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Schäfer Leads Rowdies into Playoffs

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 10/05/17, 12:55AM EDT

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Two goals, assist earn 3-2 victory against Red Bulls II


Photo courtesy Matt May / Tampa Bay Rowdies

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Marcel Schäfer had two goals and an assist as the Tampa Bay Rowdies earned a place in the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 victory against the New York Red Bulls II in front of a crowd of 5,260 in the Rowdies’ regular-season home finale at Al Lang Stadium on Wednesday night. Both teams opened the game positively, but the Rowdies had the first good chance from a corner kick in the 15th minute when Neill Collins flicked a near-post corner kick from the left just wide of the right post. New York opened the scoring a minute later, however, as Stefano Bonomo put away a low finish to the left corner from Vincent Bezecourt’s cross after the Rowdies’ defense was frozen by a broken play that allowed Bezecourt to break into the right side of the penalty area. New York’s lead lasted only two minutes as a midfield turnover allowed the Rowdies to break forward, and Marcel Schäfer picked out Joe Cole in space in the right side of the penalty area for a low finish to level. The Rowdies then took the lead in the 25th minute as a slipped pass into the penalty area by Georgi Hristov set up Schäfer for a goal to add to his prior assist. Schäfer’s standout night continued in the final minute of the first half when the New York defense backed off the German as he moved through midfield, and he responded by rifling a shot from 25 yards into the top-left corner for a 3-1 halftime lead. New York got back into the game nine minutes into the second half as a long ball over the top by Arun Basuljevic put Flemmings in behind the Rowdies’ high line, and Flemmings tucked home his finish past an advancing Pickens. Tampa Bay almost restored its two-goal lead in the 58th minute, but Rafael Diaz got down well to deny Cole one-on-one. New York was reduced to 10 men in the 63rd minute when defender Jordan Scarlett was sent off for his second yellow card of the night, and from there the Rowdies began to control the flow of the game. Flemmings had New York’s only real chance to find an equalizer with 15 minutes to go with a low shot that went wide of the right post, but the Rowdies were able to see out the win and book their place in the USL Cup Playoffs.

Scoring:
16’ – NY – Stefano Bonomo (Vincent Bezecourt)
18’ – TBR – Joe Cole (Marcel Schäfer)
25’ – TBR – Marcel Schäfer (Georgi Hristov)
45’ – TBR – Marcel Schäfer (Joe Cole)
54’ – NY – Junior Flemmings (Arun Basuljevic)

Three Things That Matter:

  • 1. Tampa Bay entered its regular-season home finale knowing a victory would clinch a playoff berth, but by taking an enthralling contest on Wednesday night the Rowdies may also have set itself up for at least one more game at Al Lang Stadium later this month. Now in second place in the USL Eastern Conference after Wednesday’s night’s back-and-forth victory against the Red Bulls II – and a modicum of revenge for their loss at MSU Soccer Park earlier this season – the Rowdies would certainly benefit from a home-field advantage that saw the side take 11 wins out of 16 games on home turf this season.

  • 2. Rowdies midfielder Marcel Schäfer has been putting up stellar numbers all season, but in the first half on Wednesday night he put on his own personal show with two goals, one assist and an all-around display that lifted Tampa Bay to victory, and into second place in the USL Eastern Conference. Schäfer’s consistency has been such the Rowdies’ Twitter account even noted when one of his deliveries into the penalty area was off the mark, simply because of how rarely that happened. Now sitting on 10 assists for the season, tied for second in the USL behind Reno 1868 FC’s Chris Wehan, Schäfer marked his final regular-season performance in front of the Rowdies’ fans in remarkable style.

  • 3. The Red Bulls II appeared to be back in the game when Junior Flemmings finished off a top-quality ball from Arun Basuljevic pull New York within a goal in the 54th minute, but Jordan Scarlett’s sending off nine minutes later and the subsequent lack of good chances that followed left the visitors with nothing to show from another entertaining performance. It also ramped up the pressure on Saturday’s game against Orlando City B, which it remains behind by a point in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. With ninth-place Bethlehem Steel FC in action on Friday night and the chance to clinch a playoff berth at Orlando City Stadium now gone, New York may need a win to keep its playoff hopes alive instead.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match

Marcel Schäfer, Tampa Bay Rowdies – Schäfer’s two goals and assist provided the impetus for the Rowdies as the midfielder put in another stellar display in the center of the park. 

Upcoming Games:
Tampa Bay Rowdies
at San Antonio FC – October 7, 8:30 p.m. ET, Toyota Field
New York Red Bulls II at Orlando City B – October 7, 7:30 p.m. ET, Orlando City Stadium

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