Rowdies Fall, 3-0, to Rhode Island
May 17, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA - The Tampa Bay Rowdies suffered a 3-0 defeat at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday night, as the visiting Rhode Island FC converted on three of three shots from outside the box.
"We got sucker punched ..., "said Rowdies Interim Head Coach Steve Coleman. "I've never seen a game where three goals go in, almost identical from outside the box into the top corner of the goal."
Tampa Bay was on the front foot in the opening stages of the match, earning four corner kicks in the first ten minutes of action. Both midfielder Thomas Vancaeyezeele and youngster Endri Mustali, making his first professional start, got their heads on well-placed corner kicks sent in by veteran Leo Fernandes. However, both efforts were just off the mark.
Rhode Island broke open the scoring just as the match appeared to be headed to halftime in a scoreless stalemate. In the 5th minute of first half added time, Rhode Island's Clay Holstad launched a hopeful shot from 35 yards out that nestled into the top right corner.
Rowdies forward Woobens Pacius looked to put the Rowdies back on level terms with his own long-range effort in the 66th minute. Pacius's rocket, though, clipped the underside of the crossbar and bounced off the ground just outside the goal line. His teammate Manuel Arteaga was in the area for the rebound but was whistled for a foul.
"[Woobens Pacius] had a great chance that you saw and our luck," said Leo Fernandes. "It hits the post and it almost goes in. You know a different day and a different type of run, that goes in and we tie it up and we go to win. It's just how it's going right now but yeah, not good enough."
The visitors doubled their advantage only seven minutes after Pacius's strike into the crossbar. With time and space, Rhode Island's Zachary Herivaux sent a right-footed shot straight into the top right corner. Midfielder Noah Fuson added a third tally in similar fashion from the exact same spot in the 87th minute.
Tampa Bay's comeback effort was also hindered in between Rhode Island's two second-half tallies when defender Laurence Wyke was ejected after picking up his second yellow card of the night for a late challenge.
"All you've gotta do is just keep working and work harder than what we've been doing," said Fernandes. "It's up to us as leaders to right the ship and step up and try to turn this thing around. It is still early, we can still do it. There's no sugarcoating it; it's a tough moment."
Next up, the Rowdies hit the road for their first-ever meeting against USL Championship newcomer Lexington SC on Saturday, May 24, at 7 pm ET.
Scoring Summary
RI - Holstad (Stoneman), 45+5'
RI - Herivaux (), 73'
RI - Fuson, 87'
Cautions Summary
TBR - Lasso, Yellow Card, 19'
TBR - Wyke, Yellow Card, 22'
TBR - Wyke, Red Card (Second Yellow Card), 78'
RI - Herivaux, Yellow Card, 90'
RI - Shapiro-Thompson, 90+1'
Lineups
Rowdies: Campisi, Wyke, Lasso, Guillen, Fernandes, Crisostomo (Moon, 69'), Vancaeyezeele (Worth, 84'), Bassett, Bodily (Skinner, 58'), Mustali (Arteaga, 58'), Pacius
Rowdies Bench: Bandre, DeJesus, Skinner, Moon, Hilton, Worth, Arteaga, Rodriguez
Rhode Island: Vegas, Stoneman, Mabika (Hope-Gund, 68'), Nodarse, Sanchez, Herivaux, Holstad, M. Rodriguez (Okiyoshi, 84'), Kwizera (Shapiro-Thompson, 39'), Dikwa (Brito, 68'), Fuson
Rhode Island Bench: Lee, Dewhurst, Yao, Hope-Gund, Shapiro-Thomspon, Brito, Okiyoshi
United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 17, 2025
- Phoenix Rising Secure Key 2-0 Victory Over Monterey Bay FC at Phoenix Rising Stadium - Phoenix Rising FC
- Monterey Bay Falls, 2-0, to Rising FC in Phoenix - Monterey Bay FC
- Republic FC Blanks Las Vegas Lights FC - Sacramento Republic FC
- Single Goal Sends Hounds to Defeat in Colorado - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- San Antonio FC Drops Road Test at Charleston Battery - San Antonio FC
- Rowdies Fall, 3-0, to Rhode Island - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Hartford Rallies Back to Draw Louisville Extending Home Unbeaten Streak to Four - Hartford Athletic
- LouCity Can't Finish Hartford, Settles for Road Draw - Louisville City FC
- Miami FC Tops Loudoun United FC - Loudoun United FC
- Rhode Island FC Extends Unbeaten Run to Four with 3-0 Win over Tampa Bay Rowdies - Rhode Island FC
- Big Home Win Has North Carolina FC Streaking - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
- Big Home Win Has North Carolina FC Streaking - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
- Big Home Win Has North Carolina FC Streaking - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
- FC Tulsa Head to Kentucky to Take on USL Championship Newcomers Lexington SC - FC Tulsa
- New Mexico United Announces Academy Contract Signing of Bodie Ford - New Mexico United
- LouCity Opponent Eintracht Frankfurt Qualifies for UEFA Champions League - Louisville City FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
