Tampa Bay Rowdies 6-4 AET Birmingham Legion FC: A match that had everything
Rowdies advance to USOC Round of 16 for the first time in ten plus years after ten goals, late penalty drama, an overhead kick and a sending off
The Tampa Bay Rowdies have advanced to the US Open Cup Round of 16 for the secomd time in club history after surviving a ten-goal thriller in the Round of 32. The Rowdies blew a late 4-0 lead vs USL Championship rival Birmingham Legion FC at Al Lang Stadium but prevailed 6-4 after extra time. Tampa Bay will now host FC Dallas in the Round of 16, with the date and kickoff time for that match set to be confirmed on Thursday afternoon.
Damian Rivera opened the scoring for the Rowdies in the 25th minute. Receiving a ball from the always excellent Blake Bodily on the left flank, Rivera slipped into the box and shook off a defender before firing a shot past Boirmingha’s young keeper Fernando Delgado.
Rivera was also involved in Tampa Bay’s second tally in the 34th minute. The young Rowdies attacker lunged out as Delgado was attempting a clearance at the top of the box, getting just enough of the ball to redirect it to an unmarked Cal Jennings to finish.
Jennings would score two more times before being subbed off with a hat trick in his pocket and his club up 4-0.
“Yeah, I felt you know, really good out there. I was getting in some dangerous spots, maybe could’ve come away with even some more but I knew I just had to keep going, keep pushing and the goals would come. You know, like I said, I think for 70 minutes, 75 minutes of that game we really were creating a lot of chances, we just, you know, kind of took our foot off the pedal.”
Cal Jennings on his Hat Trick
With the Rowdies sailing, Birmingham’s rallied started in minute 83 through a strike from hardened US Open Cup veteran, the always feisty Enzo Martinez. Kobe Hernandez-Foster then cut the lead to two goals with a left-footed strike from outside the box that beat Rowdies keeper Jordan Farr to the far post. Tyler Pasher put the visitors back on level terms with a finish in the box and then a second from the penalty spot after Tampa Bay’s Eddie Munjomas was whistled for a penalty that seemed to test the Rowdies composure again much like some of the officiating did this past weekend in Memphis.
“Sometimes, I think, it can become a little bit too easy at times. We’re up 4-nil and we’re creating a lot chances. We probably could have scored seven or eight to be honest with you. Then we start forcing balls and playing the hard ball instead of just doing what we’re good at, what’s made us successful. What happens is we lose a couple balls because we’re trying the hard pass and they get a bit of momentum, a goal, and then it starts to spiral from there. Even in there when speaking to the players, situations like this, because we have to use it as a learning curve for us, that’s the most important thing. It will happen again where we’re one-nil up with five minutes to go. In that situation it’s about getting back to the basics of what we’re good at. How do we kill a game? We go wide and we go behind them and then we get the game played in their half instead of trying to overplay at times.”
Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson on the late regular time collapse
With Rowdies seemingly in desperate shape in extra time, Manuel Arteaga scored a goal for the ages with a well-timed and well-placed overhead kick. It was a goal worthy of winning any match and it helped seal this one. The goal lifted both the Rowdies and the St Petersburg crowd to a frenzied level.
“We’ve got loads of players that can produce a moment like that and that’s what all the best teams have, and we want to be the best team. It’s important tot have players like that, that can give you that spark, give you that moment. I think we’ve got a lot of those on the team. Not to mention that he’s [Manuel Arteaga] is probably one of the hardest workers as well. When you’ve got both sides of it, it’s looking good.”
Defender Jordan Doherty on the Arteaga goal and subsequent reaction
Nick Moon, just coming back from injury would score a sixth Rowdies goal on the night a few minutes later to finish off the proceedings from a scoring standpoint.
However Arteaga would pick up a second yellow card right before the end of Extra Time and therefore will miss the match versus FC Dallas in the Round of 16 at Al Lang Stadium in two weeks.
As of this wasn’t enough, these two sides will face off again with each other on Saturday at Al Lang this time in USL Championship action- kickoff time is once again 7:30 pm local time.
Epic performance by Birmingham! On the topic of USL League One heroics, Union Omaha was just SECONDS away from a massive CUPSET via PKs, when MLS side Sporting KC scored the winning goal. Heartbreaking for the sold-out Omaha home crowd......
Such an exhausting match. Birmingham has some real issues on defense, many of their own making. And then they'll come from behind in back-to-back games. The players never ler up, but I feel like the coaches are letting them down. Saturday will be an immediate test to see if they learn anything. Congrats to the Rowdies, and let's hope they can put Dallas out of the Cup.