The inside field of the Metrodome was needed today, as the downpour over the past two days would have canceled Saturday’s afternoon showdown between Minnesota United and the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The last time these two met was in last season’s Soccer Bowl Championship, where the Rowdies erased a 2 goal deficit from the first leg to go on and win the title in penalties. Needless to say there is a strong rivalry between these two, who are tied in second place in the standings and on paper a very even match.
Minnesota has had trouble getting started in games and have given up many early goals this year. This game was much different as both teams started strong and had lots of chances on both goals in the opening half. Daryl Sattler, keeper of Minnesota United, was extremely busy and got quite a workout after being forced to make several acrobatic saves. Luke Mulholland had several great attempts from set pieces which have been his specialty this year. As the game looked like the first half would end goalless, but Shane Hill changed that just moments before half. A failed clearance from the United defense set of Hill for an excellent strike from outside the box to snatch the lead for the Rowdies
The second half was United’s turing point, and began to pour on the offense and give Diego Restrepo his fair share of incredible saves. Minnesota’s shots were soaring high and wide on their best chances however, eliminating their chances to tie the game early. 10 minutes after half, Michael Reed who came off the bench received a leading pass from Simone Bracalello and beat Restrepo to earn his first goal as a pro and get Minnesota the tie. The Rowdies immediately kicked off, marched down the field, and a failed clearance from their initial shot went to Mulholland to blasted the ball home to end the extremely short tie. Minnesota controlled the play for the majority of the half, trying to get back their tie. Pablo Campos and Etienne Barbara kept the Rowdies defense busy the whole game with many chances and threatening crosses. Camps would get his name on the score sheet, but for assisting Bracalello on a give and go where Simone fought off two defenders to beat Restrepo low to tie the game again.
The game was winding down, and with how the play was going for the game, everyone in the stadium was thinking that if anyone was going to score it would be United. Tampa Bay was forced to make the most of every chance they got and in a last ditch effort in the 90th minute, fortune favored the Rowdies. A high cross into the box was chested down by United defender Cristiano Dias to Justin Davis who was going to clear the ball, but waited a split second too long to kick the ball, as Keith Savage bolted in to steal the ball and hit a wonder strike past Sattler and steal the game for Tampa Bay, proving once again that they are the best road team in the league. The 3-2 victory jumped the Rowdies up to a total of 11 points which will tie them for first with Carolina and Minnesota drop to 4th tied with FC Edmonton. Next week these teams head down to Al Lang in St. Petersburg for round two of the series between them.
Starting XI: MNU – GK Sattler, Kallman, Friedland, Dias, Davis, MID Ibarra, Arguez, Pitchkolan, Bracalello, FWD Campos, Barbara
TBR – GK Restrepo, DEF Arango, Yamada, Scott, Sanfillipo, MID Cox, Savage, Hill, Mulholland, FWD Hristov, Walker
Subs: MNU – 40′ Reed IN Pitchkolan OUT, 73′ Ibarra IN Wall OUT, 88′ Venegas IN Barbara OUT
TBR – 71′ Frimpong IN Cox OUT, Cort IN Hristov OUT
Goals: MNU – 54′ Reed, 65′ Bracalello
TBR – 45′ Hill, 55′ Mulholland, 90′ Savage
Discipline: TBR – 90′ Scott YC
