ST. PETERSBURG — Given what happened the last time New York RedBulls II visited Al Lang Stadium fans had been expecting a big Rowdies win so it was a significant upset that this match ended in a 1-1 draw. There were a few differences in this match that made the difference.
One thing that was the same was the aerial duels count, this is how the Rowdies play so it was expected, especially with the relative experience of the two sides. The hosts won 64.4 percent of the aerial duels asserting their dominance in that area, which led to the dominance of the match, despite the final score.
It’s becoming a worrying trend, Tampa Bay gave up 13 interceptions in this match. It shows that the Baby Bulls had learned from the last match. Conversely, the hosts made 15 interceptions, so they at least one the statistic but should be concerned about how many they have been giving up lately.
What was different was the way the Rowdies’ defense was set up, there was no offside trap, and NYRBII were never caught offside, that’s something that stopped the youngsters on their last trip.
Crossing accuracy was bad in this match, it wasn’t one for a delightful cross into the box that resulted in a stunning header or bicycle finish. It was especially bad for the visitors who didn’t manage a single successful cross all night but the Rowdies weren’t much better with a 16.7 percent accuracy.
Shooting accuracy was interesting, the Red Bulls II managed only 15.4 percent on target, making it a little miracle that the ball went in at all. By comparison, Tampa Bay managed 46.7 percent, a number higher than their season average, no wonder the fans at Al Lang felt aggrieved by the final score. This came down to impressive last-ditch defending from New York with six blocked shots.
That defending also shows up in another data point, clearances. The Baby Bulls made 33 clearances in the match and that finally shows the difference between the two matches. NYRBII grew in its defensive work allowing it to steal a point from Tampa Bay.
Florida Soccer Report 