The Tamp Bay Rowdies (8-5-7) host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (5-7-8) this Saturday, July 29, at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida. Pittsburgh got the upper hand in the first meeting between these clubs earlier this year, a 2-0 result at Highmark Stadium.
The Hounds hold an all-time head-to-head record of 2-0-0 against the Rowdies.
Entering the match in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, the Rowdies are eight points ahead of the Hounds at 31 and five points from first. Tampa Bay opened the season hot with three straight wins, outscoring its opponents 6-0 before dropping eight points out of a possible nine with two losses and a draw in its next three.
Most recently, the Rowdies hold a record of 2-2-1, including going unbeaten in their last three matches. During this stretch, Tampa Bay has held two clean sheets, bringing their season total to eight – second-best in the conference.
Former English Premier League player Joe Cole is coming off a strong performance against the Charleston Battery on July 22. His opening goal was the first of two the Rowdies put past the top team in the East. This season, Cole is tied for the team lead in both goals (6) and assists (4), while he also leads the team with 26 shots – good for a 23 percent conversion rate.
Cole registered four shots against the Hounds when the teams met earlier this season, the most by any Tampa Bay player that game. He also completed a team-high 42 passes in the Hounds’ defensive half.
Strengths
- Home-field Advantage – Tampa Bay has only lost once at home this season, recording points in nine of 10 matches at Al Lang Stadium (7-1-2).
- Passing – No team in the USL has completed more passes than the Rowdies have with 9,358. Their accuracy (80 percent) ranks best in the Eastern Conference.
Weaknesses
- Discipline – The Rowdies lead the league in yellow cards with 50 and are third in fouls conceded with 281. Interestingly enough though, the Rowdies have yet to be tagged with a red card this season.
