2025 Match Recap: Tampa Bay Rowdies //, Sacramento Republic FC //

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This isn't the Tampa Bay Rowdies we are accustomed to seeing as USL fans. Usually you'd find them fighting at the top of the Eastern Conference table at this time of the year. But it's been a down year for the Rowdies. Coming into this match they were in 10th place in the conference standings with 21 points out of 21 games played. The gap between them and Indy in the final playoff place was 5 points. This season got off to a rough start after the Rowdies fired Robbie Neilson as their manager four games into the regular season. Since then he's been replaced by Dominic Casciato who many thought would be a long-term manager of Union Omaha in USL League One. The defence is the biggest question mark for the Rowdies as they've only kept one clean sheet in the league this season, conceding 32 goals. The last time out for the Rowdies was a 2-1 win against the Charleston Battery. And the last time they met Sacramento, it was a 1-0 win for the Rowdies in Sacramento.

Sacramento bounced back in their last game, notching a 2-0 win on the road to New Mexico. It was a solid display against another team competition for the playoff places in a tough road environment. Khori Bennett was the standout player on the night, as he recorded the first brace on the season for the Republic. The team were in 2nd place in the Western Conference standings coming into the night. The gap between them and Tulsa in 1st place was 8 points. But the gap between them and 3rd place El Paso was only 2 points. But also just to demonstrate how congested the Western Conference is, the gap between Sacramento and 8th place Colorado Springs was 5 points. Sacramento will need to stay hot during this final stretch to not get bogged down in the standings heading into the playoffs.

Coach Dominic Casciato made this selection for Tampa Bay:

Coach Neill Collins had this lineup for Sacramento:

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Key Takeaways:

Sacramento Republic FC: / goals, / shots, / shots on target, ///% possession, / corners, / offsides, / yellow cards, / red cards.

Tampa Bay Rowdies: / goals, / shots, / shots on target, ///% possession, / corners, / offsides, / yellow cards, / red cards.

Republic FC Lineup: Danny Vitiello, Lee Desmond, Rayan Djedje, Freddy Kleeman, Jack Gurr, Michel Benitez, Nick Ross, Rodrigo Lopez, Russell Cicerone, Khori Bennett, Cristian Parano

Republic FC Bench: Jared Mazzola, Chibi Ukaegbu, Ryan Spaulding, Dominik Wanner, Luis Felipe, Blake Willey, Sebastian Herrera

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Check out the stats from this match here!

(Photo thanks to Sacramento Republic FC)