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Rowdies beat Atlanta to kick off fall season

 
Published July 5, 2015

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rowdies' performance in the first half-hour Saturday was as scorching as the temperature. And the conditions might have had something to do with Tampa Bay's opponent petering out, too, as the Rowdies held on for a 2-1 victory over Atlanta before 7,002 at Al Lang Stadium.

A 6 p.m. kickoff had the game feeling like anything but the fall-season opener for both teams, and some Rowdies succumbed to cramping. But Tampa Bay had enough for a fifth straight home victory and third consecutive overall.

"For the first time all season, I was perspiring," Rowdies coach Thomas Rongen said.

He at least didn't have to sweat much in the second half as Rowdies goalie Matt Pickens was tested only a couple of times. He allowed an own goal in the 36th minute, but that was after Tampa Bay had jumped ahead 2-0.

With temperatures in the 90-degree range, Atlanta's early strategy was to let Tampa Bay do all the running, resulting in the Rowdies' dominance of possession. The constant defending by Atlanta resulted in a gaffe, creating a two-on-one in the 22nd minute. Corey Hertzog slotted a pass Brian Shriver's way, and goalie C.J. Cochran made the stop but a defender's clearing attempt went backward for an own goal.

"It was an own goal, but we should have scored anyway," Rongen said. "We played superb the first 30 minutes. We stopped playing a little after that, maybe thought we had it won already. We're still a little young, a little naive. So we're learning. But it's great to teach lessons when we're winning."

Gaither grad Darnell King made it 2-0 on the half-hour with his first goal as a Rowdie. King, who already had created some offense from his left back position, was unmarked on a run up the right wing. Hertzog made the easy pass and King had time to mull his options, choosing a left-footed drive inside the right post.

He admitted it went counter to what Rongen instructs his players to do in that position: take a touch, then "whip it in" for a cross.

"All the coaches are saying, 'Take a touch, whip it in,' then he goes to his left (shooting) foot and we're like, 'Oh, no.' Then he scores and it was, 'Great decision, Darnell,' " Rongen said.

Atlanta did not get a serious shot on goal in the first half but still tallied when Rowdies defender Stefan Antonijevic headed a corner kick right into his own net.

The early start came in handy as a lightning storm moved in just as the match, Tampa Bay's fifth consecutive home victory, was concluding.