CHARLESTON, SC (September 21, 2024) – The Tampa Bay Rowdies conceded early in their trip up to Charleston on Saturday night and could never quite recover, ultimately falling 3-1 to the Battery at Patriots Point Soccer Complex.
“We’re disappointed with the final outcome obviously,” said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. “When you come into these big games, these top of the table games, you can’t give up two easy goals. We did that. If you give a team a two-goal start like we did, it makes it very difficult to get yourself back in the game.”
Charleston struck the opening blow five minutes into the match. After creating space on the right edge of Tampa Bay’s box, Arturo Rodriguez lifted a cross to the far post where Juan Torres was waiting to volley the chance into the goal.
Following Torres’ strike, the Rowdies did find a couple of chances in the match. Midfielder Lewis Hilton sent a long-range rocket onto the target that was parried away by Charleston keeper Adam Grinwis. Rowdies attacker Damian Rivera probed the goal only a few moments later with a low shot in the box that Grinwis did well to kick away at the last moment.
The hosts doubled their advantage in the 37th minute, though. An attempted clearance by the Rowdies fell favorably for Nick Markanich in the box and Charleston’s leading scorer made the most of the opportunity with a strike into the bottom right corner of the net.
Markanich eventually secured a brace at the hour mark. After a Rowdies turnover at midfield, Charleston sprung forward on the counterattack, with MD Myers slipping into the final third before sliding a pass across the box for Markanich to convert.
Tampa Bay finally got onto the scoresheet late in the match with a brilliant effort from defender Freddy Kleemann. In the 81st minute, substitute Joshua Perez served up a cross from the left wing for Kleemann in the center of the box. With his first-touch, Kleemann hammered a left-footed volley into the net for his first professional goal.
“We just need to get ourselves in form for the run-in to the playoffs,” said Neilson. “We’ve got three at home and two away. We need to get; I won’t say back to form because we’ve shown periods of games where we do really well. I think we just need to be clinical at both ends.”
Next up, the Rowdies return home to Al Lang Stadium to take on Hartford Athletic on Saturday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Scoring Summary
CHS – Torres (Rodriguez), 5’
CHS – Markanich, 37’
CHS – Markanich (Myers), 60’
TBR – Kleemann (Perez), 81
Caution Summary
TBR – Kleemann, Yellow Card, 8’
CHS – Dossantos, Yellow Card, 43’
CHS – Segbers, Yellow Card, 59’
TBR – Worth, Yellow Card, 61’
TBR – Perez, Yellow Card, 79’
CHS – Ycaza, Yellow Card, 87’
Lineups
Rowdies: Farr, Munjoma (Niyongabire, 44’), Kleemann, Doherty, Bender (Fernandes, 64’), Hilton, Worth Perez, 71’), Bodily (Guillen, 71’), Jennings, Arteaga, Rivera (Bubb, 64’)
Rowdies Bench: Breno, Bubb, Guillen, Perez, Niyongabire, Fernandes, Mustali
Charleston: Grinwis, Segbers, Archer, Smith, Dossantos, Chapman (Molloy, 80’), Allan, Markanich (Crawford, 90+1’), Rodriguez (Ycaza, 73’), Torres (Saydee, 73’), Myers (Conway, 73’)
Charleston Bench: Kuzemka, Drack, Crawford, Molloy, Ycaza, Soto, Conway, Saydee
