ORLANDO, Fla. (July 13, 2017) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies were just a couple of minutes away from picking up a 1-0 road win over Orlando City B on Thursday night, only for an Orlando City to score a penalty kick in the sixth minute of stoppage time to pull even.
Former Orlando City striker Martin Paterson gave the Rowdies a lead in the 21st minute, scoring off a feed from Joe Cole to put the visitors ahead. Danny Deakin scored the penalty to rescue a point for Orlando.
Darnell King was adjudged to have committed a foul on Orlando City midfielder Richie Laryea for the decisive play in the fifth of seven minutes of stoppage time.
“I’m bitterly disappointed to end up drawing the game because I thought we defended very, very well in the second half,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “There was a lot of stoppage time added and Orlando obviously took advantage of that.”
Tampa Bay’s Martin Vingaard put the ball in the back of the net in the eighth minute of stoppage time, but Tamika Mkandawire was offside in the build-up and the goal was ruled out.
The Rowdies started the match on the front foot, looking to build off last week’s 2-0 win over FC Cincinnati with an unchanged lineup.
Tampa Bay (7-7-5 (W-T-L), 28 points) didn’t have to wait too long for its advantage.
Rowdies captain Joe Cole pounced on a Lions turnover and fed Paterson into the box. Paterson blasted his first touch past Orlando goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. for his fourth goal of the season to put Tampa Bay ahead 1-0.
Down a goal at home, Orlando City B (5-7-6, 22 points) slowly found its way back into the match, though the Rowdies’ backline was up to the test. Orlando City B out-shot the Rowdies by a nine to four margin, but each team managed just one shot on target.
The Rowdies had the ball for just 38 percent of the match, a season low.
Up next, Tampa Bay returns home for a three-game homestead beginning Saturday, July 22 against the Charleston Battery on Throwback Night. For tickets, call (727) 222-2000 or click here.
Scoring Summary
Rowdies: Martin Paterson – 21st minute (assisted by Joe Cole)
Orlando: Danny Deakin – 90+6′ minute (penalty kick)
Caution Summary
Rowdies: Darnell King – 43rd minute
Rowdies: Alex Morrell – 45th minute
Orlando: Leo Pereira – 74th minute
Orlando: Paul Clowes – 90+2 minute
Orlando: Richie Laryea – 90+6 minute
Starting Lineups
Rowdies XI (4-3-3): GK Matt Pickens; D Darnell King, Tamika Mkandawire, Neill Collins, Zac Portillos; M Joe Cole (c) (Darwin Jones 79′), Keith Savage (Justin Chavez 60′), Marcel Schäfer; F Alex Morrell, Martin Paterson (Martin Vingaard 65′), Georgi Hristov
Orlando City B XI (4-5-1): GK Earl Edwards Jr.; D Zach Ellis-Hayden, Seb Hines, Leo Pereira, Fernando Timbo; M Austin Martz (Ben Polk 64′), Paul Clowes (Danny Deakin 82′), Richie Laryea, Tony Rocha (Albert Dikwa 64′), Lewis Neal (c); F Hadji Barry
