Miami FC Faces Tampa Bay in the Pivotal Coastal Cup Finale
Published on August 13, 2010 under U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release
Miami, Aug 13, 2010- Miami FC returns home for one of for the finale of the first annual Coastal Cup as the Blues take on the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, Aug. 14 at Lockhart Stadium. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
The Blues are looking to remain unbeaten in August and put themselves in the middle of the playoff picture with a big victory against the Rowdies. Miami FC currently sits six points behind Tampa Bay and a number of teams fighting for the final playoff spot.
"The expectations are three points," said Miami FC Head Coach Daryl Shore, who makes his home debut as coach this weekend. "The guys know how important this game is and they realize that the playoffs are within reach. Nothing short of three points is going to be satisfying."
It will be the fourth and final meeting between the two clubs this season. After earning a draw in the first two matches with the Rowdies earlier this season, Tampa Bay handed the Blues a 2-0 loss at George Steinbrenner Field on July 25. Miami FC also picked up a 2-1 victory over the Rowdies in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup on June 22 at Lockhart Stadium.
After this match, Miami FC will go back on the road for a three-game stretch before returning home to take on the Montreal Impact on Sept. 11.
SCOUTING TAMPA BAY
The Rowdies are coming off a thrilling midweek 1-1 draw on the road against Puerto Rico Islanders on Aug. 11.
The Islanders took the lead in the 31st minute when John Hansen scored a goal to put Puerto Rico ahead relatively early in the match.
As time began to slip away, and it began to look like the Rowdies were headed towards a tough road loss as the game headed into stoppage time. But Ricardo Sanchez provided the late heroics with a goal in the 92nd minute to help Tampa Bay salvage an important road point.
The Rowdies have struggled mightily through the middle of the season, having won just one regular season match since late May, but have managed to keep themselves in a good position to make a playoff push.
Tampa Bay has been strong offensively, having scored the second highest number of goals in the league with 26 so far this season, but have allowed the fourth highest amount of goals with 25.
Former Miami FC forward Aaron King is the squad's leading goal-scorer with six strikes and is seventh in the league in points with 13.
Sanchez, who scored the tying goal against Puerto Rico, has three goals on the year along with Long Tan, providing an offensive spark for the Rowdies.
LAST TIME OUT
The Blues are also coming off of a 1-1 draw against the Islanders, fighting their way to a point on Aug. 7 in the final match of a difficult road stretch.
The Islanders capitalized on a corner kick opportunity early on as David Foley headed the corner past Miami FC goalkeeper Caleb Patterson for his seventh goal of the season, giving Puerto Rico an early lead.
The Blues went into the half trailing by a goal, and came out looking to turn things around in the final 45 minutes of play.
After the Islanders failed to clear a Miami FC corner kick about halfway into the second half, the careening ball ended up at the feet of Abe Thompson. The forward turned around a fired a shot into the back of the net to even up the score at 1-1 and swing the momentum in Miami FC's favor.
Despite being a man down after Chris Gbandi was given his second yellow card of the match, the Blues remained firm on defense and prevented the Islanders from getting a goal as the both teams left the match with a point each.
GOING BLUE
Miami FC added four players to its roster prior to its match against the Islanders as the club gears itself for a late playoff push.
Chivas USA's Gerson Mayé(c)n and Chuckwudi Chijindu and Kansas City Wizards defender Aaron Hohlbein were brought in on loan alongside Traffic Sports product Danilo Martins Teixeira to help the Blues playoff chances. All four players will be making their home debuts this weekend in South Florida.
Hohlbein and Danilo both made their first appearances in Miami FC colors in their draw against Puerto Rico on Aug. 7. Holbein started and played the entirety of the match while Danilo came in as a sub in the 53rd minute.
HOMECOMING SPLASH
Brian Shriver and Abe Thompson have emerged as playmakers for the Blues on the road this season and are looking to continue their success back home against the Rowdies. They join Paulo Jr. and Christian Gomez as the team's biggest offensive threats.
Paulo Jr. has continued to climb the league leader boards with a team-high seven goals on the season and is tied for third in the league in that category while Gomez has four goals as they continue to prove that they are one of the top dual-threats in the league.
Gomez also has 11 points this year thanks to his three assists this season. Paulo Jr. has 16 points and is tied in fourth place in the league.
Shriver, meanwhile, tied Christian Gomez's goal total last week with his fourth goal of the season against Baltimore. Three of Shriver's goals have been on the road.
Thompson scored the tying goal against Islanders on Aug. 7 which brought his goal total up to three this season.
PRE-GAME FESTIVITIES
The fun begins with two exciting events taking place prior to the game starting with the Miami FC One Day Pro Soccer Camp for young players at the team's training complex at Ft. Lauderdale Stadium. The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Players will receive pro instruction from the Miami FC staff, warm up with the players, receive a pre-game locker room tour, a pizza party and t-shirt as well as a ticket to the Coastal Cup matchup between the Blues and the visiting FC Tampa Bay Rowdies that same night.
Meanwhile, the Pub Cup continues with the second round of action featuring the eight winning teams from the last month's first round. The games will begin at 5 p.m. at Lockhart Stadium. The winners will advance to the next round, set to be played on Sept. 11 prior to Miami FC's match against the Montreal Impact.
The Pub Cup Final will be played on Oct. 2 prior to the final Miami FC match of the season.
U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 Stories from August 13, 2010
- Impact Faces the Rhinos in Rochester Saturday - Montreal Impact
- Miami FC Faces Tampa Bay in the Pivotal Coastal Cup Finale - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- AC St. Louis Acquire U.S. Prodigy Luis Gil - AC St. Louis
- RailHawks Travel to Baltimore Saturday Night - North Carolina FC
- NSC Minnesota Stars Continue Playoff Push Against Vancouver Whitecaps - Minnesota United FC
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