Gameday Info
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Miami FC
Wednesday, October 20, 7:30pm ET
Al Lang Stadium, St Petersburg, FL
Tickets: Tickets for the match can be purchased here.
Pre-Game Show: Catch the pre-game show from 6:45 to 7:15 hosted by The Unused Substitutes Podcast live on Rowdies Gaming Twitch channel here.
Watch: The match can be viewed on ESPN+ here.
Follow Along: Live updates on Twitter at @RowdiesGameday
The Tampa Bay Rowdies are back in action at Al Lang Stadium this Wednesday as they host Miami FC. It will be the fourth regular season meeting between the two sides but perhaps not the last of the year as Miami has clinched its first USL Championship postseason berth since joining the league last year. Miami claimed victory in the last two matchups in July after the Rowdies took the first back in May. All three contests have ended 2-1.
“There’s definitely been talk,” Rowdies midfielder Dayonn Harris of Wednesday’s matchup. “I think there’s that little bit of a rivalry with Miami. We’ve kind of butted heads with them. We didn’t get the result last game, so we’re definitely looking to come out and get the result this game.”
While the Atlantic Division playoff field is set with Miami as the fourth and final team to lock up a spot, there is still plenty to for among the three teams below the Rowdies. The Charlotte Independence, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, and Miami are all still vying for the division’s second seed and the guaranteed home match in the Eastern Conference quarterfinal round of the postseason that comes with it.
“I think (Miami) are probably gonna come after us,” said Collins. “They’ll want to take the initiative because they need to, but I always think that’s a bit dangerous at times for teams. We’re very mindful of what a difficult game it will be. It’s a big, challenging game for us, but I think it’s the kind of game players need and want. We’ll try and focus on our side of things and try and be prepared for whatever Miami might do. Whether they sit back, they come at us, they’re a very good footballing side so we’re going to need to do our things very well.”
Taking the Long View
Despite clinching the Atlantic Division so far out, the Rowdies still have some goals to aim for in their final three home matches. With a point on Wednesday against Miami, the Rowdies will clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference, guaranteeing hosting rights through the Eastern Conference championship final if they make it that far.
The much tougher goal to accomplish will be securing the league’s top overall seed. To do that, the Rowdies will need to win their final three to guarantee they finish ahead of Phoenix Rising FC based on the head-to-head tiebreaker. As much as the Rowdies will want to go for the top seed, they will need to ensure players are fresh enough for a deep postseason run.
“One thing I think we’ve got is a group of players that are all capable of coming in and playing their role,” said Collins. “We’ve been on a great run and those guys that have played a majority of the games have done really well. There’s guys ready and able to come in and I have to get the balance right between we want to win on Wednesday, but we want to win the next 7 or 8 games. How do we do that? That’s the challenge for me. I’ll make a decision accordingly. This a great opportunity for guys that maybe feel they would have wanted more and have waited patiently to get an opportunity and just as a team again to go out and test ourselves against a good opponent.”
Harris’ Growth
One player who may be in line for more playing time over the next three games is Dayonn Harris, who has come off the bench as a serious threat in the right wingback role. The second-year professional was progressing well in the first half of the season until a hamstring injury and then an illness sidelined him for nearly two months.
“The cohesion that this team has is just unmatched,” said Harris. “I think that helped us on and off the field. In training, we’re willing to help each other. No matter what it is we’re not getting on each others backs.”
Collins has liked what he has seen out of the Harris, and believes the young players still has a higher level of form within his reach in the near future.
“Dayonn’s attitutde is fantastic,” said Collins. “He’s really willing to listen to his teammates, willing to listen to the coaches. So he has a fantastic attitude. Everyone knows this is the first and most important value that we have. On top of that, he’s super talented and full of potential. I’m excited to see what Dayonn can achieve in the games we’ve got this season and then building on to next year, because I do think we’ve gotta remember coming here in only your second year as a professional is a big jump. The obstacles he’s have to overcome will stand him in good stead for next year and he’l know what to expect. Still a lot for him to achieve this year and I’m sure he’s in a great position to do that.”
History in Seba’s Sights
Sebastian Guenzatti remains one goal away from surpassing the Rowdies single-season scoring record of 19 goals, which he set himself in 2019. At 55 total goals for Tampa Bay, Guenzatti is also 5 goals behind Georgi’s Hristov’s all-time Rowdies scoring record of 60 goals.
