Preview: Rowdies at Colorado Springs
September 6, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
After taking last week off, the Tampa Bay Rowdies resume league play with a trip out west to face off against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. The Rowdies remain third in the Eastern Conference standings heading into Matchday 26 of the USL Championship season, still aiming to gain ground on first place Louisville City and second place Charleston Battery with nine games left to play in the regular season.
Saturday kicks off a busy week for the Rowdies, who will head to Alabama for a showdown with Birmingham Legion FC on Wednesday before returning to Al Lang Stadium to battle Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC next Saturday. A string of good results this week could potentially lock up a playoff berth for the Rowdies and put them in good position to secure a home playoff game in the first round.
"This week is really important," said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. "Having last week off has given a few guys a chance to get fit... Colorado have had some really good results recently and they have had really good form at home. We know going there is going to be tough, but we feel we've had a good run of form ourselves. We just want to continue doing the right things, keep working hard, keep playing our game and hopefully take the three points up there."
Back in Action
Last week, the Rowdies took a break from league action and training. Per the CBA between the USL Championship and the USL Players Association, each team is required to allow players one week off during the season for a mental health break. Tampa Bay's break came just as the squad headed into the final stretch of the season with a playoff spot in their sights.
"The break was huge for us," said midfielder Blake Bodily. "It's been a long season and we had a busy week just before the break. It was huge for us to get a reset and just take a break and refresh our legs a little bit. After a few days back in training we're looking sharp and ready to go for this final stretch of the season."
Adjusting to the Altitude
Saturday will be just the second time the Rowdies have traveled to Colorado to face Switchbacks FC. In their first trip back in 2022, Colorado Springs claimed all three points in a 1-0 result. One of the unique challenges of playing at Colorado Springs' Weidner Field is adjusting to the altitude. Colorado Springs is a little over 6,000 feet above sea level, which is far from the norm for the Rowdies whose home venue Al Lang Stadium is literally adjacent to the bay.
"I played there last year," said Bodily. "It's a great stadium. The altitude takes a toll on players, but I think it'll be a good test for us. They're a good team. We're at sea level and they're pretty much at 6,000 feet. We'll deal with it. We'll play to our strengths and try to avoid tiring ourselves out. I think we'll be up for it."
Boosting the Attack
The Rowdies picked up a new piece in the attack this week with the addition of attacking midfielder Ben Bender on loan from Major League Soccer's Charlotte FC. Bender comes to the Rowdies with an impressive pedigree as the number one overall pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. At 23 years old, Bender has already played in over 50 MLS games for Charlotte. A knee injury sidelined Bender during last year's campaign, so he joins up with the Rowdies looking to make a full return to fitness in the last couple months of the season.
"We're thankful to Charlotte for letting Ben come to Tampa Bay," said Neilson. "Ben is a fantastic player, and he's a player I've known about for quite a while. He came out of the college system as the number one pick and he's already played 50 MLS games for Charlotte, so to get him here is a great coup for us. He'll bring goals, he'll bring a great attacking threat and real quality. We've got nine games left in this last period of the season to secure a good playoff spot. That's especially important for us, so to get someone of Ben's quality along with Ryan Spaulding recently really boosts the squad."
Availability Report
OUT: Forrest Lasso, Nick Moon, Endri Mustali, Cristian Ortiz (International Duty)
QUESTIONABLE: Jordan Doherty, Aaron Guillen
Matchday 26 Info:
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Saturday, September 7, 9 p.m. ET
Weidner Field, Colorado Springs, CO
2024 League Records:
Rowdies: 12W-6L-7D, 43 pts, 3rd East (4-3-5 on the road)
Colorado Springs: 11W-10L-5D, 38 pts, 6th East (8-3-2 at home)
Tune In: Fans can stream Saturday's match on ESPN+.
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