The Basics
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Real Monarchs SLC
Saturday, April 21, 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 ESPN+ (subscription required), the official streaming partner of the USL, 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, is for PASS HOLDERS ONLY and opens at 4 p.m. For more parking options, click here.
Records
Tampa Bay: 3-2-0 (W-L-T), 9 points, 3rd place, Eastern Conference
Real Monarchs SLC: 4-0-0 (W-L-T), 12 points, 3rd place, Western Conference
Rowdies Notes
The Tampa Bay Rowdies return home following a humbling 5-0 defeat at the hands of New York Red Bulls II at Red Bull Arena last Saturday afternoon. It was the Rowdies’ first five-goal loss of the Modern Era and came just one week after Tampa Bay’s first five-goal win of the Modern Era.
This match marks the first time the Rowdies have ever hosted a Western Conference opponent at Al Lang Stadium. Tampa Bay’s only previous match against a team from the USL’s Western Conference was a 1-1 draw in San Antonio on October 7 of last season.
Georgi Hristov has a chance at all-time Tampa Bay Rowdies history tonight. He is one goal short of tying Derek Smethurst’s all-time club scoring record of 57 goals. Smethurst played for the Rowdies from 1975 to 1978 and his scoring record has stood for 40 years. Hristov is already the Rowdies’ Modern Era leader in goals (56) and appearances (151), but is now poised to add his name to the all-time record book. He has scored in both of the Rowdies’ home matches so far in 2018.
Tampa Bay will be without right back David Najem, who sustained a torn left ACL in the first half of last week’s loss to the Red Bulls. Najem had played every minute of the season prior to his injury. He will have surgery later this month and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2018 season.
Clearwater native Kyle Curinga is expected to take Najem’s place in the starting lineup at right back. Curinga has not dressed for a match yet this season, but is now in place to make his official debut for his hometown club against his former team. Curinga was a regular starter for the Monarchs in 2017 and helped lead the team to the USL regular season title.
Tampa Bay’s impressive home record from 2017 has continued into 2018, with the Rowdies winning their two home matches this season by a combined score of 7-0. The Rowdies’ only home regular season loss last year was to the Charleston Battery on April 22, meaning if Tampa Bay avoids defeat against the Monarchs, it will be a full calendar since their last home defeat in regulation.
Scouting the Monarchs
The Monarchs come to St. Petersburg as one of the top teams in the USL, having won four all four of their matches so far in 2018. They won the USL regular season title last season before falling in the first round of the playoffs.
Real is unbeaten in its last nine regular season matches dating back to last season, including five road wins over that stretch. The team traveled to Tampa Bay on Thursday to have an extra time to acclimate.
Monarchs forward Ricky Lopez-Espin should be familiar with the Tampa Bay area, having played for the Rowdies U23 PDL team a season ago. He started two matches and scored once before getting injured and missing the rest of the season. He was drafted No. 33 overall by Real Salt Lake in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. He has played in two matches for the Monarchs so far this season.
