Away vs. Birmingham Legion Preview
Date: Wednesday September 11, 2024
Kickoff Time: 8:00 pm EST at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, AL
Records: Tampa Bay Rowdies (43 pts 12W-7D-7L); Birmingham Legion FC (35 pts 10W-5D-11L)
Standings: The Rowdies are 3rd in the East and the Legion are 8th.
Two weeks off was supposed to be adequate time to figure things out and help turn the Rowdies around. Sadly, it has not gone that way. Despite the possibility of a late come back, Tampa Bay were played off the field multiple times, conceding four goals in a heavy loss. This was probably the worst loss of the season based on vibes alone. It’ll take more than a few loanees to get things back on track before the playoffs get going in November.
I mean, what just happened?!
The Rowdies finished the month of August in poor form, despite a win against lowly The Miami FC. For whatever reason, the weekend after was free on Tampa Bay’s schedule. They could lay low, collect themselves, look in the mirror, and all the other things athletes will need to do during a rough spell. Review the tape if you need; just come back stronger!
The second part of that has not happened yet. It remains to be seen when or if it will. This past weekend only served to hurt the confidence of players and fans alike after the Switchbacks found time and space to put four past Jordan Farr in net. People will rightly point to many good chances for the Floridians in the last ten minutes. It was 4-0 until roughly the 75th minute.
However, the 4-2 final score is misleading for other reasons. Colorado Springs had several incredible chances early in the second half – they only managed to put two away when they could’ve had four or five. The home team had also taken their foot off the gas by the time the Rowdies started anything like a comeback. Leo Fernandes helped bring some life to the club.
The wingers early and throughout were rampant, cutting apart Tampa Bay’s defense over and over. Jonas Fjeldberg and Yosuke Hanya have been regular starters since the Switchbacks’ surprise recent move to sell Jamaican attacker Maalique Foster, who had been an assist leader for the club this year. It seems that decision has paid off.
Those two combined for the first goal scored on Saturday. Almost immediately afterwards, following a desperate intervention by Blake Bodily, Jordan Doherty punted the ball long for Cal Jennings. He brought it into his stride and looked to have carved open enough space to get a good shot off. Instead, it looked like the hit of a man lacking confidence, sailing harmlessly wide.
After that, it was all the Switchbacks. A wonder goal from Tyreek Magee led them in 2-0 at halftime. Within 120 seconds of the restart, it was 3-0. Six minutes later, they added the fourth. It was a case of a team being ruthless with the chances they created… almost. The truth is, they missed several guilt-edge shots in both halves. Somehow, it still could’ve been worse.
The Rowdies weren’t just shellshocked by a quick team with deadly wingers. Frankly, they looked lost for large stretches. Communication was clearly broken and huge gaps opened between lines repeatedly. Players lost individual battles all night and the only respite came when Colorado Springs decided their win was secure.
This was not how it was supposed to happen. A mini-holiday is supposed to clear your head. Tampa Bay looked down and out the second things took a turn. Only the substitutions had any positive impact. Based on the play fans saw, it might be time to give them a shot from the outset. How much worse could it possibly be?
What have Legion been up to this year?
The Legion aren’t much changed from year to year looking at their roster. However, of late especially, the players available have changed due to injury. While some have just returned to play, others have taken their place on the sideline. This makes it hard to develop any stability and the club has suffered as a result.
Former US under-17 men’s national team player Matthew Corcoran has just got back into the midfield rotation. While he is a more defensive presence, Tyler Pasher has missed the last few matches. To augment the team, the front office signed Derek Dodson and Rida Zouhir on loan from clubs in MLS. Miguel Perez joined on a similar deal earlier this season.
Needless to say, the midfield is a mishmash of members of the Legion. One constant, of course, has been Enzo Martinez. This is a name Rowdies fans will know well. In two games this year, he has two goals against the Green and Gold. This is to say nothing of what came before 2024. His ability to be a pest is renowned across the league.
The first of those games this season was in the Open Cup. It was 4-0 before Martinez scored, which sparked an unlikely comeback and actually led the two clubs into overtime. The Rowdies were able to score two in that period, sending them to the next round of the tournament. Only three days later, Birmingham won in the league, beating Tampa Bay at Al Lang after that loss.
In the last match, the Rowdies’ defense looked porous. Keeping the lines together, and thus keeping the Legion out of the box, could prove to be a huge problem. Colorado Springs led Tampa Bay wherever they wanted and put their own players in the best places to score. Their midfield was also makeshift, so that shouldn’t impact how the game goes this Wednesday.
Because of course it was, Enzo Martinez scored the lone goal in the 1-0 Legion win back in May. Whoever is in front of him, Enzo finds a way, much like Dr. Ian Malcolm said. He will be salivating watching the footage from the loss vs. the Switchbacks. If the Rowdies can’t keep a clean sheet, fans and players alike have been conditioned lately to expect the worst.
A lack of confidence was palpable for those fans watching from their homes in Florida. To make matters worse, manager Robbie Neilson will not be available to make in-game decisions against Birmingham following his sending off versus Colorado Springs. Hopefully, the players have enough instruction to recognize the need to change things on their own.
There is a lot to overcome for Tampa Bay in this midweek game. The good thing is that Legion are in a similar spot. The Wednesday crowd is not likely to be a good one, while a Rowdies goal could give Birmingham that same negative expectation outlined above. It almost comes down to who can score first. That breakthrough will have an outsized impact on proceedings.
Score Predictions from the RBLR Rowdies Podcast:
Carlos: 2-1 W
James: 1-1 D
Yurika: 1-0 W
