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Three Things: Rowdies 3 - 1 Indy Eleven

By Rowdies Communications, 07/22/18, 9:00AM EDT

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (July 22, 2018) — Junior Flemmings put in a dominant performance Saturday night in leading the Tampa Bay Rowdies to a 3-1 win over the Indy Eleven at Al Lang Stadium.

Here’s Three Things from the match…

1. Flemmings take center stage
Flemmings was at his sparkling best Saturday night, putting in his most complete performance of the year in scoring a goal and adding two assists, playing a crucial role in all three of the Rowdies’ goals.

Notably, all three of his contributions came in a different way, flashing his broad skill set for all to see. In the 12th minute, he used his speed to lead a counter attack before slipping a delicate through ball for Stefano Bonomo to finish with his first touch. In the 19th minute, he whipped in a perfect cross from the wide area for Georgi Hristov to put on frame. His goal in the 89th minute was a thumping header from a Hristov cross.

While those contributions will get most of the plaudits, he had a very good all-around game. Flemmings also had three tackles, as well as a blocked shot and an interception. He completed 77 percent of his passes, slightly higher than his season average of 66 percent, though passing stats for forwards should always be taken with a grain of salt due to the difficult nature of the passes they typically attempt, which are often in tight spaces when they’re outnumbered by defenders.

For Flemmings, he was just happy to play a role in helping re-establish Al Lang Stadium as a place opposition don’t want to play. The Rowdies had lost two of their previous three home matches.

“We want to make Al Lang Stadium a fortress where guys have to think twice before they come here and play,” he said. “We want to bring that back. I think we went out there tonight and from the get-go we starting pressuring them.”

Neill Collins has stated many times how big of a fan of Flemmings he is. Dating back to May 26, when Flemmings scored twice in a 4-2 win over Toronto FC II, Collins had this to say: “I spoke to (Flemmings) when I first got the job and said I wanted to make him the Junior that I hated playing against when he was in New York. No one at this club rates Junior higher than me because I have first-hand experience trying to defend him.”

Collins’ continued faith certainly paid off Saturday night and could continue to in the weeks and months ahead as the 22-year old forward continues to develop.

2. Diakité debuts
A new face appeared for the Rowdies on Saturday night, with Papé Diakité stepping into the starting lineup for his club debut just one day after signing.

Despite having extremely limited training time with his new teammates — not to mention all the other factors working against him in his first week in Florida — Diakité put in a monster performance.

He tallied an astonishing eight clearances and two interceptions and played 84 minutes before finally succumbing to cramps and exiting the match.

Collins, a center back himself before becoming head coach two months ago, was impressed with Diakité’s debut.

“That was an exceptional performance considering that he flew in from Senegal a week ago,” Collins said. “It’s a long flight and it’s been a hot week. We trained hard. I just felt I had to put him in because I felt we needed that presence and that aerial ability and that desire to defend the goal. Hunter Gorskie has played every minute of every match up until now and he deserves a well-earned rest. Papé will only get better because that was a big ask for him.”

3. Like lightning
It was already mentioned in the first point, but this Junior Flemmings-Stefano Bonomo counter attack for the Rowdies’ first goal deserves another look.

Here’s to seeing more of that from the former New York Red Bulls II teammates, maybe even next week when they take on their former club at Al Lang.