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Rowdies end spring season with 3-0 win

 
Georgi Hristov scores on a late penalty, his first goal this season.
Georgi Hristov scores on a late penalty, his first goal this season.
Published June 14, 2015

ST. PETERSBURG — The spring season title was not in the cards, but the Rowdies set themselves up well for a playoff run in the fall with Saturday's 3-0 defeat of Atlanta at Al Lang Stadium.

Corey Hertzog's resourceful goal at the hour mark sent the Rowdies on their way, and Martin Nunez and sub Georgi Hristov finished off the Silverbacks with free kicks before 4,217.

"Pretty darn good," Rowdies coach Thomas Rongen said of a 5-1-4 spring record. "Still feel like we can get better in a lot of areas. But we have some young players who are starting to shine."

Like 20-year-old Darwin Espinal, whose run on the left side of the penalty box set up his cutback pass to Hertzog, who used his chest to direct the ball in.

Martin Nunez's 20-yard free kick froze Atlanta goalkeeper Steward Ceus for a 2-0 lead in the 75th minute. And Robert Hernandez, 21, contributed to the final score with his speed as Atlanta tackled him in the box. Hristov, last year's team scoring leader, hit the penalty kick for his first goal of the season.

Tampa Bay needed a blowout victory and have New York lose to Jacksonville. The Armada came back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits but couldn't earn more than a 3-3 tie with the Cosmos, who clinched the spring championship and one of four playoff spots. The fall champ earns a berth, as do the two teams with the next-best combined records.

Thanks to Minnesota's loss to Fort Lauderdale, the Rowdies (19 points) are at least five points clear of everyone but New York (20), which handed Tampa Bay its lone loss. The Rowdies have won four straight at home.

"We've talked about making Al Lang a fortress, and we've done that so far," defender Tamika Mkandawire said.

The only concern was an injury that saw backline mate Stefan Antonijevic leave on a stretcher. He had his right thigh heavily bandaged after the game but could limp around.

Another defender, Gale Agbossoumonde, injured his shoulder last week and likely will miss at least a couple of months. If he is out for an extended period, Rongen said he'll likely seek help via a trade.

The same teams return to Al Lang on July 4 when the fall season kicks off.

Though two of Tampa Bay's top scoring threats were available after serving red-card suspensions for one game, neither started. Hristov entered in the 81st minute, and Maicon Santos (three goals, tied with Nunez for team high) did not play.

"They deserved another chance," Rongen said of the replacement starters from the previous week.