Sun Away to Lexington Preview
Date: Sunday September 8, 2024
Kickoff Time: 4:00 pm EST at Lexington SC Stadium in Lexington, KY
Records: Tampa Bay Sun (2 pts 0W-2D-0L); Lexington SC (1 pts 0W-1D-0L)
Standings: The Sun are 2nd in the Super League and Lexington are 6th.
After two draws at home, the Tampa Bay Sun will now face a new kind of challenge: the road trip. If this weren’t daunting enough for a brand new team, their opponents will be opening a brand new soccer-specific stadium for the match this weekend. That is likely to mean a top tier crowd backing the hosts, Lexington. Join the Sun at Mary Margaret’s bar in St. Pete to cheer the club on from their official watch party on Sunday!
Is Ashley Orkus super human?
The short answer is “yes.” However, I should include a longer one for the sake of writing a whole article. While Orkus was responsible for the late penalty kick DC was awarded (which she acknowledged in the postgame), she was also able to save it and preserve the shutout. In so doing, Tampa Bay’s goalkeeper helped maintain her team’s unbeaten start to the season.
This is crucial while the group as a whole continues to find its footing. Neither coach nor player was particularly happy with the result afterwards. Striker Riley Parker and the aforementioned Orkus echoed what Denise Schilte-Brown said when they pointed out that the team was not coping with second half changes as well as they’d have liked.
Schilte-Brown specifically stated that “we should’ve sat in a mid-block longer, maybe even started the second half that way because we did stretch ourselves a lot in the first half.” She mentioned how the team was able to get good looks over the first 45 minutes while trying to break down the Power’s distinct 4-4-2 formation.
The Florida heat can be cruel, though, and it looked at times like all that hard work had only hurt the Sun when no goal came of it. “Your legs have kind of bottomed out on you and you’re chasing them because you didn’t put them away earlier,” the manager told me. When the Power made three substitutions in the 59th minute, the whole dynamic shifted in their favor.
Suddenly, DC had the upper hand in nearly every play. They were putting the home side under pressure well before winning a spot kick. That was almost a just reward for the prior momentum fans in the stands had noted. Of course, earning a penalty and putting it away are two different things. One has to think the Power will also be kicking themselves for a lack of goals.
Both teams in the end will have to deal with those squandered opportunities. It’s always promising to see shots hit the bar; but, failing to convert them has been a hindrance. Turning that around will be the next step. Through two games, Tampa Bay has only scored off a corner kick. Setting up more consistent attacks is what will earn them their first three points.
With that being said, the other side of the equation seems alright. In front of Orkus, the defense looks like it can hold up – provided it gets the support it needs. Wasila Diwura-Soale runs all game, while Vivianne Bessette and Brooke Hendrix have stood up to many different problems. That stretched look later on notwithstanding, this could be a strong partnership.
How good will Lexington look on their new field?
The Sun have had a bye-week to sort out the issues that DSB has identified. That time off might also allow some players dealing with little injuries to get back into training and prepare for the next game. Their next opponent also had a week off, though. The extra time was likely used to put the finishing touches on a stadium that will host its first game this weekend.
Lexington SC, with both a men’s and women’s team, announced last week that they will be promoting the former from the third tier to the second, joining the USL Championship. In preparation for this, the ownership group has had a stadium under construction for some time. It now lines up perfectly with the opening of the USL Super League’s inaugural season.
Lexington will open their new stadium also unbeaten; although, they’ve only played one game. They were able to hold Carolina Ascent to a 1-1 draw, which is one goal better than the Sun’s last opponents DC could manage. Floridian fans can expect a big, raucous crowd for this huge matchup. Many in that area have been waiting for this since the club’s founding in 2021.
Handling the nerves of the game will be important. Tampa Bay players mentioned their own issues with that when they hosted the home opener at Riverside Stadium a few weeks ago. The occasion has the potential to get the best of those on the pitch. If Lexington falters, the Sun need to be ready to take advantage whenever they can.
They also need to be ready for an early flurry of energy from the hosts. No doubt there will be adrenaline coursing through the ground, looking for an outlet. Should Tampa Bay’s strong defense stay stout in the face of it, they can hopefully let some air out of those tires and use their better match fitness as the clock ticks on.
Lexington’s first game displayed a more defensive approach from the team. However, this is only one data point and their opponents that night looked to be a well settled group. Elements of that 1-1 draw on the road will almost certainly be present on Sunday: looking to break with speed after winning the ball back and catching the Sun in transition for starters.
It also showed some versatility in Lexington’s roster. If things aren’t working well, they can change the formation to suit a different approach. Tampa Bay’s coaching staff will have gone through the tape multiple times to prepare their charges. If they take that instruction well and match the hosts’ reactions, they can walk out spoilers to this party.
Score Predictions from the RBLR Sun Podcast:
Lizzie: 1-1 D
Tom: 1-0 W
Yurika: 2-0 L
James: 2-1 W
