Rarely has there been such a consequential final day in the USL Championship.
Saturday’s full slate saw the top seed in the West change hands and decided the East’s final postseason berth. In a 20-minute span on the stroke of midnight, the eight seed in the West swung from Oakland to Phoenix in the most dramatic of fashions. The top four spots (and, thus, the right to host first-round playoff matches) stayed stable, but the seeding in both conferences was as feverish as ever across the board.
How’d it all go down in Week 34, and where do all 25 clubs in the USL Championship rank as we end the regular season? Let’s dig in.
1. Tampa Bay Rowdies
Trending: +1
Result: 2-0 win v. Jacksonville
What’s been remarkable about Tampa Bay since opening day is the absolute certainty behind their principles. An (almost) entirely brand-new roster played with a sense of identity from the jump, and they continued to do so all the way through Week 34. Even as the Rowdies made nine lineup changes against Sporting Jax this weekend, they continued to embody a domineering, front-foot style of soccer.
Tampa Bay’s 4-2-3-1 bent the wingers upfield against Jacksonville’s back three, relying on Gino Vivi, Karsen Henderlong, and Evan Conway to press the opposing defense into trouble. Support through the midfield was key. Marco Micaletto tended to mark the deepest No. 8 on the opposing side, while Lewis Hilton and Laurence Wyke traded off the responsibility of stepping ahead against tertiary runners. The more often that the Rowdies could trap Jacksonville, the more chances they had to turn the ball over and get out on the run.
Crucially, Tampa Bay got strong performances at the back when Sporting inevitably went long. Leland Archer belied his age in chasing down long balls; Wyke was extremely responsive covering deep, especially when young right back Alex Rodriguez was caught high. That quality provided a safety net for this attack to throw numbers forward, culminating in a 29th minute goal for Henderlong.
