The Indomitable Club continues its three-match road trip this week against another Eastern Conference foe. This Saturday, Sacramento faces off with Tampa Bay Rowdies for the first time. The Florida club is enjoying another campaign as one of the top clubs in the East, and is currently white-hot on a five-match winning streak.
Week 12 Rewind
A home matchup with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC resulted in a victory for Tampa this past weekend. Sixteen chances created kept them on the front foot throughout the match. An own goal from the Switchbacks’ goalkeeper put the Rowdies ahead early before JJ Williams netted the eventual winner in the 44th. The visiting side pulled one back in second-half stoppage time, but it would only spoil the clean sheet for Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay This Season
Through April 23, the Rowdies had only one win to their name and had scored just five times – a 180-degree flip from the season prior when they were the league’s highest-scoring team. But the club has found its past form since a 1-0 victory against Detroit City FC on April 29. Behind a dominant 13-2 scoring differential and three clean sheet wins, the Florida side has gone a perfect 5-0 to jolt them into second in the East behind Charleston Battery.
Players to Watch
Tampa Bay lost one of its top attacking threats in the offseason when forward Sebastian Guenzatti moved to Indy Eleven. However, his creativity has been effectively replaced by Cal Jennings, formerly of Las Vegas Lights FC, and Charlie Dennis, previously of Oakland Roots. Dennis currently leads the league in chances created with 33, tied with Memphis 901 FC’s Aaron Molloy, and is his club’s co-leader in scoring with five goals.
On the backline, 2021 Defender of the Year Forest Lasso remains the centerpiece, leading his club’s strong defensive performances of late. He’ll likely be assigned the tough task of neutralizing Sebastian Herrera in the air and keeping Russell Cicerone from getting going downhill.
Head to Head
Sacramento has never faced Tampa Bay dating to the Florida side’s USL debut in 2018. Republic FC enters on eight wins, one loss and two draws while scoring 24 times and conceding six, while the Rowdies enter on six wins, four losses and two draws, scoring 18 times and conceding 12.
The two clubs share six similar opponents from previous fixtures this season against Indy Eleven, Charleston, Orange County, San Diego, Detroit and Colorado Springs. Tampa Bay is 3-3-2 in those contests, falling twice to Charleston and once to San Diego, while Sacramento is 4-1-1, with its only loss coming to Orange County.
