Home vs. Dallas Trinity Preview
Date: Saturday May 3, 2025
Kickoff Time: 7:30 pm EST at Riverfront Stadium in Tampa, FL
Records: Tampa Bay Sun (36 pts 9W-9D-6L); Dallas Trinity FC (40 pts 11W-7D-6L)
Standings: The Sun are 3rd in the Super League and Trinity are 2nd.
After a disappointing trip out west, the Sun return to familiar confines this weekend to take on a huge opponent. With 24 games played, Dallas are four points ahead of Tampa Bay, and one spot ahead in the playoff race. Securing home field advantage in the post season – which is not guaranteed at the moment – would be extremely valuable. Get to Fort Blake this weekend and make sure you cheer as loud as possible for the ladies in Blue and Gold!
Are Dallas vulnerable right now?
Despite their good position in the table and seemingly good run of form, Trinity have shown a few cracks recently. After losing 3-0 on the road to Carolina in March, they have won three of their last five. Those games were against DC and Lexington, though. An away trip to Spokane resulted in a 3-0 loss, which came a week before a draw at home vs. Fort Lauderdale.
If we apply the transitive property, our 3-2 loss vs. Zephyr should mean a 2-0 win for us vs. Dallas. Unfortunately, soccer rarely plays out along mathematical constants. We’ll have to see who shows up for Dallas when they travel down to Florida on Saturday. One player they’re likely to be without is Lexi Missimo. This is an interesting place to start with Trinity.
Missimo joined Dallas after finishing her final year at the University of Texas. Always a precocious prospect, she verbally committed to the school while still in 7th grade. Where she wound up after college was up in the air; but, everyone knew that club would be signing a world class soccer player. The Texan stayed local again, eschewing the NWSL in the process.
In her first match for Trinity, she scored after only four minutes. If this sounds familiar, it came here in Florida, at the Riverfront Stadium in a 1-1 draw with the Sun. A second half strike from Parker Goins started a long series of draws for Tampa Bay. It was only the beginning for Missimo, though, or so it seemed at the time.
Sadly for her and for Dallas, their midfield dynamo has gone down with an injury that will force her to miss the rest of the season. While they do have good players behind her, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to achieve the same firepower from midfield. In her place, the club brought in Nigerian international Deborah Abiodun on loan from the Washington Spirit to compensate.
She has recently been partnered with captain and NWSL vet Amber Brooks in front of a three-person back line. Despite good strength in the defense, the Sun should still be able to get down the flanks and put themselves in good scoring positions. Tash Flint and Cecilie Floe have combined well with Carlee Giammona. Syndy Nasello’s more frequent shots also help here.
As for Tampa Bay’s defense, there will be plenty to keep them busy. English international Chioma Ubogagu has been relegated to the bench lately, such has been the output from Texan Cyera Hintzen and Brazilian Tamara Bolt. Each of them has scored recently, subbing in or out for Ubogagu. Whoever starts will have good targets up top to try to find with crosses and cutbacks.
Recently, the Dallas attack has comprised Texan Camryn Lancaster, Texan Gracie Brian, and Texan Allie Thornton. (A lot of talent for one state, huh?) The latter of these has 11 goals so far this season. Shutting them out will require work before the ball gets to them and plenty more when it does. This game will largely come down to how well the Sun’s defense handles their duties.
Score Predictions from the RBLR Sun Podcast:
Lizzie: 2-1 W
Tom:
Yurika: 2-2 D
James: 1-0 W
