Conference Semifinal Preview: Rowdies at Charleston
November 8, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
The Tampa Bay Rowdies will meet conference rivals Charleston Battery in postseason play for only the second time this Sunday when the two sides clash in the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Patriots Point Soccer Complex.
"We're both two very attack-minded teams," said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. "Charleston have a number of threats, especially from the wider areas. So, we know we have to go up there and be sound defensively. The last time we were up there we gave up two poor goals. If we can defend as a team, then we'll give ourselves a great chance to win the game."
Should the Rowdies defeat Charleston, they would advance to the Eastern Conference Final to face the winner of the other Conference Semifinals matchup between Louisville City FC and Rhode Island FC.
"You spend the whole year working toward getting as many points on the board as you can to put yourself in a great position to finish strong," said Rowdies Forward Cal Jennings, who has scored a goal in three straight matches. "But once you get to the playoffs you realize every game could be our last. We've got to treat it that way."
Series History
Sunday will mark the 23rd matchup between Tampa Bay and Charleston. The Rowdies have won nine of those contests and earned a draw in three other matches. Each side claimed victory at home in this year's regular season series, with the Rowdies picking up a 4-2 win at Al Lang Stadium in July thanks to a memorable free-kick goal from 17-year-old midfielder Nate Worth. Tampa Bay emerged as 1-0 winners when they last met Charleston in the playoffs as forward Lucky Mkosana netted the decisive goal in the 2020 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
"I think we're in a good place with momentum, but obviously Charleston will say the same thing," said Neilson. "They had a great result over the weekend against Pittsburgh in a really great performance. So, this Sunday will be two teams who are in great form in a make-or-break game."
Get it Done on the Road
After dropping six straight matches on the road, the Rowdies found a way to come out on top in last week's Conference Quarterfinals matchup on Detroit City FC's home turf.
As the lowest playoff seed left alive in the Eastern Conference, the Rowdies know they will have to continue to get the job done away from home if they want to reach the USL Championship Final. With Hurricanes Helene and Milton preventing the Rowdies from playing any matches at Al Lang Stadium since September 14, the players are no strangers to adjusting to new environments.
"We're used to being on different planes, buses, hotels, and stadiums by now," said Rowdies Keeper Jordan Farr. "With that comes a lot of camaraderie. We had a week in Fort Lauderdale together as a team with all our families during Hurricane Milton. We got to really grow from that experience. You're seeing that now. It takes a bit of time to progress, but you're seeing the dividends of what a close-knit group that has experienced a lot of travel can do in the final steps of the season."
Attacking Duos
Four of the USL Championship's six leading scorers this season are likely to be on the field when the Rowdies and Battery face off on Sunday. All four players have been instrumental to their club's success this season and could play pivotal roles this Sunday in Charleston.
Tampa Bay's Manuel Arteaga finished the regular season with a team-leading 17 goals, a personal best from his four seasons in the USL Championship. Meanwhile, Cal Jennings has bagged 16 goals across the regular season and playoffs, giving the duo 33 combined goals on the year. The only attacking duo with more goals in 2024 are Charleston's Nick Markanich and MD Myers. Markanich set a new USL Championship single-season scoring record with 28 goals in the regular season and added another tally in last week's playoff win over Pittsburgh, while Myers netted 14 goals in his first season with the Battery.
Starting Strong
One thing the Rowdies will look to avoid this weekend is an early concession. The Rowdies conceded a goal in the first ten minutes in both of their regular season meetings with Charleston. They managed to overcome it once on home turf, but it's not a situation you want to put yourself in against a team like Charleston. Pittsburgh were in just that spot in last week's Conference Quarterfinals after allowing a goal only eight minutes into the match. With the lead in hand, Charleston were able to ride to victory while only allowing Pittsburgh one attempt on net the rest of the match.
"In any game, it's important to start strongly, but especially when you get into playoff games because they're generally very tight games," said Neilson. "There are not a lot of opportunities given up, as we can see from last week's match in Detroit. So, we have to make sure we're solid defensively first and foremost."
Availability Report
OUT: Forrest Lasso
Eastern Conference Semifinal:
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Charleston Battery
Sunday, November 10, 3 p.m. ET
Patriots Point Soccer Complex, Charleston, SC
2024 Regular Season League Records:
Rowdies: 14W-12L-8D, 50 pts, 6th East (4-8-5 on the road)
Charleston: 18W-6L-10D, 56 pts, 3rd East (13-1-3 at home)
Watch Party: Join one of the Rowdies official watch parties at Colony Grill's Tampa and St. Petersburg locations. Fans wearing Rowdies gear will receive discounts on pizza and be eligible to win prizes.
Tune In: Saturday's match will air exclusively on CBS Sports Network.
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