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Tampa Bay Rowdies

Rowdies Fall 1-0 Birmingham

May 11, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - The Tampa Bay Rowdies fell 1-0 to Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium. It's the second defeat of the season for the Rowdies, who have now played their first nine matches of the USL Championship season.

It was a frustrating night for the Rowdies. They held the edge in most statistical categories in the match except the most important one when it comes down to the final whistle - goals scored. The Rowdies took 20 total shots in the match, with Birmingham blocking ten of those attempts. Meanwhile, the visitors took four shots, two on target, and converted one into the decisive moment.

"A lot of these games, if you get that first goal, the floodgates start to open," said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. "To their credit, the opposition sat in and killed the game and made it really difficult. We have to break that down. I thought to be honest with you, we broke it down but we didn't have that final element to win the game."

The Rowdies came close to nabbing an opening goal in the 30th minute. Slicing past a defender and into the box, Rowdies forward Cal Jennings fired off a shot that clipped a defender's leg and sailed past keeper Matt Van Oekel but right into the far post.

"It's hard to feel positive about it right now but I think the way we played, if you get the ball in the final third and you tuck one in and we go one-nil, it's a different game and they have to come out a bit more," said midfielder Lewis Hilton. "We just kind of conceded at the wrong time. We have to look back and improve on those things and improve and go again next week."

Birmingham's winning goal came moments after the Rowdies made their first substitutions of the night. In the 67th minute, Birmingham's Enzo Marinez was left unchecked at the top of the box to receive a pass back from the endline and send a strike into the back of the net.

"We made a couple of subs and we changed our shape to get more width in the game,"said Neilson. "In that moment we didn't have the discipline to get in our new shape right away... There's a few areas we need to look at but for me it was more, when we change shape we have to look at recognizing it right away and doing the things we need to do within it. We didn't do that."

The Rowdies pressed and created more chances in the final third, including two potential penalties as a cross from Aaron Guillen looked as it was blocked by a defender's arm and substitute Damian Rivera was tripped up in the box. No whistles came, though, and neither did a breakthrough moment in front of goal.

Next up, the Rowdies stay at home to host FC Tulsa on Saturday, May 18 at Al Lang Stadium.

Caution Summary

BHM - Kavita, Yellow Card, 9'

BHM - Murana, Yellow Card, 32'

BHM - Hernandez - Foster, Yellow Card, 37'

Scoring Summary

BHM - Martinez, 67'

Lineups

Rowdies: Farr, Munjoma, Doherty, Guillen, Niyongabire, Dennis, Hilton, Crisostomo, Bodily, Jennings, Arteaga

Rowdies Bench: Breno, Dezart, Skubis, Fowlkes, Worth, Moon, Perez, Rivera, Ortiz

Birmingham: Van Oekel, Murana, Crognale, Kavita, Rufe, Nwegbo, Perez, Martinez, Hernandez-Foster, McCartney, Pinho

Birmingham Bench: Delgado, Hamouda, Mensah, Calloway, Kasim, Pasher, Tabort Etaka

UP NEXT:

TAMPA BAY ROWDIES vs FC TULSA

Al Lang Stadium | St. Petersburg, FL

May 18, 2024 | USL Championship Regular Season | Matchday 10

7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+ & Tampa Bay 44

POSTGAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ROBBIE NEILSON

On what didn't go well for the team in the loss...

"To be honest, we switched off for 30 seconds and we lost a goal. I think they had one shot on goal all day. We created loads of chances, played some really good football, controlled the game, and didn't get the goal. We had 20 shots on goals and 10 of them were blocked. It was a really, really frustrating night. I couldn't really ask any more from the players because they worked extremely hard and did what we asked them to do. We just didn't have the final moment. That was the disappointing thing."

On why the team wasn't able to produce a goal despite creating chances...

"You have games where you don't have that final moment. We hit the post, we had looks at goal, we just didn't get that final moment. A lot of these games, if you get that first goal, the floodgates start to open. To their credit, the opposition sat in and killed the game and made it really difficult. We have to break that down. I thought to be honest with you, we broke it down but we didn't have that final element to win the game."

On how Birmingham's goal developed...

"We made a couple of subs and we changed to a four to get more width in the game. In that moment we didn't have the discipline to get in our shape.We still pressed like we were running a three. So that's an area where we need to look at. Birmingham get it out to the side and our back four doesn't slide. Because we were pressing a midfield three, Martinez peels off one of the strikers and gets a shot on goal. There's a few areas we need to look at but for me it was more, when we change shape we have to look at recognizing it right away and doing the things we need to do within it. We didn't do that. The work we need to is learn when we do flips shape we need to do it as quick as possible."

On Nate Worth's performance in his Rowdies debut...

"I thought he was excellent, to be honest with you. We want to give young kids an opportunity. Nate's 17 and he's a really good player. We have to give him opportunities in games like that. It would've been easy for us not to put him on but we want to help develop these kids. So we put him on a nil-nil. He's a good player and we trust him. Yes, physically he's maybe not quite at the level to be playing consistently but technically I think he is. It's part of the club's ethos now to bring these guys through and give them a chance."

On Pacifique Niyongabire's perofrmance...

"I though he did fantastic as well. He made some great runs in behind, played some balls in behind, made some great crosses, and defended well. To be honest, when I look at the team I couldn't really fault any of them. It was just that final moment we didn't have."

On the decision to move to change shape before Birmingham's goal...

"That's the frustrating thing because looking back I think it was the right thing to do. It gave us width with Pacifique and Damian Rivera out wide, and we got Nate in the pocket. For me, it's just that minute or two when you change your formation you've got to react to it. We didn't."

On what the message to the players is after dropping back to back league matches...

"The game up in Memphis was difficult. We lost our center half after ten minutes. Tonight I think, I actually spoke to the team about, if you look back at the start of the season I think we're a far better team now. We're controlling the game now and we're creating more chances. It's a long season with 25 minutes to go. We have to take the positives from tonight, which was possession and creating opportunities. But we need to try and improve our finishing but also evolving our shape. Super disappointed, but I couldn't really fault the players."

MIDFIELDER LEWIS HILTON

On his perspective of the match...

"We're all disappointed. We want to win every game. We want to be competitive. Whenever you don't get the result you want it's hard to take. Always disappointing, but in terms of how the game went and how we played. They frustrated us and we kind of played as well as we could. I haven't seen the stats but we created quite a lot of chances. On another night, Danny (Crisotomos) had a good one in the first half, (Pacifique) on the back post, it's probably a penalty on Damian Rivera at the end there. On another day I think we can win that game. It's hard when the result doesn't go your way to take the positives but I think that's when we've got to do. It's a long season. We've played nine games and I feel performances are improving but it doesn't take away from the hurt of a defeat."

On taking away positives from the night...

"It's hard to feel positive about it right now but I think the way we played, you get the ball in the final third and you tuck one up and we go one-nil and it's a different game and they have to come out a bit more. We just kind of conceded at the wrong time. We have to look back and improve on those things and improve and go again next week."

On the inability to convert chances...

"Blake Bodily and Pacifique did well all night getting forward and putting dangerous balls in the box. I think on another day those fall for you. Pacifique is probably an inch away getting on the end of his chance, Danny normally puts his chance his away, and Cal had a number of opportunities, we had plenty of opportunities on set pieces. On another night we do score those goals. Unfortunately that's football sometimes. It doesn't fall for you. I have to look at the stats but I feel like we limited them. They took their chance and maybe we didn't."

On working together with Danny Crisotomo and Josh Perez...

"Danny and Josh are both quality players. They're really enjoyable players to play with, like both technically and really intelligent players. In those higher positions they do a good job staying patient and it's my job to get them the ball. I think the last four or five games I think they've been really good with creating chances and the way they press out of possession. Both of them have been playing really well."

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