The banner was raised. The trophy was presented. Ralph’s Mob was chanting.
The 2012 NASL Champions once again celebrated their title on Saturday night before beginning the quest for back-to-back championships. Though the Rowdies’ first match with the Carolina RailHawks would end in a 0-0 draw, it provided a solid foundation for the team to build on heading into 2013.
The Rowdies came out strong and applied pressure throughout the first half, forcing Carolina to play a heavily defensive game rather
than one that sought to get on the board quickly. Tampa Bay’s offensive strategy seemed to pay off at the 16-minute mark with a header from defender Jay Needham, but the goal was disallowed because of offsides
Tampa Bay would have three more shots on goal following Needham’s discounted effort. The team was unable to get the ball past RailHawks goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald. Carolina finished the half with only one shot on goal, leaving Rowdies goalkeeper Andrew Fontein relatively untested in the first half of his Rowdies’ career.
His only difficult save of the night came minutes into the second half when he was forced to make a save on a shot from outside the box by defender Kupono Low. Carolina had come out of halftime with a renewed vigor, but the Rowdies’ defense was able to stop the RailHawks’ efforts, keeping the game on an even keel.
“It was definitely a team effort,” Fontein said when asked about posting a shutout in his first start for Tampa Bay, “There was only one shot that I really had to dive for…our defense played really well. I think the team as a whole played really well.”
For Tampa Bay, this home opener was a game of missed opportunities. Midfielder Luke Mulholland lamented a lack of luck, while striker Devin Del Do noted that the numerous opportunities the team created to score were a silver lining.
The night was a celebration of the past, but it was clear that the Rowdies were looking only towards the future. After the game, there was no talk of last season’s championship, no mention of the trophy or banner. Tampa Bay’s focus remained on the future, and on the team’s next game against San Antonio.
“I think it definitely is a bit disappointing that we couldn’t have done better,” Del Do said. “I think we have to move forward to the next game. We didn’t leave here with a loss at home starting out the season, which is good. We just have to concentrate when we get those kinds of opportunities in upcoming games, and make sure we put it in the back of the net.”
