ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (September 16, 2018) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies are back in the win column after a 1-0 victory over Atlanta United 2 on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium. The win was the Rowdies’ second in three matches as they attempt to make a run at the USL Cup Playoffs.
According to Nate Silver’s 538 predictions, the Rowdies’ chances of reaching the USL postseason inched upward from eight percent to 10 percent after Saturday night. Tampa Bay is currently seven points out of eighth place, but with a game in hand. The Rowdies might target seventh-placed Ottawa, which is also seven points clear of the Rowdies, but having played two more matches. If Tampa Bay can win both its games in hand, the Rowdies would be just one point behind Ottawa.
Here’s Three Things from Saturday night’s win…
1. The 3-5-2 is here to stay
The Rowdies have really settled into a groove in Neill Collins’ preferred 3-5-2 formation in recent weeks with Hunter Gorskie, Papé Diakité and Tarek Morad as the three center backs flanked by Afrim Taku on the right and either Zac Portillos or Leo Fernandes on the left.
Tampa Bay has deployed a 3-5-2 in each of its last seven matches. In that time, the Rowdies have posted three clean sheets and conceded more than one goal only once. In the 21 matches prior to adopting the 3-5-2 full-time, the Rowdies kept four clean sheets and conceded two or more goals 10 times.
Part of the improvement comes down to personnel (Taku, Diakite and Morad joined the team this summer) but a large part is putting that personnel in a position to succeed.
“We’ve made improvements that some people don’t see because they only look at results,” Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins said. “But you can see in the back two thirds a big improvement. We’re playing some very good football.”
To that point, in the Rowdies’ last two home matches, Tampa Bay has conceded only four shots on target, two of which were penalty kicks. As the stretch run of the season arrives, Tampa Bay is defending with confidence.
2. Rozeboom returns
Lance Rozeboom returned to the field Saturday night after missing more than three months with a sprained knee. He was forced out of the Rowdies’ last match against Atlanta on June 2 only 20 minutes into the match.
His return to fitness comes just in the nick of time as the Rowdies will be without Dom Oduro in Nashville on Tuesday night due to a yellow card accumulation suspension.
Oduro made his Rowdies debut June 27 and has played every single minute of 14-consecutive matches since then, quickly becoming one of the first names on the team sheet in the all-important defensive midfield position.
Likely candidates to take Oduro’s place in Nashville include Rozeboom, Martin Vingaard and Michael Nanchoff.
3. No time to rest
The Rowdies must quickly move past Saturday night’s result as they face a massive match in Tennessee on Tuesday night before returning home to play their third match in eight days on Saturday night at home against Richmond.
Rehab and recovery took center stage almost immediately after Saturday night’s match ended. The Rowdies will depart for Nashville on Monday morning for the biggest match of the season so far.
Nashville currently sits in ninth place, five points ahead of the Rowdies, so Tampa Bay can’t afford to give it even one point. It’s a near must-win for Tampa Bay. Nashville didn’t play this weekend, so it will be on more than full rest and have home field advantage. If the Rowdies want to crash the postseason party, earning a result in Nashville is a must.
The Rowdies and Nashville drew 1-1 on June 9 in St. Pete in their only prior meeting this season.
