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ST PETERSBURG, Fla (June 2, 2021) – The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today the addition of attacker Foster Langsdorf to the roster. Langsdorf joins the Rowdies on loan from Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United FC and will be available for selection starting with Wednesday’s match at New York Red Bulls II.

Langsdorf is no stranger to the USL Championship. The 25-year-old striker spent the 2020 season with Reno 1868 FC, notching 11 goals and 2 assists to help the club finish atop the USL Championship’s Western Conference standings at the end of the regular season.

“We’re obviously delighted to add someone of Foster’s quality to the roster,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “It wasn’t something we expected to need to do but when someone of that quality becomes available, we’re going to take the chance to make ourselves better. We’re excited to have that option going into what’s going to be a busy month.”

Minnesota scooped Langsdorf up just two weeks after Reno’s 2020 season came to an abrupt end in the Western Conference Sem-final when it fell to Phoenix Rising FC in penalties. He has since made two appearances for Minnesota, both from off the bench. His last appearance was as a substitute in the club’s 1-0 loss to Austin FC on May 1.

Prior to Reno, Langsdorf was with his hometown club the Portland Timbers for two seasons. He made two appearances for the MLS side and earned considerable minutes over those two years for Portland Timbers 2 in the USL Championship. He left Portland with 21 goals and 10 assists in USL play.

Langsdorf was also a standout striker at Stanford University before signing a homegrown contract in MLS with Portland in 2018. He tallied 37 goals during his four-year career at Stanford as the school captured three straight NCAA National Championships and four straight Pac-12 titles.

Langsdorf is a potent pickup for the Rowdies as the club deals with a few injuries among its attacking corps. Forward Juan Tejada and Lucky Mkosana both remain out with knocks sustained in the offseason, while Steevan Dos Santos is now set to miss time after suffering an injury at the end of the recent win over Miami.

“We always like to play on the front foot and that means having attacking options available,” said Collins. “With Lucky and Juan still out we just wanted to supplement the likes of Steevan, Sebastian Guenzatti and Jordan Adebayo-Smith. I think Foster will do that. You can see with his goal record the last two seasons he’s going to bring that attacking piece to the table. We’re like every other team, we’re always looking to get better.”

Following Wednesday’s match against New York, the Rowdies remain on the road to face the Charlotte Independence on Saturday at 7pm ET.

Gameday Info

Tampa Bay Rowdies at New York Red Bulls II
Wednesday, June 2, 7 p.m. ET
MSU Soccer Park, Montclair, New Jersey

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.

Rowdies Notes

After a perfect 4-0 start to the season and a week off from competitive play, the Tampa Bay Rowdies return to the field this week for their first road swing of the year and are aiming to turn their positive start to the 2021 season into an historic one. A win on Wednesday at New York Red Bulls II would mark the first time the club has ever won five straight matches in the modern era.

“To become a great team there’s certain things that you have to do,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “I think we’ve gradually done that with certain records, unbeaten stretches, starts to the season, different little things. That would be a great one for the players to have, most consecutive wins. It wont be something we’ll bring up and talk about, but it’d just be a great thing when you look back at history and see records are held by certain teams.”

The Rowdies played New York just once in 2020 due to the shortened season. They traveled to face Red Bulls II for last year’s season opener, coming away with their first win on the road against a New York team in the modern era. Midfielder Leo Fernandes tallied the winner in the 1-0 result that day and the next week the season was suspended due to the pandemic.

Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins has kept the same lineup the last three weeks straight, though that seems unlikely as they Rowdies will play two matches in short succession. Following Wednesday’s tilt, the Rowdies will travel to face the Charlotte Independence. The busy week and a few injuries on the roster means Collins is likely to test out his depth more than he has had to in these first few weeks.

“I think you’re going to be tested but I also think it’s a great opportunity for players in the squad to get the chance and there’s some that are really deserving of a chance,” he said. “It’s been difficult because the team’s been doing so well. It’s not anything negative against them, it’s just the guys that have had the jersey have done enough to keep it. I’m really looking forward to giving some of these guys the opportunity and we know through a 32-game season we’ll need these guy to impact games and contribute and I’m sure they will.”

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

Opposition Notes

New York is coming off a tough 3-0 loss at the hands of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and enters Wednesday’s clash with just one win through its first six matches. The club’s only points so far have been earned off the Atlantic Division’s last-place Charleston Battery and seventh-place Loudoun United FC.

Mandela Egbo currently leads Red Bulls II with two goals so far in his second season with the club. Last year’s leading scorer Omar Sowe has also returned and has one tally through his first five appearances. New York has also retained Jake LaCava, who led the club with five assists in 2020.

For the first time in the modern era, the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ record is unblemished through the first four matches. Saturday’s 2-1 win over Miami FC was not the prettiest of performances but the positive result closed out a homestand that really couldn’t have gone much better for the Rowdies as they outscored their four opponents 10-2.

There were two critical questions heading into the Miami matchup. First, how the Rowdies would come out after an emotionally charged match against Phoenix Rising FC last week. And second, how they would then respond to a new-look Miami side eager to claim their first win against the Rowdies in USL Championship play.

Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins ended the night satisfied with how his players answered those questions.

“So much credit to the players,” Collins said postmatch. “Coming off the back of three home games, three wins, playing against a top team from the west in a game that was really hyped up by everyone, to come out against a Miami team that was so motivated to beat us, I thought the players were fantastic. Was it the best performance we’ve had all season? No. But we showed a lot of character. The second half we asked them to step it up and they really did that and went on and won the game. Over a 32-game season you’re going to have to have moments like that. I’m really just delighted for the players that their attitude in training was rewarded.”

The Rowdies now have 11 days until their next match. With the extra time, the club’s medical staff will have a chance to adequately evaluate both Laurence Wyke and Steevan Dos Santos, who both exited on Saturday with knocks. Wyke only had a small limp as he walked off on his own. Dos Santos on the other hand needed assistance to come off the field after a harsh foul by Miami’s Paco Craig in the dying moments of the match.

When the Rowdies do return to the field, they’ll be facing their first road fixture of 2021. They’ll travel to New York Red Bulls II for a midweek clash and then to the Charlotte Independence on the weekend. It’ll be a good test for the squad, which has already run through a quarter of its home fixtures after just one month of the season.

“I think the bye week comes at a great time,” Collins said. “We had a great preseason, we’ve had a great start to the season. I trust these players to have two or three days off and spend some time with their family and friends to recover and get ready for two road trips that are gonna be very, very tough. Well—deserved time off ahead of June and July, which are always tough because of the heat… Going on the road’s another challenge, and one that we relish. Being together on the road’s always good fun. It’s even more fun when you win and put in performances. We’ve done that well the last couple of years so we’ll see how this team copes with that challenge.”

Hilton Hits His Stride

The finishers typically get the bulk of the spotlight on set piece goals. However, the one setting them up deserves just as much of the credit and so far this year that praise should be pointed in the direction of midfielder Lewis Hilton, who recorded his first official assist of 2021 on Saturday. Despite a strong wind blowing into Al Lang from the bay, Hilton’s corner kick in the 12th minute was spot on to the head of Dos Santos for the opening goal.

Hilton now leads the team with 8 chances created, and two of his free kick deliveries initiated scoring opportunities that the Rowdies pounced on in previous weeks.

It’s not just about his marksmanship, though. Hilton has also been active and strong force, disrupting the opposition and doing dirty work for the Rowdies in midfield. After being subbed on at halftime of the season opener, he’s made it hard for Collins to leave him out of the starting lineup.

 “I think Lewis has been fantastic,” Collins said. “I think he’s been the energizer bunny plus the quality to play. He’s been really good. He really got our team playing in the midfield but he’s also done the other side of things. He’s cleaned up for people, he’s won second balls, he’s made tackles. I’m delighted for him. A lot of our players have a fantastic attitude and he’s right up there with the best of them, looking after himself 24/7. He wants to be a professional footballer. I’m really glad he’s getting the rewards right now and he can be pleased with how he’s reacted after not starting the first game.”

Twinge of Lingering Disappointment on Defense

Midway through the first half, the Rowdies let their foot off the pedal a bit and allowed Miami to create several scoring chances. Ultimately Billy Forbes did find the net for the visitors shortly before halftime, though he required a fluke deflection off center back Aaron Guillen to do so. Guillen stuck his foot out to block Forbes’ strike from just inside the box and the deflection somehow lifted over Louro and dropped down in time to slip under the crossbar.

The Rowdies were clean and efficient on defense for the rest of the night, though the fact that they were unable to post a clean sheet for the second straight week didn’t sit well with center back Forrest Lasso.

“I think we’re disappointed,” Lasso said. “Our standard is always a clean sheet. You can kind of see it in our faces when we gave away that goal. It lit a fire in us. We’re thrilled to get the three points, but to give away that goal, it motivates us. To see that little bit of disappointment after a great night like that, that’s what you want to see in a team.”

ST PETERSBURG, Fla (May, 22, 2021) -The Tampa Bay Rowdies extended their winning streak to start the year to four matches on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium. The latest team to fall at Al Lang was in-state rivals Miami FC, with Rowdies forwards Steevan Dos Santos and Sebastian Guenzatti both goals in a 2-1 victory.

“This week the players trained fantastically well, they’re attitudes been spot on,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “They’ve been doing and saying all the right things but you’ve got a really tough team that’s recruited well coming to Al Lang and it’s difficult. I thought in the end we full deserved to win. We came through a couple of tough moments in the first half, showed great character in the second and some quality. Not every game in a 32-game season is gonna go our own way and we should get used to teams coming here and making it really difficult for us. The pleasing thing for me is the players dealt with that and came out the other end stronger.”

Fresh off being named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for their showing last week against Phoenix Rising FC, midfielder Lewis Hilton and Dos Santos combined for the opening goal in the 12th minute. With a steady wind in his face, Hilton found the head of Dos Santos in the box after the forward had been left unmarked. Dos Santos took advantage with a flicked header past Connor Sparrow for his third goal in as many matches.

Miami turned the tides on the hosts a bit past the 25th minute, starting with a promising chance after Billy Forbes swiped the ball off Hilton and Ariel Martinez picked it up in stride in the Rowdies’ defensive third and fed Lamar Walker, who sent his effort off the mark. Martinez had a chance of his own three minutes later, firing in a low strike that keeper Evan Louro knocked out of danger.

The visitors finally found their equalizer in the 38th minute. Forbes penetrated down the right wing, took a hopeful shot from just inside the box that clipped the foot of Aaron Guillen and rose over Louro before dipping back down under the crossbar.

Hilton nearly put the Rowdies back out in front in the opening minutes of the second half but had a well-struck effort from 20 yards out cleared off the line by defender Callum Chapman.

The Rowdies eventually did regain the lead in the 78th minute after a stretch of sustained pressure on Miami. Dos Santos turned toward goal in the box and took a shot that clipped the arm of Sean McFarlane to give the Rowdies a penalty. Rowdies club captain then stepped to the spot and converted for his fourth tally of the year.

Miami continued to push for another goal that never came as the Rowdies comfortably rode out the rest of the night. The win brings them up to 12 points and guarantees they remain atop the Atlantic Division as they take the next week off.

The one sour note on the night was the exit of Dos Santos a few minutes of stoppage time due to injury. Miami’s Paco Craig was shown a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Dos Santos that took the attacker out of the match with little time left.

The Rowdies next take the field on June 2 at New York Red Bulls II.

Scoring Summary
TBR: Steevan Dos Santos (Lewis Hilton) 12’
MIA: Billy Forbes 37’
TBR: Sebastian Guenzatti (Penalty Kick) 79’

Lineups
TBR: Louro; Scarlett, Lasso, Guillen; Antley (Dalgaard 66′), Wyke (Ekra 57′), Hilton, Fernandes; Dos Santos (adebayo-Smith 87′), Steinberger (Srbely 66′), Guenzatti

MIA: Sparrow; Ballard (McFarlane 63′), Craig, Chapman (Anglin 64′), Loebe; Akinyode, Palacios (Da Silva 45′), Williams; Walker (Francois 58′), Forbes (Othello 63′), Martinez

Gameday Info

Tampa Bay Rowdies host Miami FC
Saturday, May 12 at 7:30 p..m ET
Al Lang Stadium, St Petersburg, FL

Pre-Game Show: A live pre-game show hosted by The Unused Substitutes will be streamed through the Rowdies Twitch channel from 7:00-7:30pm.

Watch: The match can be vewed 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.

Inside Al Lang: Al Lang Stadium is now completely cash-free, including all retail and concession stands. Credit and debit cards as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay will be accepted throughout the stadium. Roaming vendors will also not accept cash.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies finish their four-match homestand this Saturday night against Miami FC. After recording three straight wins to start the year, the Rowdies are focused on keeping their record unblemished in the month of may. After this weekend, the Rowdies won’t take the field again until June 2 when they make their first road trip to New York Red Bulls II.

A win this weekend would be the best start the Rowdies have ever recorded in the modern era. At the moment, the Rowdies have matched the three-match winning streak set by the 2017 squad during the club’s first season in the USL Championship.

Tampa Bay’s hot start can be attributed to many things, but chief among them are the contributions from newcomers like midfielder Laurence Wyke and forward Dos Santos. Wyke paired well with Lewis Hilton (who earned a spot on the USL Team of the Week for his performance against Phoenix) to shut down Phoenix in the center of the field last week. Dos Santos meanwhile was named to the league’s Team of the Week for the second week in a row for his game-winning goal and his effort to cause Phoenix’s own goal.

Apart from one slip up to allow Santi Moar to score from distance in the second half, the Rowdies continued to showcase their strength on defense by containing Phoenix’s attacking firepower. Center back Aaron Guillen in particular had a great night, shutting down two-time USL MVP Solomon Asante all night long.

“I like to matchup with players that are fast,” said Guillen. “I’ve been able to deal with fast players in the past and hopefully this weekend I can do the same thing and we can just keep the clean sheet. That’s the most important thing for us. We know if we keep a clean sheet we’re at least getting a point out of the game.”
 

Injury Report
OUT: Lucky Mkosana, Juan Tejada, Luiz Fernando

Opposition Notes:
Miami went through its first USL season in 2020, and the Rowdies dominated the season series by taking 3 wins and 1 draw against their in-state rivals. With an offseason to reflect and retool their lineup, Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins is ready for a tough season-long series with Miami in 2021.

“They’ve went out and their midfield is extremely strong like Speedy Williams and [Bolu] Akinyode too, experienced players in this league,” said Collins. “They’ve added a lot of speed to the top end of the field, which is obviously important in this league. Throughout the spine of the team, they’ve strengthened and like any coach, I’m sure Paul [Dalglish] will have had time to assess and evaluate will feel much stronger. They’re going to be very motivated to beat us, as I’m sure every team is.”

The fact that this week three of Miami’s players (Jahshaun Anglin, Devon “Speedy” Williams, and Lamar Walker) were called up for a pair of friendlies in early June is a good indication of the talent Miami brings to the field. Williams scored the only goal in Miami’s 1-0 victory over New York last week. Miami dominated play throughout that match but failed to convert on more than one of its numerous chances. Through the matches, Miami has netted just three goals despite the handful of potent attacking players on its roster. Meanwhile, the Rowdies have already tallied 8 goals on the year through the same amount of matches.
 

ST PETERSBURG, Fla (May 18, 2021) – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week for Week 4  of the 2021 season on Tuesday and the Tampa Bay Rowdies are once again well represented. Forward Steevan Dos Santos and midfielder Lewis Hilton are this week’s selections from Tampa Bay of for their showings against Phoenix Rising FC.

This is Dos Santos’ second straight week making the cut for Team of the Week. To earn this week’s spot, Dos Santos played a role in both of Tampa Bay’s goals. In the 4th minute with his back to goal, Dos Santos turned and streaked toward the endline before firing in a cross that was mistakenly cleared by Phoenix’s Aodhan Quinn into his own net. It counted as an own goal, but it wouldn’t have happened without Dos Santos creating the chance and putting Phoenix under pressure early.

Dos Santos grabbed an outright goal and the ultimate winner of the match in the 61st minute after Forrest Lasso forced Phoenix’s Ben Lundt to make a stellar save to deny a header from the center back. The rebound fell right to the feet of Dos Santos in front of goal and the forward did not waste the chance to notch his second of the year.

Hilton also played a role in Dos Santos’ winner, playing in the dangerous corner kick to the back post Forrest Lasso headed toward to goal to force the save by Lundt. The Rowdies midfielder recorded a game-high five key passes and 36 passes completed passes against Phoenix. He also finished the night with 14 recoveries, helping to stymie Phoenix’s usually potent stable of attackers. Hilton and Laurence Wyke in midfield neutralized much of what Phoenix tried to do in the match with constant pressure and steadfast defense.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 4

GK – Matt VanOekel, Birmingham Legion FC (Player of the Week): Matt VanOekel not only posted a five-save shutout in Legion FC’s 1-0 win against Memphis 901 FC, but also provided the assist on Neco Brett’s game-winning goal as well.

D – Issa Rayyan, Tacoma Defiance: Issa Rayyan recorded one assist, two key passes and completed 3 of 4 dribbles in attack while defensively won 8 of 11 duels and made two tackles and three interceptions in Tacoma’s 3-1 win against San Diego Loyal SC.

D – Shannon Gomez, Sacramento Republic FC: Shannon Gomez completed 38 of 42 passes and notched one assist and two key passes while recording four interceptions in Republic FC’s 3-1 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC.

D – Ryan James, Birmingham Legion FC: Ryan James won 8 of 11 duels and recorded six recoveries, two interceptions and four clearances as Birmingham recorded a shutout in its 1-0 win against Memphis 901 FC at Legion Stadium.

M – Michee Ngalina, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: Michee Ngalina was a menace throughout the Switchbacks’ 4-0 win against Sporting Kansas City II, recording one goal, two assists and eight key passes on Friday night.

M – Junior Etou, Charlotte Independence: Junior Etou put in an impressive display in the center of midfield, winning 13 of 17 duels and making 11 recoveries while completing 29 of 40 passes in Charlotte’s 3-0 win against the Charleston Battery.

M – Bolu Akinyode, Miami FC: Bolu Akinyode helped Miami dominate the midfield in its 1-0 win against the New York Red Bulls II, completing 48 of 55 passes, winning 9 of 15 duels and making 16 recoveries and eight interceptions.

M – Lewis Hilton, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Lewis Hilton recorded a game-high five key passes and 36 completed passes overall while recording 14 recoveries and winning 3 of 4 tackles in Tampa Bay’s 2-1 win against Phoenix Rising FC.

F – Hadji Barry, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: Hadji Barry notched a pair of goals on six shots, had two key passes and completed 22 of 26 passes overall to help the Switchbacks earn a 4-0 victory against Sporting Kansas City II

F – Steevan Dos Santos, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Steevan Dos Santos shone again for his new side, scoring what proved to be the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win against Phoenix Rising FC while winning 12 of 23 duels and recording seven shots overall.

F – Dariusz Formella, Sacramento Republic FC: Dariusz Formella recorded one goal, one assist and five key passes overall to lead Republic FC to a 3-1 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC last Wednesday night.

Bench: John Berner (MEM), Jack Metcalf (SD), Gabriel Torres (HFD), Speedy Williams (MIA), Wan Kuzain (RGV), Sergio Rivas (NM) Irvin Parra (CLT)

The Tampa Bay Rowdies got an early reprieve from Atlantic Division action this past weekend with their matchup against the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Rising FC. However, the next three months will be nothing but Atlantic Division fixtures for the Rowdies. Their next non-Atlantic foe will be expansion side Oakland Roots on September 3.

Atlantic Division teams will play each other four times during the season, twice at home and twice away. The top four teams at the end of the year will qualify for the postseason.

After three matches, the Rowdies sit atop the division as the only team to have not dropped any points so far. Hartford Athletic are just two points back in second after finding last-minute equalizer in against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Miami FC, who comes to Al Lang Stadium this Saturday night, are in third thanks to a win in their trip to New York Red Bulls II on Friday. The Charlotte Independence holds the division’s fourth spot after their impressive win over the Charleston Battery.

Last place Loudoun United FC has been off since its opener on May 2 but returns this Tuesday to host New York.

New York Red Bulls II 0-1 Miami FC

Miami FC made its first trip up to New York since joining the USL last year a successful one with some help from former New York Red Bulls II player Speedy Williams. The visitors started on the front foot against New York and were rewarded in the 15th minute, as Williams received a deflection off a blocked shot outside the box and rifled the ball back toward goal and slipped on the underside of the crossbar. Miami continued to dominate the rest of the night but failed to convert any of their numerous chances. Paul Dalglish’s side took 18 total shots in the match, 11 of which were fired from inside New York’s box.

The Rowdies host Miami this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Charleston Battery 0-3 Charlotte Independence

The Charleston Battery hosted their first match of 2021 last Friday, and the visiting Charlotte Independence took the opportunity to spoil the night by handing the Battery a 3-0 defeat. The result was a long time coming for Charlotte, who had not beaten Charleston since 2016.

Just 12 minutes into the match, Charlotte jumped ahead as Marcelo Palomino pounced on a rebound chance after a well-struck free kick from Jake Areman clanged off the crossbar and back into play. Charlotte never looked back after that. Newcomer Irvin Parra notched his first two of the year, a header into the bottom left corner in the 18th minute and then a confident penalty conversion in the 49th minute.

Hartford Athletic 1-1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

After opening the season with a 3-0 loss at Al Lang Stadium, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC remained on the road for a matchup with Hartford Athletic SC. Russell Cicerone opened up the scoring three minutes before the halftime break, when Thomas Williamson flicked a header over the last defender and into the box for Cicerone to bury into the top right corner.

Pittsburgh’s lead held until the final moments after Hartford’s rally picked up a boost when Pittsburgh’s Kenardo Forbes was shown a red card in the 89th minute. With a man advantage, Hartford finally founds its equalizer in the first minute of stoppage time as Danny Berrera’s free kick from the right wing found the head of Luka Prba, who redirected the ball onto frame and past keeper Danny Vitiello.

Upcoming Schedule:

• Loudoun United FC vs. New York Red Bulls II, Tuesday, May 18, 7p.m. ET
• Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Charlotte Independence, May 22, 7 p.m. ET
• Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Miami FC, May 22, 7:30 p.m.
• Charleston Battery vs. New York Red Bulls II, May 23, 2p.m. ET

Neither the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Phoenix Rising FC were interested in building up the hype heading into this weekend’s clash at Al Lang. Both knew it could never be a replacement for what they and the fans lost with last year’s USL Championship Final being called off.

When the whistle blew on Saturday night, though, it was impossible for the players, coaches, and certainly the 2,355 fans in attendance the match to deny the excitement and emotion involved.

“It’s just a great advert for the USL in terms of excitement and quality as well,” said Tampa Bay Rowdies Head Coach Collins. “I’m so proud of the players that in a moment like tonight they were able to play the same as we want them to every week and not have the occasion overtake. The credit tonight goes to the players as it always does.”

Ultimately, the Rowdies were the ones to prevail, riding a 4th minute own goal forced by Steevan Dos Santos and then a second-half finish from Dos Santos to 2-1 victory. Santi Moar ratcheted up the tension for the final 20 minutes when he took advantage of one of the lone defensive lapses for the Rowdies in the 68th minute and rifled a shot from distance into the net. High anxiety ensued for both sides in the final stages, but the Rowdies never looked rattled by the moment and nullified Phoenix’s rally.

“It had a cup feel because of the uniqueness of the backstory and it was almost played like a cup final,” said Collins. “Those last 20 minutes were played end to end full of passion, energy, emotion. That’s what everyone wants to see. You don’t want to see a soulless stadium, players going through the motions. Both fans will be proud of their teams. It was a different game compared to what we’ve had in the past. We were tested. It was great.”

Phoenix’s Unstoppable Attack Meets Tampa Bay’s Immovable Defense

A majority of the conversation heading into the match was if the Rowdies could slow down or stymie the Phoenix’s attacking firepower. After 90 minutes, the Rowdies seem to have risen to the occasion.

Despite giving up their first goal of the year, it was an otherwise steady performance from the back three. Aaron Guillen in particular did a commendable job holding two-time league MVP Solomon Asante to just one shot on goal. Forrest Lasso continued to dominate in the air, winning 7 aerial duels and powering a header on frame that led to Dos Santos’ rebound opportunity. Jordan Scarlett also had a critical stop, sticking his foot in to clear the ball off Rufat Dadashov in front of goal in the second half. All three center backs combined for 14 clearances in the match.

The back three were also supported by two solid performances from midfielders Laurence Wyke and Hilton, who brought pressure on Phoenix in the midfield and prevented the visitors from establishing their normal flow. Wyke may have had the moment of the match in the 58th minute, sprinting back into the Rowdies box after a giveaway and sliding in from behind to strip Asante of the ball before he could fire a shot on goal.

Phoenix finished the night with 11 total shots, 3 of which were on target. However, just 4 of those attempts were from within the Rowdies’ box. On top of that, the entire Rowdies squad combined to block 7 of Phoenix’s shots. For the most part, Tampa Bay kept Phoenix at bay outside of the dangerous areas.   

Dos Santos Stays Hot

Steevan Dos Santos followed up his outstanding showing last week with another strong performance this Saturday.

The Rowdies forward didn’t technically score the opening goal himself, but he definitely caused it by breaking through Phoenix’s back line with a swift turn and sprint toward goal before sending in a cross to the near post that was inadvertently redirected into the net by Phoenix’s Aodhan Quinn. The Cape Verde native then bagged an outright goal for the Rowdies in the second half, cleaning up a rebound opportunity initiated by a header from Forrest Lasso.

Dos Santos has now played pivotal roles in five of the Rowdies 8 goals to start the year. He has scored twice, drawn a penalty, caused an own goal, and helped set up the scoring sequence that led to Leo Fernande’s goal against Charlotte.

“We know that we are one of the teams to beat,” said Dos Santos. “We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing the last three games. We scored 8 goals and it just goes to show we are on a good path to get better.”

Against Phoenix Dos Santos won 12 duels, blocked 2 shots, made 2 clearances as well as 2 interceptions.

Starting Off on the Right Foot

These first three matches are arguably the best opening three results earned by the Rowdies in the last decade. It’s only the second time the modern era Rowdies have won their first three, though this year’s competition of Charlotte, Pittsburgh, and Phoenix ranks higher than what the Rowdies faced the last time they did it in 2017. That year, the Rowdies knocked off Orlando City B, Toronto FC II, and Ottawa Fury FC.

This year’s Rowdies still have a ways to go before they can beat or match the longest unbeaten streak to start a season. The 2019 Rowdies hold that record with their 13-match unbeaten run to kick off that campaign.