Tampa Bay Rowdies outlast Switchbacks, handing club its fourth-straight loss and first losing record since 2021
May 27—The Tampa Bay Rowdies probably never want May to end. And the Colorado Springs Switchbacks probably can't wait for June.
The Rowdies, who are the second-best team in the USL Championship's Eastern Conference, kept their uncanny four-season streak of not dropping a league match in the month of May alive with a 2-1 victory over Colorado Springs in Tampa on Saturday.
The result is the fifth-straight win for Tampa Bay and the fourth-straight loss for Colorado Springs. The Switchbacks fell to 5-6-1 on the season, the club's first losing record since June of the 2021 season.
Tampa Bay controlled the tempo of the match in the beginning, earning three corner kicks within the first six minutes of play.
The third time was the charm for the Rowdies as a kick from Charlie Dennis went into the center of the Colorado Springs' box where it was accidentally tipped in for an own goal by Switchbacks goalkeeper Christian Herrera.
Dennis was the team's scoring leader entering the match with five goals. The club's assist leader Ryan Spaulding lived up to his billing, feeding forward J.J. Williams with a deadly centering pass right in front of goal and behind the last defender in the 40th minute. However, Williams couldn't finish off the near-perfect pass, sending his attempt wide of the net. Unfazed, Spaulding set Williams up again four minutes later. This time, Williams put his shot underneath Herrera for the team's second goal.
Colorado Springs created some great scoring opportunities, but faltered when it came time to finish, a recurring theme this season. Notably, Switchbacks forward Maalique Foster had a chance on goal in the 43rd minute following a bad turnover in Tampa's penalty area. But his shot missed the near post. It's a potential game changer if that shot goes in as it occurred just before the Rowdies took a 2-0 lead.
Another missed opportunity came in the 54th minute as forward Deshane Beckford sped past Tampa Bay defenders, knifing his way into the middle of the 18-yard box for a clean shot on goal. He had Rowdies keeper Connor Sparrow out of position, but put his attempt just wide left of the goal.
Finally, midfielder Jairo Henriquez scored on a rocket of a shot from beyond Tampa's 18-yard-box in the 92nd minute in stoppage time, but it was too little too late for Colorado Springs.
The match concludes a three-game road trip for Colorado Springs where head coach Stephen Hogan had a vision for at least a win and a draw for four points over the span. Instead, the Switchbacks return with no points.
Luckily for Colorado Springs, the club's June 2 match against Oakland Roots SC marks the start of a three-game homestand. The Switchbacks return to Weidner Field with a lot of ground to make up.
