The Rowdies pick up where they left off from, as they kick off the new season with a 2-0-2 record, with seven goals for and only two against.
Courtesy of Max Steele | The Crow’s Nest
By Max Steele
After winning the Eastern Conference title last season but falling short in the final, the Tampa Bay Rowdies kicked off the 2022-2023 United Soccer League Championship (USLC) season with a chip on their shoulder and an eye on the prize.
The Rowdies started the new season on the road, resulting in a 1-1 draw against the Birmingham Legion on March 13 with the team’s lone goal coming from midfielder Sebastian Dalgaard.
The team returned to St. Petersburg’s Al Lang Stadium for their home opener against Indy Eleven on March 19. With goals from forwards Juan Tejada and Jake LaCava, a shutout from goalkeeper CJ Cochran and a red card for Indy’s midfielder Raul Aguilera, the Rowdies secured a 2-0 victory as the home crowd celebrated the win.
Tampa Bay’s hometown team then traveled to Georgia to face off against Atlanta United 2, where the Rowdies dominated in a 3-0 shutout, with more goals from Dalgaard and LaCava and a season-first for forward Steevan Dos Santos.
The Rowdies played their fourth game of the season last Saturday night against Hartford Athletic, resulting in a 1-1 draw, with yet another goal from LaCava, and a firework show after the match for the St. Petersburg crowd.
The team’s offseason moves — including re-signing team captain Sebastian Guenzatti and acquiring loan players, such LaCava and Cochran — are seemingly paying off.
The Rowdies look to repeat their recent success in the regular season and achieve redemption in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay will hit the road for their next game of the season against the Oakland Roots on April 2.
