to in-state rival Miami FC. In the interim, the Rowdies lost another bout at home against Hartford Athletic while Miami drubbed last-place Loudoun United FC 4-1 on the road. Miami is now unbeaten in their last four outings (3 wins, 1 draw) and will undoubtedly be seeking to close the current 4-point gap the Rowdies hold them in the USL Championship’s Atlantic Division standings. Tampa Bay still has a match in hand on Miami, but as this is the third of four regular season meetings between the two sides, each will be motivated to take advantage of this head-to-head clash.

Looking For Goals
Tuesday’s loss to Hartford was just the second time this year the Rowdies have been shutout. This shutout was a bit different from the previous one in June, when the Rowdies struggled to create any scoring chances at all against the Charlotte Independence and lost. Against Hartford, the Rowdies fired off 21 shots as the visitors packed bodies in the box. A number of those shots were blocked or deflected away, but Hartford’s keeper Jeff Caldwell also made 5 key saves to keep the Rowdies off the scoresheet.

As frustrating as Tuesday was, the Rowdies will try to take encouragement from the fact that they were able to create so many opportunities and hope that the floodgates will open the next time one goes in.

Staying Solid in the Back
Despite back-to-back losses, the Rowdies still hold one of the best defensive records in the league. The club is tied for most clean sheets (5) and is tied for second fewest goals allowed (9). What makes the last two losses, and even the loss to Pittsburgh a few weeks back, so disappointing is the fact that the Rowdies hardly gave up any scoring chances. On those nights, the opposition just made the most with what the Rowdies did give up. On average, keeper Evan Louro is only being asked to make 3 saves a match through the first 12 contests.

Injury Update
With both midfielders Laurence Wyke and Yann Ekra earning spots on the bench for the Hartford match, the Rowdies were finally able to field a full gameday roster of 18. Wyke  ended up making his first appearance since mid-June on Tuesday, entering off the bench in the second half. However, Yann Ekra was held back. Neill Collins and the staff have been wary of rushing Wyke and Ekra back too quickly after their recent knocks. However, both remain fit and available for selection if called upon.

Forwards Lucky Mkosana and Juan Tejada, as well as attacking midfielder Luiz Fernando are all continuing their path to recovery and have begun integrating back into training with their teammates. Forward Steevan Dos Santos, who broke a bone in his foot against Miami on May 22, is slightly farther off from a return.

Traveling Support
Saturday will be the first time Miami has opened its stadium to supporters since it entered the league last year. This means that Rowdies supporters will finally have the opportunity to travel for an away match against an in-state rival. Their last road trip against a Florida side was in 2017 when Orlando City B was still in the USL Championship. Members of both Rowdies supporters groups Ralph’s Mob and the Skyway Casuals are expected to make the trip to Miami this weekend.

For the first time since 2019, the Tampa Bay Rowdies find themselves on the losing end of two straight losing results after Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Hartford Athletic. The visitors rode a first-half goal by loanee Derek Dodson all the way to three points at Al Lang Stadium as the Rowdies failed to find the back of the net despite outshooting Hartford 21 to 10.

The night might have gone very differently had the Rowdies converted on their first chance in the opening minutes when Dayonn Harris fed a pass in for Sebastian Guenzatti. The Rowdies captain connected with the delivery but lifted his effort over the goal.

Guenzatti managed to hit the frame in the 19th minute, cutting back in the box and firing a shot that clanged off the far post and out for a goal kick.

Just five minutes later, Hartford struck the first and ultimately only blow. Preston Tabort Etaka collected a long pass into Tampa Bay’s defensive third and then found the head of Dodson on the back post. Dodson made the most of the chance, burying his header into the bottom right corner.

Leo Fernandes tried to get the Rowdies level before halftime with a nifty backheeled effort that dribbled a foot wide of goal. Hartford’s keeper Jeff Caldwell then produced two crucial saves to deny headers from Guenzatti in quick succession.

The Rowdies ended up controlling possession in the second half again, but they took too long in creating meaningful chances again. With one of his first touches of the game, substitute Laurence Wyke powered a long-range effort well over the goal. Wyke had another go from distance later on in the match, one that was a bit more threatening as it curled a few feet wide of the goal.

Another substitute, Zach Steinberger, had the most promising look at goal of the night in the 83rd minute. After Hartford failed to clear a corner kick, Steinberger regained possession in the box and sent a shot on target at the near post only to be denied by Caldwell.

Caldwell produced another vital stop for the visitors in the first few minutes of stoppage time. This time he thwarted Ferandes, who redirected a cross sent in by Conner Antley in on frame.

In one final push deep into the 8 minutes of stoppage time, the Rowdies still could not find a way into the net. Another dangerous cross from Antley was blocked but then bounced off the top of the crossbar and back into play. Guenzatti and Fernandes each had a crack at an equalizer in the sequence, but both were blocked each time.

Scoring Summary
-Derek Dodson, 23′

Lineups
Rowdies: Louro; Scarlett, Lasso (Antley 80′), Guillen; Dalgaard (Adebayo-Smith 45′), Hilton, Doherty (Steinberger 63′), Fernandes; Harris (Lachowecki 80′), Srbely (Wyke 63′), Guenzatti

Hartford: Caldwell, Boudadi (Cardona 70′), Yacoubou, Janjigian; Doddson, Ashitey (McGlynn 45′), Gomez (Cedeno 66′), Rogers; Elney, Barrera, Preston Tabort Etaka (Lara 82′)

Gameday Info
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Hartford Athletic
Tuesday, July 13, 7:30 p.m.
Al Lang Stadium, St Petersburg, FL

Pre-Game Show: Catch the pre-game show hosted by The Unused Substitutes live from Al Lang Stadium, featuring guest interviews, analysis, and giveaways. The show can be viewed here on the Rowdies Gaming Twitch channel here the final half hour before kickoff.

Watch: The match 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.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies (8W-3L-0D, 24 pts) return to Al Lang Stadium this Tuesday for their second meeting of 2021 against Hartford Athletic (5W-2L-2D, 17 pts). The Rowdies took all three points off Hartford in a 1-0 road win last month, but a similar result will be even tougher this time around. A troubling trend for Rowdies is that all three of their losses have come in their rematches with Atlantic Division opponents Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Miami, and the Charlotte Independence.

Miami was the latest to defeat the Rowdies, riding two goals their first win over the Rowdies in USL Championship play. One factor in favor of the Rowdies heading into Tuesday, though, is the fact that the club has not dropped back-to-back matches since October of 2019. That ability to bounce back quickly and get back to picking up points so soon after a loss is a huge reason why the Rowdies have found success the last two seasons.

“The players have got a fantastic attitude, a resilience,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “We lose a game, we dust ourselves off and we go and get ready to learn from it and go again. That’s always the coaching staff’s mentality but you need the players to have that attitude of ‘We want to get better. We want to learn from that.’ Ours have been fantastic at that. That’s something that’s important in a long season, is that you have a defeat and you quickly bounce back from it.”

Atlantic Division Report

Despite the loss in Miami, the Rowdies remain first in the Atlantic Division with 24 pts. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (21 points) and Miami (20 pts) have closed the gap recently, but it’s worth noting the Rowdies have two matches in hand on both of those clubs. With two-thirds of the season left to play, there’s still ample time for the table to shake up and for teams to rise and fall.

“I personally think our division’s got the strongest opposition,” said Collins. “I’m sure other divisions feel the same. I think you do look across all the divisions and there’s a lot of strong teams, to be fair. I think the league itself is very difficult, especially when you’re playing teams four times. I think that levels the playing field, because I think familiarity makes for much tighter games. If we look at our division, we’ve got four or five teams that were in the playoffs last year, so I think that shows the strength. Those teams can beat anyone across the league on their day, which means every game is difficult… We’re never complacent. We are very respectful of who we’re playing. We know all these games the second time around are going to be tougher, and then the third and the fourth are after that. We handled it well last year and we’re going try and do the same.”

Celebrating Leo

Midfielder Leo Fernandes made Rowdies history last week in Miami when he came off the bench in the second half by making his 100th appearance with the Rowdies. Fernandes is second all-time for the Rowdies in assists with 18 and is a constant threat to create chances for other from out on the left wing. With the Rowdies returning to Al Lang this week, fans will be able to honor and celebrate Fernandes’ achievement as they did Sebastian Guenzatti when he made his 100th appearance as well at the last home match.

“Seba and Leo are probably the two guys I’ve picked most, but there are reasons behind that,” said Collins. “It’s not that I was teammates with them and I’m gonna play them no matter what. They’ve been through their fair share of adversity. I think that’s what we’re looking forward to more than anything. How good are you when things are not going your way. That’s a big thing. When things aren’t going your way, what kind of person are you? These two guys have been fantastic. It’s going to be important that we have both of them to help keep us building that reputation and character.”

Injury Update

Midfielder Yann Ekra made his return to the field in the loss to Miami last week, entering late in the match as a substitute. Ekra had picked up a knock the day before the Rowdies match in Hartford a few weeks back. Midfielder Laurence Wyke could be in line for his return as well after rejoining his teammates in training. Neither Wyke nor Ekra are likely to start, though, as the Rowdies avoid rushing them back too quickly.

Attackers Luiz Fernando, Lucky Mkosana, Juan Tejada are all at various level of training again, although all three are not quite ready for their full return yet. Forward Steevan Dos Santos is also slowly making his way back from the broken bone in his foot suffered in late May.

Opposition Notes

Hartford comes to Al Lang fresh off a dramatic draw at home on Saturday night against New York Red Bulls II. Just as New York looked poised to grab a 2-0 win on the night, the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute. Hartford responded by scoring in the 86th minute and then deep into stoppage time to equalize and earn a point.

“Hartford have shown real resilience through their matches this season,” said Collins. “They never stopped until the very last second against us, against New York. They’ve showed great character to come back. We know what to expect. They’re going to come here and expect to win coming off the high of coming back from two goals down… I think you look at results across the league, it’s the time of year where there’s results people don’t necessarily expect. You can’t take anyone for granted and we certainly won’t be taking Hartford for granted. We’ll be focused on how we cna put in a really good performance.”

Hartford is now without one of its leading scorers in Juan Carlos Obregon Jr, who has joined Honduras for the Olympics in Japan. Obregon has 4 goals so far this year, but Danny Barrera and Preston Tabort Etaka each have 4 themselves, meaning Hartford still has plenty of attacking firepower. Attacker Walmer Martinez is also unavailable for the visitors while representing El Salvador in the Gold Cup.

Hartford also recently picked up attacker Derek Dodson on loan from MLS’ Orlando City SC. Dodson made his debut for Hartford on Saturday, entering in the 42nd minute after only joining the team the day before the match.

July could be a make or break month for Hartford. The club has played just 9 matches but is in the midst of a six-match stretch this month. Hartford has started the month well, with a win and a draw. This Tuesday will be a huge test as they come to St. Petersburg just a couple days removed from their last match.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies suffered their first defeat to Miami FC in USL Championship play on Wednesday, falling 2-1 after giving up a goal in each half at FIU Stadium due to a couple of uncharacteristic defensive lapses on set pieces.

“That’s been one of our biggest strengths, defending set pieces and then scoring on set pieces. So it’s disappointing to concede two in one night,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “It’s just a reminder that if you don’t do those things, you lose games. We didn’t do them tonight and we got punished.”

After initially clearing a corner kick from Miami in the 21st minute, the Rowdies allowed the hosts to regain possession in their half. Richard Ballard then played a long cross to left of the box, where Pierre Da Silva latched on and delivered a first-touch pass across goal for an unmarked Adonijah to bury.

Miami’s eventual winner in the second half came under similar circumstances. Tampa Bay managed to clear an initial corner kick sent into the area only to allow Miami a second crack at the ball. Christian Francois was the one to play the cross in this time, finding Callum Chapman-Page on the back post for a finish into the bottom left corner.

The Rowdies got on the scoresheet themselves through a set piece opportunity in the 55th minute, though through a much more direct route. Dayonn Harris drew a foul deep in Miami’s corner, setting midfielder Lewis Hilton up for a free kick opportunity. Hilton made good with a ball delivered right on the mark to the head of Jordan Scarlett, who knocked in his first of the year.

From there Collins expected the Rowdies to start to take hold of the match. That switch never came, though. Even as the Rowdies utilized all of their available subs, including creative midfielder Leo Fernandes in his 100th appearances for the Rowdies, they could not find a second goal.

The Rowdies did have a shot at a possible penalty as the match neared stoppage time. Rowdies captain Sebastian Guenzatti’s shot from inside the box clearly clipped the arm of Miami’s Paco Craig, but no whistle came and the Rowdies dropped their third match of the year.

“We didn’t do enough, especially when we equalized,” said Collins. “We all felt from that point we’d go on and really take a stranglehold on the game but we didn’t and that’s probably what disappoints me the most. We made changes to try and keep that energy and impetus up, but as a team we kind of let the game pass us by.”

The Rowdies remain atop the Atlantic Division standings and will return to Al Lang Stadium on Tuesday to face Hartford Athletic before making a return trip to Miami next Saturday.

Scoring Summary
Adonijah – 21’
Scarlett – 55’
Chapman-Page – 77’

Lineups
Rowdies: Louro; Scarlett, Lasso, Guillen, Dalgaard, Hilton, Doherty, Lachowecki; Harris, Steinberger, Guenzatti

Miami: Sparrow; Ballard, Chapman, Craig, Loebe; Da Silva, Palacios, Martinez, Akinyode, Bah; Reid

Gameday Info
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Miami FC
Wednesday, Jul7 at 7:30 pm ET
Riccardo Silva Stadium, Miami, FL

Watch: The match 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.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are set for round two with in-state rival Miami FC this Wednesday night in South Florida. Tampa Bay dispatched Miami 2-1 in their previous meeting at Al Lang Stadium on May 22. Since that night, Miami has won just two of its last seven outings and is currently sitting fifth in the USL Championship’s Atlantic Division standings.

Now that the Rowdies have run through every team in the division at least once, results will become even tougher to grind out as teams have a previous matchup to learn from and adjust accordingly. Both the Charlotte Independence and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC handled the second go-around well, knocking the Rowdies off with well-executed game plans. Miami is no doubt eager to do the same as the team is still seeking its first win over the Rowdies since joining the league in 2020.  

Another 100
The next time midfielder Leo Fernandes steps onto the field, he will join his longtime teammate and friend Sebastian Guenzatti in the Rowdies’ 100 appearances club. Fernandes and Guenzatti both signed with the Rowdies in 2017, though Fernandes beat Guenzatti to Tampa Bay by a few months. The duo had previously played together at the New York Cosmos. Fernandes has become a staple for the Rowdies over the last five seasons out on the left wing, excelling in the left wingback role since Neill Collins took over during the 2018 season. In his time with Tampa Bay, Fernandes has recorded 13 goals and 18 assists.

Clean Track to Success
With last week’s 1-0 win over the Charleston Battery, the Rowdies recorded their second straight clean sheet and their fifth overall on the year. Through 10 matches played so far, the Rowdies are already nearing their 2020 total of 8 clean sheets. At the moment, the Rowdies are tied with Birmingham Legion FC and Austin Bold FC for most shutouts in the USL this year. The 2017 Rowdies squad holds the record for most clean sheets in a season with 13 (12 regular season + 1 postseason).

Seba’s Pace
Now that Sebastian Guenzatti is in the 100 appearances club, he could have another Rowdies milestone in his sights. At his current scoring pace of 8 goals through the first 10 matches, Guenzatti is flirting with reaching and surpassing Derek Smethurst and Georgi Hristov on the Rowdies’ all-time scoring list. Guenzatti still has a ways to go with his current 44-goal total. Hristov is the record holder with 60 tallies in all competitions and Smethurst is right behind him at 57. In order to reach or surpass the two Rowdies legends, Guenzatti would have to beat his own Rowdies single season scoring record of 19 goals, which he set in 2019.

All or Nothing
The Rowdies have yet to finish a match in a draw this season. In fact, they’ve gone nearly a year without posting a draw. The last team they settled for a point against? Miami FC on August 16 of 2020. Miami grabbed a lead in the 7th minute of that match before the Rowdies leveled things with a goal in the second half.

Arozarena Returns
Rowdies keeper Raiko Arozarena has returned from a stint with the Cuban national team much earlier than hoped for. Arozarena arrived in Fort Lauderdale late last week expecting to meet his Cuban teammates ahead of their Gold Cup Qualifying match against French Guiana. Unfortunately, the team were unable to secure visas to enter the U.S. and had to forfeit the match and their last chance at qualifying for July’s Gold Cup tournament. Arozarena has yet to appear in a match for the Rowdies, but the young keeper has impressed enough to earn a spot on the bench in every match, only missing out last week while away for national team duty.

Short-handed Again
Rowdies Lucky Mkosana, Juan Tejada, Steevan Dos Santos, Luiz Fernando, Yann Ekra and Laurence Wke all continue to make progress in their recovery from injuries. While their return dates remain in flux, some have started limited training already. The Rowdies have secured two straight wins despite the club only having 5 players available on the bench. As impressive as that might be, Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins will be glad when he has a full compliment of players, at least close to it, once again.

Opposition Notes
Miami finished even at 1-1 in its road trip to New York Red Bulls II last week, with Othello Bah grabbing his first of the year. Miami will be without Lamar Walker and Devon “Speedy” Williams this Wednesday as both have joined Jamaica for the Gold Cup tournament.

This won’t be the only time the Rowdies will make the bus trip down to South Florida this month. After a clash with Hartford Athletic next Tuesday at Al Lang, the Rowdies will turn around and make their last away trip to Miami of the regular season on July 17.

On Friday night, Sebastian Guenzatti joined the ranks of past Tampa Bay Rowdies legends by making his 100th appearance for the club. To mark the occasion, the Rowdies captain recorded the match’s lone goal from the penalty spot to put the Rowdies over the top against the Charleston Battery. 

“Having my family here, and obviously the fans, for my 100th game was a dream come true,” said Guenzatti. “I didn’t get to do it at my other clubs, but I got to do it here. I want to thank all my teammates, all the staff, everybody that works here. Since day one, they’ve been unbelievable to me. I just want to thank everybody. I don’t want to forget anybody because everybody’s a huge part of this.”

Not only was Friday’s tally his 44th as a Rowdies player, it was also his 19th game-winning goal for the Rowdies since he signed with the club midway through the 2017 season. Only Georgi Hristov and original Rowdies striker Derek Smethurst have scored more goals for the Rowdies than Guenzatti.

“He’s always available, he’s always there,” Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins said of Guenzatti. “And by available I mean standing up to be counted. I’ve played on and coached teams where, when the going gets tough, some people take a step back and some people take a step forward. No matter how Seba’s doing form-wise, he always takes a step forward.”

Guenzatti had to earn that trust from Collins in 2018 when the latter took over coaching duties. The two were teammates together before Collins switched from playing to coaching, but Collins’ estimation of Guenzatti only grew as that 2018 season wore on. As the team struggled to find consistency, he saw Guenzatti approach every aspect of the game with dogged determination. Guenzatti aimed to prove he should be in the number 9 role in the attack and he did just that. Collins gave him a shot up top and also gave him the captain’s armband starting in 2019. Guenzatti paid back the favor by setting a new Rowdies single-season scoring record with 19 goals. 

“Whatever team I play for, I’m gonna give everything, and I’ve said that from the beginning,” said Guenzatti. “Neill gave me the chance to start as a forward and be the captain and when the opportunity came, I wasn’t gonna let that go. It was a position I’ve been wanting for many years since I became a pro… The group we’ve developed over the years and the team’s heart, just everything, it’s all been really good. I want to thank everybody because every day it’s a joy to come to work with everybody.”

Guenzatti joins the likes of Takuya Yamada, Frankie Sanfilippo, Keith Savage, Matt Pickens and of course Hristov as modern era Rowdies who have made 100 or more appearances for the club. His performance and also the example he sets on a daily basis outside of gamedays has established a high standard for others over the last several seasons.

“We’ve got a lot of people who, when the chips are down, they’re resilient and they’re always there,” said Collins. “They train every day. They work hard every day. I think Seba sets that mentality. That’s what we’ve got to sustain to keep doing what we’re doing. We need to get as many people like that in as we can. Seba’s a huge part in setting the tone for that. It’s not the most glamorous trait, but trust me every coach around the world would give their right arm to have 23 guys with Seba Guenzatti’s attitude.”

From the Spot

Guenzatti’s winner against the Battery was his 8th already this season. He’s currently outpacing his record-setting season in 2019, when he had five goals through the same amount of matches.

Four of his goals this year have come from the penalty spot. Those may seem like gimme opportunities, but Guenzatti only makes it look that way with his calm consistency.

“We see it at the highest levels, even the Euros, they miss,” said Guenzatti. “It looks easier than it is, when everybody’s there and singing and their eyes are on you. We practice them. We have amazing goalkeepers that are willing to let me shoot on them every day. That’s the secret. Practice makes perfect. Thanks to the goalies that are always there to save my shots.”

Lock Down

Charleston were the only side to beat the Rowdies in 2020, doing so three times largely by virtue of a lethal counter attack. In this outing, the Rowdies gave up nothing on the counter and hardly anything at all. The Rowdies remained vigilant all night long to deny the visitors a single shot on goal and allow only four attempts at all.

“The best way to deal with (the counter) is to score when we’re having so much possession and we didn’t quite manage that as early as I’d like, but I thought as a team we dealt with it very well,” said Collins. “Of course we’re wary of it. The thing is, with players like Nicque Daley and Stavros Zarokostas, they can do that to anyone, at any level. So credit to our defenders tonight. They were on it, just as they were in the playoffs against them…I think tonight it was good to get the win but we know we’ve got another three times to play them so we’ll need to deal with it another three times at least.”

Atlantic Division Race

The Rowdies have now run through each Atlantic Division opponent at least once and still stand out from the pack with a 7-point lead atop the table. It’s a strong position for the Rowdies to be in, especially given all their injury woes in the first two months of the season. However, the competition is only likely to get tougher as the season progresses with the Rowdies having to face 13 more away matches and a significant amount of rematches left on the calendar. The only teams to post a win over the Rowdies this year were Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and the Charlotte Independence when they met the Rowdies for a second time. Learning to adapt when other teams change up what they do will be key to maintaining this successful stretch.