Preview: Rowdies at Indy Eleven
July 18, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
The Tampa Bay Rowdies are back on the road this weekend for a pivotal matchup against Eastern Conference foe Indy Eleven. Last week's 2-0 victory over Orange County SC at Al Lang Stadium lifted the Rowdies to third in the conference standings, just one point ahead of Indy who had held third place for much of the last couple months. After jumping Indy in the standings and with a meeting against second place Charleston Batter next Saturday at home, the Rowdies are aiming to solidify their place in the standings race.
Past history indicates picking up all three points in Indy this weekend will be a tough task. In nine previous trips to Indy, the Rowdies only recorded one win. That win, a 2-1 result, came all the way back in Indy's inaugural season in 2014 back when the teams competed in the NASL. The Rowdies have posted five draws and three losses in their other trips up to Indy.
Similar Scoring Pace
Heading into Saturday's match, Tampa Bay and Indy's are dead even at 31 league goals through the first 18 fixtures. The main difference between the two is the variety of scorers. 21 of Tampa Bay's 31 goals have been tallied by forwards Cal Jennings and Manuel Arteaga. 8 different players have scored for the Rowdies this year, while 13 have notched at least one goal for Indy.
Cal's Back on Track
After a three-match scoring drought, Tampa Bay's Cal Jennings returned to form with two goals versus Orange County. The 27-year-old attacker now has 61 career goals in the USL Championship and 30 goals for the Rowdies. Jennings reached 60 goals in the fewest appearances in the Championship's history, taking only 108 games. Jennings also has the best strike rate among active players with 60 goals, scoring at a rate of every 128.7 minutes.
Club Connections
There are quite a few connections between the Rowdies and Indy. Rowdies keeper Jordan Farr started his professional career in the Circle City, where he spent three seasons before moving to San Antonio. Indy is also the first American club Rowdies Manuel Arteaga played for. Current Rowdies Assistant Coach Nicky Law was a teammate of Arteaga's in Indy in 2021 and 2024. Additionally, Tampa Bay's Cal Jennings was shortly under contract with Indy during the lead up to the 2021 season before being transferred to MLS' LAFC.
The connections go both ways. Tampa Bay's all-time leading scorer Sebastian Guenzatti now suits up for Indy. Guenzatti, who ended his time in Tampa Bay with 65 goals across all competitions, has notched 14 goals in 53 for Indy since joining last year. Indy' current leading scorer Jack Blake also has ties to Tampa Bay, having spent the first half of the 2018 season with the Rowdies.
Scouting Indy
After only securing one win through the first seven matches of the season, first-year head coach Sean McAuley has Indy humming along as a top contender for the 2024 Players' Shield and potential more hardware. From April 27 to June 22, Indy won ten straight contests, including two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matchups. After knocking out MLS' Atlanta United FC in the Open Cup last week, Indy stands as the last USL Championship squad in the tournament and are set to face Sporting KC in the Semi-Final round on August 27.
Availability Report
OUT: Forrest Lasso, Nick Moon, Cristian Ortiz (International Duty)
QUESTIONABLE: Blake Bodily, Leo Fernandes
MATCHDAY 19 INFO:
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Indy Eleven
Saturday, July 20, 7 p.m. ET
Michael A. Carroll Stadium, Indianapolis, IND
2024 League Records:
Rowdies: 9W-4L-5D, 32 pts, 3rd East (3-3-3 on the road)
Indy: 9W-5L-4D, 31 pts, 4th East (4-3-2 at home)
Watch Party: Join the official watch party at Grand Central Brewhouse in Downtown St. Petersburg.
Tune In: Saturday's match will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+.
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