Rowdies Kickoff NASL Season Saturday Night vs. FC Edmonton
Published on April 11, 2014 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
The Basics
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. FC Edmonton
Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m.. ET
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Florida
The match can be seen live on local television station Great 38 or online at NASLlive.com.
Follow us for live updates on Twitter at @RowdiesGameday.
Admission: Limited tickets are available through the Rowdies Front Office at (877) ROWDIES. Tickets can also be purchased by clicking here. The stadium box office opens at 4:30 p.m. on gameday.
Special Events
The Tampa Bay Rowdies will open their 2014 NASL campaign in style with some very special guests. Multiple Grammy Award winner Jon Secada will perform the National Anthem before kickoff. 12-year old Cole Eicher, a local soccer player battling cancer, will perform the coin toss and serve as the Rowdies' honorary captain. Scotland's Red Hot Chilli Pipers will perform a fantastic postgame concert.
Records (W-T-L)
Tampa Bay: 0-0-0
Edmonton: 0-0-0
Series History
Since FC Edmonton's debut in the inaugural year of the North American Soccer League in 2011, the Tampa Bay Rowdies have had the better of the series. Tampa Bay is 6-4-2 (22 points out of a possible 36) all-time against the Eddies. The Rowdies' home record against Edmonton is particularly strong, with Tampa Bay unbeaten against FC Edmonton at Al Lang Stadium at 3-3-0.
Last Meeting
The Rowdies and FC Edmonton last met in the penultimate match of the 2013 Fall Season with the Eddies winning 2-1 at home on October 27, 2013. Daryl Fordyce scored the opening goal for Edmonton in the 34th minute and the lead was doubled by Robert Garrett just two minutes later. Luke Mulholland, now with Real Salt Lake, started the Rowdies' comeback with a goal in the 48th minute, but Tampa Bay wouldn't't score again.
Rowdies Notes
The Tampa Bay Rowdies had an eventful offseason, highlighted by their acquisition by St. Petersburg philanthropist and businessman Mr. Bill Edwards in December. In addition to committing to a fabulous fan experience for all in attendance, the Rowdies also invested in their on-field products with multiple marquee signings.
Brian Shriver, who won the NASL Golden Boot as the league's leading goal scorer last season, joined the Rowdies and should form a potent partnership with Georgi Hristov, the reigning NASL Golden Ball winner as league MVP. Shriver is just one of 11 new members of the Rowdies roster.
Scouting Edmonton
Last season, FC Edmonton finished fifth in the Spring season with a record of 3-5-4 (14 points) and slipped to sixth in the Fall season with a record of 3-7-4 (16 points).
FC Edmonton compiled a 3-1-1 (W-T-L) record in its 2014 preseason campaign. The Eddies started well, beating the Trinity Western Spartans 3-0, the Simon Fraser Clan 3-1 and the Abbotsford Selects 4-0 before a 1-1 draw with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. The Eddies' preseason campaign ended with a 4-2 loss to Major League Soccer's Vancouver Whitecaps on April 1.
With new additions highlighted by forwards Frank Jonke and Tomi Ameobi, FC Edmonton should be an improved offensive team in the season. The Eddies will likely stick to their traditional 4-4-2 formation, but will play more of a quick-passing style than in seasons past.
Up Next
The Tampa Bay Rowdies will play their first away game next Saturday against one of the newest clubs in the NASL, Indy Eleven, at Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. Tampa Bay will return home on Saturday, April 26 when the face the Atlanta Silverbacks at Al Lang Stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. Call (877) ROWDIES to secure your seats for the Rowdies second home match of the season.
North American Soccer League Stories from April 11, 2014
- RailHawks Kickoff 2014 Season in Indy - North Carolina FC
- Saturday's Indy Eleven Inaugural Game Sold Out - Indy Eleven
- Indy Eleven's Inaugural Game Picked up as NASL 'Match of the Week' on ESPN3 - Indy Eleven
- Indy Eleven Adds Pair of Players in Build-Up to Inaugural Match - Indy Eleven
- NASL Match of the Week on ESPN3 - NASL
- Strikers 2014 Season Opener Tomorrow Night at Lockhart Stadium against Ottawa Fury FC - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Silverbacks Open 2014 Season in New York on Sunday - Atlanta Silverbacks
- Limited Number of Tickets Available for Saturday's Home Opener at Al Lang Stadium - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Cosmos Add Seiko to Family of Corporate Partners - New York Cosmos
- Rowdies Kickoff NASL Season Saturday Night vs. FC Edmonton - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Seiko Announced as Official Timekeeper of NASL - NASL
- United Announces Atomic Data Jersey Sponsorship - Minnesota United FC
- Cosmos Sign Midfielder Jimmy Mulligan - New York Cosmos
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