Match Preview: Rowdies vs Hartford
September 1, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
Matchday 26 Info:
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Hartford Athletic
Saturday, September 1, 7 p.m. ET
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, FL
Tickets: Tickets for the match can be purchased here or at the stadium box office starting at 4 p.m. ET on matchday.
Watch: Stream the match on ESPN+.
The Rowdies head into Saturday's cash against Hartford Athletic with a playoff spot in their sights. They'll need a little help this weekend to lock up their fifth straight playoff berth, though. Tampa Bay playoff clinching scenario is straightforward. A win for the Rowdies versus Hartford coupled with a Miami FC loss to Indy would lock things up on Saturday night.
Clinching a playoff berth is just one step on the path toward Tampa Bay's ultimate goals. The top seed in the Eastern Conference and the top overall seed in the postseason are still up for grabs as the Rowdies kick off a grueling September slate of matches. Saturday is the first of seven fixtures for the Rowdies in September, and the first of three they will face over the next seven days. Following Hartford, the Rowdies hit the road to battle Memphis before returning to Al Lang for a showdown versus Louisville City FC. Memphis and Louisville sit 5th and 4th in the conference standings at the start of the weekend.
"We need to pick up as many wins as we can and that starts this weekend," said Rowdies Head Coach Nicky Law. "We're heading into a stretch with a lot of games, a couple midweek games, against a lot of teams around us in the table and looking for the same points we are. I'm actually quite looking forward to it. It'll give me an idea of where we are as a squad and how we can go up against these teams that are around us. It's going to be difficult but something that we're really looking forward to and relishing."
No Complacency
Even with two important matchups with Memphis and Louisville looming, the Rowdies are fully focused on the task at hand with Hartford this weekend. Tampa Bay holds an edge in the all-time series versus Hartford with five wins in eight meetings, but the two sides battled to a 1-1 draw in their matchup at Al Lang last year. Hartford may sit dead last in the Eastern Conference, but the Rowdies are still aiming for nothing short of maximum effort across the board.
"It's a tricky game playing against Hartford at home, " said Law. "We can have no complacency going into this one. It's still a team full of good, talented players. They just haven't had the results they'd like this year, but there can be no complacency from us heading into this one."
Unscathed from Idalia
On Monday, the Rowdies were unsure what the rest of the week would look like with Hurricane Idalia looming in the Gulf of Mexico. Thankfully Tampa Bay was spared from a direct hit by the storm, allowing the team to resume training on Thursday. Al Lang Stadium also avoided major damage or flooding, meaning there would be no disruption to Saturday's matchday.
"The most important thing we spoke about earlier in the week was the safety of everybody on the team and their families in an obviously terrible situation. We were quite lucky, quite fortunate it didn't hit us as bad as it has in other places. Everybody was safe, that was the main thing. Now we have no excuses as we look to the game on Saturday. We're still looking for those 3 points."
Injury Report
OUT: Leo Fernandes, Zach Herivaux, Sebastian Dalgaard, Jake Areman
QUESTIONABLE: Lewis Hilton
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