An Extremely Informal Rowdies vs Naples Open Cup Review

I try to avoid writing in stream of consciousness because it can lack professionalism and, more importantly, things can come out harsher than intended. With that said, I hope anyone who happens to see this will understand I’m still trying to be as fair as possible in writing this. 

I’m writing this article as an informal review. A more proper one is generally what I strive for; but, with time constraints, the idea of just getting thoughts I was having out there is the better option.

To kick this off, hats off to Naples. Their fans are electric and the club was extremely well coached. In this scenario, when playing a team from a higher division who looks to be going through it, I would imagine the instinct is to put them under pressure immediately and try to get them off their game as soon as possible.

They did that in spurts; but, mostly, Naples stayed disciplined. They didn’t run themselves ragged. They assumed Tampa Bay would cough up the ball, which we did at times. They rarely lost their defensive shape, and probably deserved to win on balance. 

Now, though, the Rowdies have moved on. This is definitely something to celebrate. However, in my estimation, they did so despite themselves. This was not a case where the referee saved the team. (As a side note, I saw Naples fans yelling at the ref even when they had won a call. What more do you want?) The referee in this game was judicious and fair with his whistle. Two obvious dives were not awarded as penalties. But, when he gave Aaron Guillen a yellow card after only 90 seconds, that was deserved. 

The team scraped by afterwards. Guillen could’ve been sent off before halftime. He was then subbed out, likely for this reason, forcing Forrest Lasso to enter the field. Lasso was playing in just his second game in almost a year – almost a year. There’s no doubt he’s on a minutes restriction right now. It should really come as no surprise that he gave the ball away in a bad position late in the second half. Although, credit where it’s due: he made up for his own mistake by racing back to clear it off the line. 

Several other players did not live up to the occasion on Wednesday night. Rather than list everyone at fault, I’ll instead heap praise on Woobens Pacius, whose efforts continue to defy any and all defenders. He’s a man who can make things happen on his own – which is good because his help is often nonexistent. He’s also started all six games the Rowdies have played in 2025, going the distance in four of those. His strike partner, Manuel Arteaga – yet to get off the mark – has also started every game this year. These players cannot be relied on to do that for the remaining six months of the season. It’s not fair in terms of wear and tear, and it’s not fair in terms of expectation.

Endri Mustali returning was positive, and he was able to maintain possession against giant defensive opponents. If Mustali is to be our depth up top (not something I’m complaining about here), Arteaga and Pacius can’t start every game until the end of the season together. It’s not sustainable.

Our squad depth is built up in defense. We’re not playing with three at the back anymore, which is any manager’s prerogative. We’ve also changed coaches, so Steve Coleman may be deciding the best way to arrange his options. Those have also been limited by injuries; but, that is a problem that has occurred every season. A smaller roster doesn’t help here. 

Without unfairly disparaging their opponent – who, again, was very good on the night – the Rowdies have not looked up to their usual standard lately. This is not the fault of Steve Coleman, who has only just taken over. It’s not solely the fault of Robbie Neilson, either. Despite good underlying numbers for much of his reign, problems with wayward crosses, at times aimless buildup, and costly errors appeared. These were costly errors at both ends of the pitch, to be sure. 

The Rowdies have now been drawn into the Open Cup Round of 32, with Orlando City set to visit Al Lang for the first time in a long time. This should be an occasion for fans and players alike to celebrate.

When that last Naples penalty hit the bar, I lost my mind. I wanted to celebrate with everyone – and I want to do that again vs. Orlando, a city that needs no help playing the villain. However, if significant improvements aren’t made before then, this dream could quickly turn into nightmare. We know those dummies in purple are gonna be up for it. Will we?