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USL Cup Playoffs Spotlight: Tampa Bay Rowdies

By CHRIS HOCKMAN - chris.hockman@uslsoccer.com, 10/18/17, 10:46AM EDT

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Rowdies look to cap inaugural USL season with championship


Photo courtesy Matt May / Tampa Bay Rowdies

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies' phenomenal inaugural USL season saw the side comfortably clinch a place in the USL Cup Playoffs, and now the side will seek to become the first team since Sacramento Republic FC in 2014 to win the USL Cup in its first year in the league. A tight conclusion in the race for position in the Eastern Conference standings saw the Rowdies finish in third place after a strong finish to the regular season, but with the experience Tampa Bay can draw upon they will certainly be a threat to represent the Eastern Conference in the final game of the season. 

2017 USL Cup Playoffs: Quarterfinal matchup:
No. 3 Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. No. 6 FC Cincinnati – Saturday, Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. ET, Al Lang Stadium

2017 USL regular season:
Records:
Overall:
14-7-11 (53 points) | Home: 11-1-4 (37 points) | Road: 3-6-7 (16 points)

Goals For: 50 | Goals Against: 35

Leaders:
Goals:
1. Georgi Hristov 13; 2. Martin Paterson 9; 3. Joe Cole 7; 4. Marcel Schafer 5

Assists: 1. Marcel Schafer 11; 2. Michael Nanchoff 6; 3. Joe Cole 5; 4. Georgi Hristov 4

Saves: 1. Matt Pickens 68; 2. Akira Fitzgerald 5

Clinched its postseason … Oct. 4, with a 3-2 win against the New York Red Bulls II

Clinched the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference … Oct. 14, with Charleston Battery’s 1-0 win over Charlotte Independence after the Rowdies 2-0 win over Orlando City B two days earlier.

Defining moment: The Tampa Bay Rowdies clinched their place in the USL Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 victory against the New York Red Bulls II on October 4th at Al Lang Stadium. The victory showed the promise the Rowdies bring heading into the postseason. A first-half brace by former German international Marcel Schafer – including an ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 strike from long range – put the Rowdies into a 3-1 lead at halftime against the defending champion, and while the Red Bulls II fought back in the second half as both teams battled for playoff position, the Rowdies held firm to clinch their place in the playoffs. The victory was an impressive turnaround from a defeat to the same Red Bulls II side at MSU Soccer Park just over one month earlier, when the Rowdies conceded four times, the most they conceded in a single game in 2017. The powerful performance led to belief that a playoff run could be possible after a strong win against a strong opponent.

Three keys to a championship run:
1. Joe Cole’s Experience:
Veteran midfielder Joe Cole, has brought 20 years of professional soccer experience to the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and has used that experience to sit third on the team in both goals (7) and assists (5) as his positioning and awareness put him in position to create and finish chances in the final third. The former England international also helped the Rowdies control the tempo through midfield with an 82.8 percent passing success rate. His experience at the highest level, and especially in big knockout matches will be crucial for the Rowdies as they look to navigate their way through a first USL Cup Playoffs.

2. Corner The Market: The Rowdies are third in the league and lead the USL Eastern Conference with six goals from corner kicks this season, with half of them being scored by veteran forward Georgi Hristov. The Rowdies' ability to drive down the flanks has earned the side regular chances from corner kicks throughout the season, sitting second in the league on 189 corner kicks earned. In addition to Hristov, for whom his three goals from corner kicks aided his team-leading 13 goals in the regular season, opponents will need to keep an eye on former Northern Ireland international Martin Paterson, who notched four headed goals in the regular season, and center back Neill Collins coming up from the back to add another big target for all set pieces.

3. Home And Away: There are two versions of the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The one that plays at Al Lang Stadium is phenomenal winning 11 matches, the second-most in the USL and tied for the Eastern Conference-lead, with just one loss and four draws. That team has proven phenomenally difficult to beat, having not lost at home since an April 22nd loss to the Charleston Battery. On the other hand the Rowdies have struggled on the road, with just three wins, six losses, and seven draws. After the side's third-place finish in the Eastern Conference, the side will only be guaranteed of one home game in the postseason, meaning the side will need to find a way to replicate its home success on the road to make a potential USL Cup-winning run. The Rowdies have shown signs of getting into that kind of groove, going undefeated in their last four road outings. Tampa Bay fans will hope that's an omen for what's to come.

QUOTABLE:
"It's gonna be a tough run but, wins build momentum. We're just ready to go on Saturday." Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Martin Paterson to the Tampa Bay Times

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