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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (August 20, 2017) — For the second straight match, the Tampa Bay Rowdies conceded an early goal, but showed great spirit to equalize quickly. The result was a 1-1 draw against the Ottawa Fury FC on a passionate but frustrating night at Al Lang Stadium.

Here’s Three Things from the match…

1. Georgi in the groove
Georgi Hristov took sole possession of the Rowdies’ scoring lead with his goal Saturday night, his eighth of the season. The goal was Hristov’s second in as many matches.

It could be proof a resurgence in the Bulgarian’s form after a lengthy scoring drought in the early summer months. Hristov started the season in blistering form, scoring in each of the Rowdies’ first three months, but then the pace slowed down.

After converting a penalty kick on June 4 in a match against the Charlotte Independence, Hristov then played nine matches (more than two months) without scoring a goal. It’s not that he wasn’t contributing, he was just missing the end product.

The spell ended with his goal in Saint Louis last weekend and now with another goal this weekend, Hristov should feel confident of his ability to close the season in style.

2. A great crowd
A crowd of 6,710 fans came to the Rowdies on Saturday, providing a fantastic atmosphere for the home team to play in. It was the Rowdies’ fifth crowd of more than 6,000 this season and the largest since opening day against Orlando City B.

“The atmosphere tonight was unbelievable,” Tampa Bay Rowdies said. “The supporters, they were absolutely fantastic.”

While the Rowdies fell short of picking up their 10th home win of the season, they did extend their home unbeaten streak to nine matches in league play, 10 in all competitions. The Modern Era club record for longest unbeaten streak at home is 12 matches.

3. Heading into a bye week
The Rowdies have next weekend off to regroup for the push to the playoffs. Their next match is Saturday, September 2 on the road against the New York Red Bulls II, the opening match of a three-game road swing that will also include visits to Harrisburg and Bethlehem.

It is the Rowdies’ first week without a game since the season kicked off in March and offers a well-earned chance to reset things.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (August 19, 2017) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies were held to a 1-1 draw by the Ottawa Fury FC on a frustrating Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium.

Ottawa scored in the opening minutes and rarely showed much attacking intent again, even after the Rowdies equalized just eight minutes later. 

“It was a bit of a scrappy old game, really,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “A lot of stoppages. Free kicks taking a long time to restart, water breaks here and there. It was just a scrappy game. I was just hoping we’d nick (a goal) in the end, but it wasn’t to be. It’s unusual because we’ve been excellent at home. The atmosphere tonight was unbelievable and the supporters are absolutely fantastic.”

Steevan Dos Santos gave Ottawa a lead just three minutes into the match, but Georgi Hristov pulled the Rowdies level in the 11th minute with his team-high eighth goal of the season.

The match unfolded as many of Ottawa’s previous visits to St. Petersburg have, with the visitors content to kill the clock and slog to the final whistle.

“It’s up to us to deal with that and not get frustrated and stay patient, it was just one of those nights,” Campbell said.

Ottawa’s early goal was the first the Rowdies have conceded at home since June 10, five matches ago. It was just the sixth time an opponent has scored at Al Lang in 13 matches.

Unfortunately, it was also the second time in two weeks Tampa Bay (10-8-6 (W-T-L), 38 points) has conceded a goal in the first three minutes of a match and had to play from behind.

Just as last week, though, when the Rowdies fell behind 2-0 in five minutes to Saint Louis FC, Tampa Bay fought back quickly.

Hristov’s 11th minute goal came after a Marcel Schäfer cross from the left wing was cleared into his path. Hristov fired a low shot from an angle 12 yards out that beat Ottawa goalkeeper Callum Irving to level the match at 1-1.

“I’d prefer to win and not score a goal, like we’ve done the last four games at home, but that’s soccer,” Hristov said. “A point is still a point.”

Unfortunately, no matter how hard the Rowdies tried after that, the match just never fell into a natural rhythm, due in part to frequent stoppages for medical attention.

Ottawa (7-7-8, 28 points) had a decent chance to take another lead in the 26th minute, but Sito Seoane blasted his first-time effort over the crossbar from the top of the box.

Tampa Bay had a good chance to take the lead for itself in the 59th minute, but a loose touch from Hristov prevented him from shooting. The Rowdies maintained possession, but Alex Morrell’s shot sailed high and wide.

For a moment in the 78th minute, it briefly appeared Ottawa had taken a surprise 2-1 lead after scoring on a free kick. Before referee Jonathan Weiner could even march off the 10 yards and set Tampa Bay’s defensive wall, Fury FC midfielder Gerardo Bruna took a shot on target.

Originally, Bruna pointed toward the center spot and awarded Ottawa the goal. After some confusion and protest from the Rowdies, the goal was called off.

With the match still level at 1-1, Rowdies midfielder Justin Chavez pushed a header just wide of frame. 

Neither team would find a winner.

“Truth be told, I don’t know if either team did enough to win,” Campbell said. “I’m slightly biased, so I think we should have nicked it. We got in some real good spots, but we were a yard or two away from the final ball. It was a night of near misses in my opinion.”

Now, the Rowdies have a bye week to regroup for the final push before the USL playoffs begin. Tampa Bay will next be in action on September 2 for a road match against the New York Red Bulls II. 

Scoring Summary:
Ottawa: Steevan Dos Santos – 3rd minute (assisted by Sito Seoane)
Tampa Bay: Georgi Hristov – 11th minute

Caution Summary:
Tampa Bay: Martin Paterson – 19th minute
Tampa Bay: Michael Nanchoff – 49th minute
Ottawa: Sergio Manesio – 72nd minute
Ottawa: Wandrille Lefevre – 90th minute

Starting Lineups
Rowdies XI (4-3-3): GK Matt Pickens; D Kyle Porter, Tamika Mkandawire (c), Neill Collins, Zac Portillos; M Michael Nanchoff (Walter Restrepo 67′), Justin Chavez, Marcel Schäfer; F Alex Morrell (Sebastian Guenzatti 81′), Martin Paterson, Georgi Hristov

Ottawa Fury FC XI (3-4-3): GK Callum Irving; D Jonathan Barden, Ramon Martin Del Campo, Wandrille Lefevre; M Jamar Dixon, Sergio Manesio (Onua Obasi 75′), Gerardo Bruna, Andrae Campbell, Carl Haworth(c)(Adonijah Reid 69′); F Steevan Dos Santos, Sito Seoane (Tucker Hume 84)

The Basics
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Ottawa Fury FC
Saturday, August 19, 7:30 p.m. ET
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Follow us for live updates on Twitter at @RowdiesGameday

Tickets
Tickets for Saturday’s match are available by calling (727) 222-2000 or clicking here. Gates open at 6 p.m.

How to Watch
The match will be broadcast locally on thisTV Tampa Bay and online on the USL’s official YouTube channel here.

Parking
There are several options for parking at Al Lang Stadium and around downtown. Parking in Lot A, right in front of the stadium, costs $5. Lot A opens at 4 p.m. For more parking options, click here.

Records
Tampa Bay: 9-7-5 (W-T-L), 34 points, 4th place Eastern Conference
Ottawa Fury FC: 7-6-8 (W-T-L), 27 points, 10th place Eastern Conference

Rowdies Notes
The Tampa Bay Rowdies return home after a rollercoaster 4-3 loss to Saint Louis FC on Sunday night. The Rowdies fell behind 2-0 by the fifth minute, but fought back to take a 3-2 lead by halftime. Tampa Bay conceded twice in the second half, including in the 89th minute, to lose 4-3.

The loss in Saint Louis ended a run of good form for the Rowdies, who had won four of their previous five matches. Tampa Bay had kept three-straight clean sheets prior to conceding four in Saint Louis.

Forward Martin Paterson has been in incredible form for the last month, scoring five goals in the Rowdies’ last six matches. Likewise, midfielder Marcel Schäfer has scored or assisted in each of the last four matches.

Tampa Bay had a notable departure this week in center back Damion Lowe, who was transferred to Norwegian side IK Start on Wednesday. Lowe had made 18 appearances for the Rowdies in all competitions this season, scoring once and earning a spot in the USL Team of the Week twice.

In Lowe’s absence, Tamika Mkandawire figures to step back into the starting lineup. Mkandawire played well while Lowe was away at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, helping the Rowdies to post three clean sheets in his last four starts.

Goalkeeper Matias Reynares, who is with the Rowdies on loan from North Carolina FC, is set to return to his parent club following this match. He has not appeared in any of his three loan spells with Tampa Bay this season.

The Rowdies have been impressive at home this season, posting nine wins and only one loss in 12 matches at Al Lang so far in 2017. The Rowdies have outscored opponents 22 to five at home this season.

Scouting Ottawa
The Fury FC arrives in St. Petersburg for the second time this season coming off a 3-0 loss in Orlando to Orlando City B on Wednesday night. That match was Julian de Guzman’s coaching debut. Paul Dalglish resigned as head coach Tuesday, with de Guzman taking charge for the rest of the season.

Ottawa is currently in 10th place in the USL’s Eastern Conference, 10 points outside the playoff field, but has games in hand on most above it in the standings. The Fury FC is 2-2-6 (W-T-L) away from home this season and has lost each of its last four road matches by a combined score of 7-1.

Sito Seoane leads the club in scoring with five goals this season. Ryan Williams is the assist leader with four. Goalkeeper Callum Irving has kept six clean sheets and is 10th in the USL with 53 saves.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (August 16, 2017) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies have transferred Jamaican center back Damion Lowe to Norwegian club IK Start for an undisclosed fee, the club announced Wednesday.

“Although we will miss Damion since he was a great asset to the team, we will never stand in the way of any young athlete’s success,” said Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards. “I know Damion will represent the Rowdies name well in Europe and while he is doing that in Europe, we will be pushing forward still with our mission to win the 2017 USL Championship.”

Lowe, 24, was in his first season with the Rowdies. A member of the Jamaican national team, Lowe made 18 appearances for the Rowdies in all competitions this season. 

“We attract the best of the best players at the Rowdies organization, which is possibly the most unique team they will ever play for in North America,” said Edwards. “We are so proud to have been able to provide Damion with the opportunity to pursue his life-long dream to play in Europe.” 

Lowe spent the previous three years in the Seattle Sounders organization, primarily playing for Seattle Sounders 2 and then a successful loan spell with Minnesota United FC in 2016.

“We wish Damion the best,” added Edwards.  “We have worked hard to create even more depth this season. No one man is a team and we have a fantastic squad that I believe in wholeheartedly.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (August 15 , 2017) – The Rowdies are partnering up with nine-year old Addison Kapustiak and her nonprofit, Sending Smiles, for a toy collection at the Saturday, August 19th match. The toy drive is in preparation of the Rowdies #GOLDTOGETHER campaign to bring awareness to childhood cancer.

Kapustiak lives with a rare disease called TRAPS Syndrome and goes to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital every other week to receive infusion treatments. On one visit, she noticed the prize closet, where kids go to pick out a toy when their treatment is finished, was down to almost nothing. Addison started a small toy drive to collect toys for the prize closet, which has now grown into the nonprofit Sending Smiles.

Sending Smiles donation boxes will be placed outside the main gates at the Saturday, August 19th match. Rowdies fans can donate new, unused toys in original packaging or new books. Tropical Smoothie Café will offer ½ off smoothies and Tijuana Flats will offer $5 Flats Cash for fans who bring a toy. All donations will go directly to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.

For tickets to the August 19th match, call (727) 222-2000. For more information on donating toys to John’s Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, visit www.hopkinsallchildrens.org/foundation/ways-to-give/donate-toys.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (August 14, 2017) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies fell to a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat on the road against Saint Louis FC on Sunday night in a rollercoaster of a match that saw both teams blow leads.

Here’s Three Things from the defeat…

1. The scoring continues
Sunday’s match couldn’t have started much worse for the Rowdies, who conceded twice in the opening five minutes after keeping three consecutive clean sheets in the week prior. Tampa Bay came into the match with one of the best defensive records in the USL, but was immediately bludgeoned by an energized Saint Louis FC team.

While starting the match so poorly should be condemned, the Rowdies likewise deserve credit for steadying the ship and bouncing back as quickly and strongly as they did.

Goals from Marcel Schäfer, Georgi Hristov and Martin Paterson in the 10th, 16th and 36th minutes, respectively, turned Tampa Bay’s nightmare start into a 3-2 road lead. By the time Paterson’s goal went in, the Rowdies had scored six goals in their last 111 minutes of action going back to last week’s 3-0 win over the Harrisburg City Islanders.

This marks the first time the Rowdies have scored three goals in back-to-back league matches since August 9 and 16, 2014.

2. Conceding late
The Rowdies have made a nasty habit of conceding late goals to drop points in recent road games, one that should be addressed sooner rather than later. In each of Tampa Bay’s last five matches away from Al Lang Stadium, the Rowdies have conceded a goal in the 80th minute or later. In three of those matches, the late goal turned a potential win into a draw or a potential draw into a loss.

On June 17 in Richmond, Tampa Bay led 1-0 in stoppage time, but conceded a stoppage time equalizer and settled for a 1-1 draw. On July 13 in Orlando, the Rowdies again led 1-0 in stoppage time but conceded a penalty kick for another 1-1 draw. Last night, the Rowdies were on track to at least claim a point from a topsy-turvy road match, but conceded in the 89th minute to lose 4-3.

Even with the late goals against, the Rowdies still have one of the best defensive records in the Eastern Conference with 22 goals conceded in 23 matches. Only Louisville City FC (20), the Rochester Rhinos (20) and Orlando City B (21) have conceded fewer, though none of those teams have played as many matches as the Rowdies, but the timing of the goals against has been particularly painful for Rowdies fans.

3. A man down
For the first time all season, the Rowdies finished a match shorthanded last night after Damion Lowe was dismissed for receiving his second yellow card of the evening, and the corresponding red card, in the 85th minute. He had been booked for the first time in the 25th minute. Despite having the most yellow cards of any team in the league, the Rowdies had not had anyone sent off prior to last night.

The Rowdies will be without Lowe this coming weekend against the Ottawa Fury FC as he serves an automatic one-game suspension for his red card. Had Lowe not been shown a second yellow, he would have been suspended for the Ottawa match anyway due to yellow card accumulation.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Tampa Bay Rowdies lost 4-3 in a heartbreaker to Saint Louis FC at Toyota Stadium on Sunday night. Despite having a 3-2 lead at halftime, the Rowdies would give up two unanswered goals, including the 89th-minute game winner. The Rowdies played a man down from the 85th minute onwards, as defender Damion Lowe was sent off after receiving his second yellow.

“Credit to our guys for the effort they put forth today,” said Rowdies head coach Stuart Campbell. “There was a big decision that went against us late in the game and I feel the three points were stolen from us. Until that moment, we had played an excellent match.”

It wouldn’t take long for Saint Louis FC to take an early lead, with forward Daniel Jackson scoring just two minutes into the match. A long ball by midfielder Ivan Mirkovic found Jackson making a great run past Rowdies defender Damion Lowe and the forward slotted his shot past goalkeeper Matt Pickens to make it 1-0.

The home team made it 2-0 just three minutes later, after midfielder Seth Rudolph received a great ball inside the 18-yard box and curled his shot into the back of the net.

Despite struggling early on, trailing 2-0 after only five minutes, the Rowdies cut the lead in half in the 10th minute after midfielder Marcel Schäfer fired a shot at the far post, beating goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. Schäfer’s goal came after midfielder Michael Nanchoff recovered a ball close to the center circle and distributed it quickly to the German midfielder.

Like Saint Louis, the Rowdies (10-7-6 (W-T-L), 37 points) scored a second goal just minutes after their first of the night. Forward Georgi Hristov capitalized on a series of rebounds inside the 18-yard box to equalize the match and shift the momentum in favor of the visiting team.

Even after erasing an early 2-0 deficit with a pair of quick-fire goals, the Rowdies weren’t done.

In the 36th minute, a perfectly placed cross by defender Kyle Porter found a diving Martin Paterson, who headed the ball into the net to give the Rowdies the 3-2 lead. Grinwis was able to get a hand on the header but could not keep it out of the net.

“The team showed tremendous character to come back and score three goals,” said Campbell. “It’s never good when you concede two early goals, but I was proud of them for stringing together three goals before halftime.”

The second half didn’t start off with the same scoring pace as the first half, but both teams came out with the same intensity.

In a back-and-forth match with plenty of chances, Saint Louis (7-5-9, 26 points) would find the equalizer in the 67th minute. Rudolph scored his second goal of the night off a header to the far post, leaving Pickens with no chance to get a hand on it.

“I am disappointed with the third goal,” said Campbell. “As a team, we could have defended much better.”

Rowdies defender Damion Lowe would receive his second yellow of the match in the 85th minute, leaving the away side down a man for the closing minutes.

Just four minutes later, Saint Louis would find the game winner. After the initial clearance by the Rowdies, Mirkovic sent in a low shot into the heart of the box, getting deflected by defender Konrad Plewa on the way. The Polish native’s redirection left no chance for Pickens who was diving the other way, and Saint Louis took the 4-3 lead.

The Rowdies were unable to create any magic in the final minutes, seeing their unbeaten streak come to an end.

“We played a very good game, especially on the road,” commented Campbell. “We created numerous chances and were able to score three goals. It’s a tough result but if we play like this, we’ll be able to  pick up important points on the road.”

Up next, the Rowdies will host Ottawa Fury FC at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday, August 19. For tickets, call 727-222-2000 or click here.

Scoring Summary
Saint Louis: Daniel Jackson – 2nd minute (assisted by Ivan Mirkovic)
Saint Louis: Seth Rudolph – 5th minute (assisted by Emmanuel Appiah)
Tampa Bay: Marcel Schäfer – 10th minute (assisted by Michael Nanchoff)
Tampa Bay: Georgi Hristov – 16th minute (unassisted)
Tampa Bay: Martin Paterson – 36th minute (assisted by Kyle Porter)
Saint Louis: Seth Rudolph – 67th minute (assisted by Dragan Stojkov)
Saint Louis: Konrad Plewa – 89th minute (assisted by Ivan Mirkovic)

Caution Summary
Tampa Bay: Damion Lowe – 25th minute
Tampa Bay: Georgi Hristov – 28th minute
Tampa Bay: Martin Paterson – 37th minute
Saint Louis: Austin Ledbetter – 38th minute
Saint Louis: Milan Petosevic – 68th minute
Tampa Bay: Damion Lowe – 85th minute (second yellow and red card)

Starting Lineups
Rowdies XI (4-3-3): GK Matt Pickens (c); D Kyle Porter, Damion Lowe, Neill Collins, Zac Portillos; M Michael Nanchoff (Tamika Mkandawire 88′), Justin Chavez, Marcel Schäfer; F Walter Restrepo (Alex Morrell 72′), Martin Paterson (Darwin Jones 58′), Georgi Hristov

Saint Louis FC XI (4-4-2): GK Adam Grinwis; D Ryan Howe, Konrad Plewa, Tony Walls, Austin Ledbetter; M Seth Rudolph (Mats Bjurman 82′), Dragan Stojkov, Ivan Mirkovic, Emmanuel Appiah; F Daniel Jackson (Christian Volesky 63′), Tyler David (Milan Petosevic 63′)

The Basics
Saint Louis FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
Sunday, August 13, 8:30 p.m. ET.
Toyota Stadium, Fenton, Missouri
Follow us for live updates on Twitter @RowdiesGameday

How to Watch
The match will be streamed live on the USL’s YouTube page here. You can follow live stats and watch the game in the USL Match Center here.

Watch Party
Head to Five Bucks Drinkery on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg to watch with other Rowdies fans and enjoy drink specials during the match.

Records
Saint Louis FC: 6-5-9 (W-T-L), 23 points, 13th place
Tampa Bay: 10-7-5 (W-T-L), 37 points, 3rd place

Rowdies Notes
The Tampa Bay Rowdies arrive in Saint Louis as one of the hottest teams in the United Soccer League. e Rowdies are on a five-game unbeaten run with four wins in that time. Only Sacramento has matched Tampa Bay’s haul of 13 points from its last five matches.

Tampa Bay’s recent run of good form was sparked by a change in formation from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 at the start of July. In their new formation, the Rowdies have lost just once (a 2-0 loss in Charleston in their first game), posting a 4-1-1 record.

Forward Martin Paterson has been in great form recently, scoring in four of the last five matches. His six goals in USL play are tied for the team lead with Joe Cole and Georgi Hristov.

Since joining the Rowdies three matches ago, winger Walter Restrepo has been a sparkplug off the bench with consistently exciting performances in his short cameos. His hard work paid off last week with his first goal for the Rowdies.

Midfielder Marcel Schäfer has emerged as one of the Rowdies’ creative leaders in recent weeks. His crossing from the left wing has been consistently strong, with Schäfer tallying four assists in Tampa Bay’s last three matches. He was named to the USL Team of the Week on Tuesday after dishing out two assists in the Rowdies’ 3-0 win over the Harrisburg City Islanders last weekend.

Scouting Saint Louis FC
Saint Louis FC has endured a difficult season so far, sitting in 13th place of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference, but still sits only four points outside the playoff positions with two games in hand over eighth-place New York Red Bulls II. STLFC lost 2-1 on the road to the Tulsa Roughnecks on Thursday night.

Christian Volesky leads the team in scoring with four goals this season, though he hasn’t scored since June 2.

Saint Louis FC defender Wesley Charpie is a Tarpon Springs native that played college soccer at the University of South Florida. Charpie is tied for the team lead in assists with two this season.