ROWDIES, TELL ME HOW IT FEELS! 📢 You know the rest! 😉 A Florida feud reignites this Wednesday as Orlando City SC travel to Al Lang Stadium to face old USL rival Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. It’s a nostalgic return to the competition that delivered our first MLS-era silverware in 2022, and die-hard Lions couldn’t be happier to be back – especially after City were controversially excluded from last year’s diluted edition due to Leagues Cup scheduling.
Personally, I’m thrilled we’re back, having boycotted the 2024 Leagues Cup in protest. Even better, Orlando City SC have a real shot at lifting the cup this year. With just 16 MLS sides controversially included this time, the field is wide open. Especially with big boys Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC and Columbus Crew not taking part!
Last time out
On Saturday, Orlando City SC extended their unbeaten run to eight matches. But we were left frustrated after a goalless draw at Chicago Fire – yet ANOTHER which is crazily our fourth 0-0 in five MLS fixtures! Despite playing a man up for nearly an hour following Chris Brady’s first-half red card, we couldn’t break down a makeshift Fire backline featuring two MLS rookies – goalkeeper Jeffrey Gal and 16-year-old Christopher Cupps. Worse still, it was Fire who looked like the protagonist for large spells, even with ten men! Pedro Gallese had to produce a superb eight-save display to keep us in it. El Pulpo now hasn’t conceded in five MLS matches (530 minutes). He becomes just the fourth goalkeeper since 2020 to achieve such a streak. Still, this was a game we should’ve won. Especially given Fire’s 7-2 hammering at Nashville SC just a week earlier. With 23 shots and two efforts hitting the woodwork, City’s lack of cutting edge proved costly. In a game where Kyle Smith surpassed 10,000 minutes for City – becoming just the sixth player in club history to reach this mark – we sorely missed Eduard Atuesta. We’ve gone 4-1-2 with 18 goals and no shutouts in Atuesta’s seven starts. In the four games he hasn’t started, we’re 0-4-0 – highlighting how vital his line-breaking passing is. After the game, Oscar Pareja admitted we lacked “clarity to define and score”. Ultimately, it felt like two points dropped rather than one gained.
Last head-to-head
On April 20, 2022, Orlando City SC edged past old USL rivals Tampa Bay Rowdies 2-1 in the third round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – a result that kick-started our title-winning run in the tournament that year. How fitting? In the first competitive I-4 Derby clash since 2014, Alexandre Pato calmly slotted home a second-half penalty before Júnior Urso doubled our lead, celebrating in style with a pair of sunglasses. Lucky Mkosana pulled one back late for the Rowdies, setting up a nervy finish. Chaos followed in stoppage time as Rowdies boss Neill Collins was bizarrely sent off for storming onto the pitch and trying to restart play himself! Looking back, you couldn’t script it any better! Knocking out the Rowdies en route to lifting the trophy made our famous cup run even sweeter.
What’s at stake this time?
It’s war on I-4, with Florida bragging rights up for grabs. Considering Rowdies have NEVER defeated Orlando City SC in TEN tries (0-1-9), no Lion is willing to let this unbeaten record slip! This is City’s first visit to Al Lang Stadium since July 2014, so demand has been high. The Iron Lion Firm sold out their ticket allocation for the St. Petersburg trip back on April 23, with a fully charged atmosphere expected! If the Lions can get past Rowdies on this short trip down I-4, we’ll set up a Round of 16 matchup with either Nashville SC or USL League One side Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, who are squaring off in the other Round of 32 fixture in our section of the bracket. With a proud tradition in this competition – including our 2022 championship – and only 16 MLS teams in this year’s field, a strong cup run would be more than welcome for Oscar Pareja’s Lions.
Opposition danger men
🇨🇦 Woobens Pacius (3 goals, 0 assists – 2025 USL Championship)
🇬🇧 Ollie Bassett (1 goal, 0 assists – 2025 USL Championship)
🇧🇷 Leo Fernandes (1 goal, 0 assists – 2025 USL Championship)
New opposition faces
🇳🇿 Steve Coleman (interim head coach)
🇬🇧 Ollie Bassett (Atlético Ottawa)
🏴 Laurence Wyke (Phoenix Rising)
🇺🇸 Joey Skinner (Nashville SC)
🇺🇸 Robert Castellanos (Sporting Kansas City)
🇨🇦 Woobens Pacius (on loan from Nashville SC)
🇬🇫 Thomas Vancaeyezeele (Hartford Athletic)
🇦🇷 Nicolás Campisi (Unión de Santa Fe)
🏴 Cammy MacPherson (on loan from St Johnstone)
🇺🇸 Ethan Bandré (Colorado Rapids)
Injuries
🏴 Cammy MacPherson – out
🇺🇸 Joey Skinner – questionable
🇨🇴 Eduard Atuesta (thigh) – questionable
🇵🇪 Wilder Cartagena (right leg) – SEI
🇫🇷 Joran Gerbet (lower leg) – out
🇨🇱 Favian Loyola (thigh) – questionable
🇯🇵 Yutaro Tsukada (knee) – SEI
*SEI – Season-Ending Injury List (Unavailable)
Suspensions
None
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Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Orlando City SC
Last 3 head-to-heads
- February 12, 2020: Orlando City SC 2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1 (Friendly)
- February 19, 2022: Orlando City SC 3 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1 (Friendly)
- April 20, 2022: Orlando City SC 2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1 (2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup)
2015/22 head-to-head stats
- It was 2-1 to Orlando the last time the sides met (April 2022)
- Played Rowdies 10 times in all competitions (including friendlies) – Rowdies 0, Draws 1, Orlando 9
- Orlando have outscored Rowdies 25-10 across all 10 head-to-heads so far
- Orlando have competed 11 times in the U.S. Open Cup – 3rd round (2), Round of 32 (3), Round of 16 (1), Quarter-Finals (3), Semi-Finals (1), Winners (1)
- Rowdies have gone 1-1-5 in 7 USL Championship games so far this season
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Watching the game
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Orlando City SC will be shown live on Paramount+ at 00:30 (GMT) on Thursday, May 8.
Subscribe to Paramount+ now by clicking here.
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