On Sunday, the USL Championship will crown its champion as the Tampa Bay Rowdies host Phoenix Rising FC. The Rowdies are looking for their first USL title while Phoenix are trying to make amends for losing the 2018 final to Louisville City FC. Our own Nelson Lucindo gave us his take on what it means to the Rowdies to be in the Final.
“It would mean everything to this club,” said Lucindo. “The Rowdies have made a massive turn around in player personnel. Only a handful of players returned. The final is a culmination of incredible coaching from defender turned head coach Neill Collins and Chad Burt as assistant coach have led the way. It would be the first title in USL but third overall for the Rowdies.”
The Rowdies were champions of the original North American Soccer League in 1975 and then champions of the newer version in 2012.
Nelson also gave us some keys to victory for the Rowdies. “Defensively, Aaron Guillen and Yann Ekra will need time shut down Solomon Asante. All things Phoenix run through him. The front five of the Rowdies are a massive threat. Goals and assists have come from everyone in attack. The back line pressing from the Rowdies is very intense. They forced multiple errors from Louisville. I think the press continues, this game and defensively the Rowdies will defend in a low block. My opinion: Rowdies 2-1.”
Phoenix finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference and knocked off El Paso Locomovtive in the Western Conference Final on penalties. Phoenix has to withstand controversy earlier this season after Junior Flemmings allegedly used a homophobic slur against San Diego Loyal’s Collin Martin who is openly gay. The Loyal, up 3-1 at the time of the incident, walked off the pitch and forfeited the match. Flemmings received a six-match ban.
Coach Rick Schantz was placed on administrative leave until October 21st after apologizing to Martin which he accepted. Phoenix elected to relinquish hosting rights out of respect to the LGBTQ+ community as the three points received as a result of the forfeit gave them a better record than the Rowdies by two points.
All that aside, Phoenix has boasted one of the best attacks in the Championship this season leading the league with 46 goals. However, they have had to battle through extra time in each of its three prior postseason contests, including penalty shootouts against Reno 1868 FC in the Conference Semifinals and the Locomotive in the Conference Final. Rising FC will be looking to become the second team in the Championship Final’s history to claim victory on the road, following the win by Real Monarchs SLC in last year’s edition.
The Final will be televised on ESPN at 8pm ET/5pm PT.
