ST. PETERSBURG – After a couple of heavy losses, the Tampa Bay Rowdies returned to better form, managing a 5-0 win over Naples United at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday night. The match was highlighted by all five goals coming from five different goal scorers.
With Naples United playing in the amateur National Premier Soccer League the Rowdies went with a young line-up fielding mostly newcomers to the team. That included handing a debut in goal to newly confirmed goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena who played the first half.
The visitors held strong for the first half-hour but soon after that resistance was broken down as Dayonn Harris scored the opener. A cross was swung in by Sebastian Dalgaard, allowing Sebastian Guenzatti to set up Harris, who hit it on the run.
The second goal took another 20 minutes to come a Lewis Hilton corner finding Max Lachowecki whose header thundered back down off the bar. That allowed Laurence Wyke to tap home the rebound, his second goal of the preseason.
Jordan Adebayo-Smith then took the stage, earning a penalty just moments after coming onto the park. That penalty was dispatched by Steevan Dos Santos before Adebayo-Smith became the goal scorer 12 minutes later. He made a rampaging run down the right and lifted it over the keeper before running around to collect the ball and tap it home for a 4-0 lead.
It became five late-on when Leo Fernandes set up Zach Steinberger for a simple finish to complete the rout. The Rowdies have one more preseason test, a match against the University of Tampa next Saturday, again behind closed doors.
Photo: Tampa Proper (Twitter)
Florida Soccer Report 