The Basics
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. New York Cosmos
Saturday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg
The match can be seen live Great38 TV in the Tampa Bay area and online at NASLlive.com.
Follow us for live updates on Twitter at @RowdiesGameday.

Admission
Limited tickets are available through the Rowdies Front Office at (877) ROWDIES. Tickets can also be purchased by clicking here. The stadium box office opens at 4:30 p.m. on gameday. Stadiums gates open at 6 p.m. Be sure to stick around following the match to enjoy a spectacular fireworks show (9:50 p.m. apox.)

2014 NASL Spring Records (W-T-L)
Tampa Bay: 1-3-1, 6 points
New York: 3-0-2, 9 points

Series History
The Rowdies and Cosmos have one of the longest-running rivalries in American soccer, dating back to the 1970s and featuring matchups played in front of sold-out crowds in old Tampa Stadium and Giants Stadium.

The Rowdies are 0-1-1 against the New York Cosmos in the modern era. In their first meeting last season, 7,032 fans watched a 0-0 draw at Al Lang Stadium on August 10. In the reverse fixture on September 29, the Cosmos came back from a 3-1 halftime deficit to win 4-3 courtesy of Marcos Senna’s 82nd-minute winner.

Rowdies Notes
The Rowdies return home to Al Lang Stadium after a two-match unbeaten road trip to San Antonio and Ottawa which saw Tampa Bay pick up four of a possible six points.
Georgi Hristov is the Rowdies’ leading scorer in 2014, having converted a penalty kick in Ottawa to notch his second goal of the season. Forward Lucky Mkosana made his first league start of the season against the Fury, stepping in for Brian Shriver (day-to-day, ankle.) Goalkeeper Matt Pickens is in the NASL’s Team of the Week for the second time in 2014 after saving a penalty kick in Ottawa, improving his record against spot kicks to a perfect 3-for-3 this season.

Left back Blake Wagner is eligible to play against the Cosmos, having served a one-game suspension against Ottawa following his second yellow card and dismissal from the match in San Antonio. Anthony Wallace, who had started the first three games of the season as a left midfielder, earned the start at left back in Wagner’s absence.

Scouting the Cosmos
The Cosmos arrive in St. Petersburg having righted the ship with a 1-0 win over Minnesota United FC on Monday night. Marcos Senna’s goal in the 61st minute was the difference between the sides as New York dealt Minnesota its first loss of the season. Senna was named NASL Player of the Week and his goal was a nominee for NPlay of the Week.  Prior to that win, New York had lost back-to-back games vs. San Antonio and at Carolina.

Under the direction of head coach Giovanni Savarese, New York utilizes a 4-5-1 lineup. Norwegian Mads Stokkelien leads the front line for the Cosmos with Senna roaming the center of midfield, flanked by Jamal Johnson and Diomar Diaz on the wings. Club captain Carlos Mendes anchors the backline from his centerback position.

Quotable
Head Coach Ricky Hill
"They're the reigning champions. They were an excellent side last year. This year, they've started well again. We've not amassed as many points as we would have liked to. We're also aware that at Al Lang, we've given our fans something to cheer about and they've been tremendous as always, but we haven't been able to go across the line and get all three points. This Saturday is an opportunity to play a side with more points than us at the moment. It should be fantastic.”

Up Next
Following this match, the Rowdies remain at Al Lang Stadium for a showdown with their biggest rivals — and current league-leaders — the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Saturday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. Call (877) ROWDIES or click here to purchase tickets.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rowdies were bested 3-0 by the rival New York Cosmos on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium as the Rowdies’ two-match unbeaten streak was halted.

In seventeen minutes after the start of the second half, the Cosmos turned a 0-0 match into a lopsided affair with a trio of very quick goals.

Mads Stokkelien opened the scoring in the 48th minute on an assist from Marcos Senna. Rowdies goalkeeper Ryan Thompson rushed out to try and collect the ball before Stokkelien could get his shot off, but the Norwegian fired first, sliding the ball underneath Thompson from a sharp angle to give New York a lead.

The Cosmos’ second goal came just three minutes later, in the 51st minute, when the Rowdies defensive line was caught out and Thompson charged out of his 18-yard box to make a play and committed a foul just on the edge. Thompson was cautioned for the incident, which also gave the Cosmos a free kick. Ayoze and Senna stood over the ball, but it was Ayoze who took the kick, slotting it past the wall and just inside Thompson’s post to double the lead.

New York’s third goal came in the 62nd minute when Paulo Mendes picked the ball off Tampa Bay defender Jay Needham and coolly finished it.

“You cannot legislate for defensive errors,” Hill said. “We’ve conceded three goals tonight. Ryan Thompson has had no shots to save in the second half, yet we’ve conceded three goals. That tells a story. The three goals were avoidable.”

Tampa Bay had its chances in the second half, but couldn’t manage to find the back of the net.

Darel Russell laced a roaring shot from just outside the edge of the box in the 75th minute, forcing New York goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer to punch the ball above the crossbar and out.

Second-half substitutes Evans Frimpong and Lucky Mkosana combined well, with Frimpong hitting side netting in the 76th minute.

As stoppage time neared, Mkosana delivered a nearly-perfect cross across the face of goal to Georgi Hristov, who just missed tapping it home with his head.

Still, the 4,855 fans on hand continued to support the Rowdies.

“For me, the fans were the men and women of the match tonight,” Hill said. “Even when we’re 3-nil down, they persistently supported the team. Regardless of what the scoreline was, they were still chanting and singing and urging us on. All credit to the fans for that.”

The biggest news of the first half was Tampa Bay goalkeeper Matt Pickens exiting the match after only 24 minutes due to a quad/thigh injury. Ryan Thompson replaced Pickens, marking the first NASL appearance for the Jamaican goalkeeper. Pickens featured in last week’s NASL Team of the Week, his second time being so honored.

Neither team had a clear cut scoring chance in the opening 45 minutes, though Marcos Senna did force a Pickens save with an impressive shot from distance before Pickens departed the match.

The Rowdies’ best scoring opportunity of the first half didn’t actually produce a shot, as Casey Townsend’s cross from the right wing in the 34th minute rolled across the 18-yard box for Keith Savage. Savage wasn’t quite able to get a foot on it and it ran past to end the opportunity.

Next weekend, the Rowdies remain at Al Lang Stadium for a showdown with their biggest rivals — and current league-leaders — the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Saturday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. Call (877) ROWDIES or click here to purchase tickets.

Scoring Summary:
New York: Mads Stokkelien - 48th minute (Assisted by Marcos Senna)
New York: Ayoze - 51st minute
New York: Paulo Mendes - 62nd minute

Caution Summary:
Tampa Bay: Georgi Hristov - 18th minute
New York: Paulo Mendes - 37th minute
Tampa Bay: Ryan Thompson - 50th minute
Tampa Bay: Lucky Mkosana - 74th minute
New York: Stefan Dimitrov - 86th minute

Starting XI
Rowdies XI (4-4-2): GK Matt Pickens (Thompson 24'); D Willie Hunt, D Frankie Sanfilippo (Captain), D Jay Needham, D Anthony Wallace; M Christophe Lallet (Lucky Mkosana 58'), M Shane Hill (Evans Frimpong 58'), M Darel Russell, M Keith Savage; F Casey Townsend, F Georgi Hristov

New York XI (4-4-2): GK Jimmy Maurer; D Hunter Freeman, D Carlos Mendes (Captain), D Roversio, D Ayoze; M David Diosa (Hunter Gorskie 77'), M Sebastian Guenzatti (Stefan Dimitrov 82'), M Joseph Nane (Dane Murphy 62'), M Marcos Senna; F Paulo Mendes, F Mads Stokkelien