The Tampa Bay Rowdies are preparing for an unprecedented moment in their history as they welcome Orlando City SC to Al Lang Stadium on Wednesday night for a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 matchup. This marks the first time the Rowdies will host their in-state MLS rivals in cup competition.
Despite struggling in USL Championship play with a 1-5-1 record, Tampa Bay earned their place in the Round of 32 through a dramatic victory over FC Naples that required 10 rounds of penalty kicks to decide.
The match represents a significant opportunity for the Rowdies, who have faced Orlando City twice before in Open Cup play, with both previous encounters taking place in Orlando in 2014 and 2022. The MLS side prevailed on each occasion and went on to capture the tournament title in 2022.
“It’s a fun game to be a part of,” said midfielder Leo Fernandes, one of just four current Rowdies players who participated in the 2022 matchup. “It’s our job to go out and perform and put out a good performance so we can hopefully win. As a player, that’s what you want. You want to play in important games.”
Orlando City enters the contest with a solid 4-2-5 record in MLS play, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting cup battle between clubs separated by just 85 miles.
The stakes are high for Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. kickoff, as the victor will advance to the Round of 16, scheduled for either May 20 or 21. The winner will face either Nashville SC from MLS or USL’s Chattanooga Red Wolves.
Rowdies Interim Head Coach Steve Coleman acknowledges the challenge but sees it as a motivational opportunity. “Any time you have an opportunity to be the underdog and prove people wrong is an important motivation tool,” Coleman said. “When you have a club the stature and size of Orlando coming to town, it gives us that opportunity to be the underdog.”
Tickets for the historic cup match are available through the Tampa Bay Rowdies official website.