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USL Tampa Bay Rowdies

Rivera Strikes Late, Rowdies Down Louisville 3-2

June 16, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - The Tampa Bay Rowdies picked up a crucial victory over first-place Louisville City FC on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium. After pulling ahead by two in the first half, the Rowdies conceded twice but ultimately found a stoppage time winner from 21-year-old Damian Rivera, sealing a 3-2 result for the Rowdies.

"First and foremost, I'm delighted to get the three points," said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. "Louisville are a top team. They've played so well this season. For us to get the three points was really important. I thought the way the players started the game and got the first two goals and then responded to the setback to finally get the end result was brilliant."

The Rowdies were the first to strike in the rivalry matchup, jumping out to a two-goal lead in the span of only five minutes. Cal Jennings drew first blood at the half hour mark. Receiving a sublime chipped pass from teammate Joshua Perez into the final third, Jennings streaked into the box to push the ball past keeper Damian Las as he rushed off his line to thwart the chance. Running out of space on the endline, Jennings sliced a shot from a tight angle to take the lead.

"I saw him [Damian Las] coming off his line and I was like 'I'm going to beat him to it. Let me just touch it around him,'" said Jennings. "At that point, it's about composure. Passing the ball in the back of the net."

Five minutes later, forward Manuel Arteaga buried an opportunity from the penalty spot after Tampa Bay's Eddie Munjoma drew a foul in Louisville's box. Las guessed correctly on the penalty as he dove to his right, but Arteaga hit his shot with enough power to beat the keeper to the bottom corner.

Louisville found their way back to level terms on two hectic set piece sequences. The first came two minutes into first half stoppage time, as a corner kick sent in by Ray Serrano was headed on goal but denied deftly by Jordan Farr. The Rowdies keeper managed to parry the ball off his line, but Louisville persisted. An initial rebound attempt was blocked by Tampa Bay's Lewis Hilton, and then the second was stymied by Farr again. The third rebound attempt did the trick, though, as Aiden McFadden headed home the fourth chance.

The visitors equalized off of another corner kick, this time six minutes into the second half. As the Rowdies were unable to clear the delivery to the back post, Louisville centered a pass for Jorge Gonzalez, who threaded a shot on target through traffic. Farr got his mitts on the shot, but he was a half second too late to stop the ball from crossing the line.

"It's tough," said defender Jordan Doherty. "When you get a lead like that, and you get pegged back, it's always difficult but you have to show your character in the moment and I think we've got that in abundance. Big game players and big characters and it's about stepping up. You've got to react, that's the main thing."

As the final whistle neared, the Rowdies pushed forward to find a winner and finally did in the second half of stoppage time. Switching the field, Hilton plucked out teammate Pacifique Niyongabire on the right edge of the box. Looking up, Niyongabire spotted a couple runners heading for the back post and delivered a pass right on the money for the late substitute Rivera to smash into the back of the net with his left boot.

"(Coach Neilson) actually told me to go in there and he told me I was going to get the winner, and I did that," said Rivera. "It's a game where we have to stay in it as a collective through the whole 90 minutes, even the added time. That was the difference today and I think every player did their role tonight."

With the win, the Rowdies cut Louisville's lead at the top of the table to seven points. Tampa Bay remains fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, but with wins over Louisville and Sacramento in recent weeks, the Rowdies have proven they have what it takes to hang with the top contenders as the season wears on.

"It's massive," Jennings said on the win. "A team in our conference, at the top of the table. A rival. We had to fight for it. We had a great first half, but we let them back into it. Getting it in the end with a great ball by Wazii [Pacifique Niyongabire] and an incredible finish by Damian [Rivera] so it's a big deal."

Next up, the Rowdies face three straight away days, starting with a trip to the Nutmeg state to face Hartford Athletic on Friday, June 21.

"I think it was more important to get a good result against the top team in the league," We've now beaten the first or second team in the west and the first team in the east, and it just shows you the level we want to get to. Now it's just consistently doing it."

Scoring Summary

TBR - Jennings (Perez), 30'

TBR - Arteaga (Penalty), 35'

LOU - McFadden, 45+2

LOU - Gonzalez, 51'

TBR - Perez (Niyongabire), 90+2'

Caution Summary

TBR - Perez, Yellow Card, 11'

LOU - Gonzalez, 25'

LOU - Morris, Yellow Card, 42'

LOU - Ordonez, Yellow Card, 68'

TBR - Munjoma, Yellow Card, 73'

TBR - Niyongabire, Yellow Card, 87'

TBR - Guillen, Yellow Card, 90+4'

TBR - Dennis, Yellow Card, 90+5'

Lineups

Rowdies: Farr, Doherty, Kleemann, Guillen, Niyongabire, Crisostomo, Hilton, Perez, Munjoma, Jennings, Arteaga

Rowdies Bench: Breno, DeZart, Herivaux, Skubis, Fowlkes, Worth, Dennis, Rivera, Ortiz

Louisville: Las, Totsch, Ordonez, Adams, Wynder, Davila, Morris, Serrano, Gonzalez, Gleadle

Louisville Bench: Troutman, Charpie, Dia, Mares, McCabe, Wilson, Harris

Check out the Tampa Bay Rowdies Statistics

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