Neal Collins celebrates after his header tied the game./CARMEN MANDATO
Sunday, 1 a.m.
For most of the night, the play looked ragged.
At the end, however, Neil Collins looked terrific.
Collins changed the entire view of the Rowdies 1-1 tie with St. Louis FC Saturday night. He headed in the tying goal in the 87th minute as the Tampa Bay Rowdies salvaged the tie. It was the Rowdies' fifth game in 15 days.
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Darnell King played well for the Rowdies./CARMEN MANDATO
It was also a combative game. Thirty fouls and eight yellow cards were given out in the game.
Tampa Bay (6- 3-3, 21 points) trailed for much of the second half after Jose Angulo’s 59th minute free kick goal, but Collins stepped up to rescue the Rowdies a point by burying a Michael Nanchoff corner kick at the near post.
“It was a little frustrating tonight,” Rowdies' coach Stuart Campbell said. “The guys showed great resilience. We conceded a goal against the run of play when I thought we were going to score. We were on top, dominating and looking dangerous and then they had a moment of brilliance from (Angulo.) We
Pickens allowed one goal, but he salvaged a tie./CARMEN MANDATO
responded well because it would have been easy for the guys to feel sorry for themselves with some of the decisions that went against us. The guys didn’t. They kept going and got the goal they deserved.”
The Rowdies dominated for most of the first half with lots of possession in the Saint Louis (3-3-3, 12 points) 18-yard box, but the cutting edge wasn’t quite there.
Rowdies captain Joe Cole had the first great scoring chance of the night in the 13th minute, taking a free kick from deep that looked bound for goal before a well-timed palm from Saint Louis goalkeeper Adam Grinwis to push it over the crossbar.
Saint Louis could’ve scored two minutes later when Christian Volesky led a swift counter-attack into the Rowdies’ 18, but the sliding efforts of Darnell King, Tamika Mkandawire and Matt Pickens were enough to stamp out the chance.
Leo Fernandes was whistled for a foul just outside the box
Paterson had his chances to score for Rowdies./CARMEN MANDATO
in the 58th minute. Initially, Saint Louis was granted the advantage, but when Angulo lost the ball after a sloppy touch, the free kick was given.
Angulo would lift it over the wall and beat Pickens on his left-hand side to put the visitors ahead.
Despite playing their fifth game in 15 days, compared to Saint Louis playing for the first time since May 17, the Rowdies looked like the stronger side down the stretch.
Tampa Bay pushed for an equalizer and looked to be running out of time until King won the Rowdies a corner kick with a low cross in the 86th minute. One minute later, Nanchoff’s cross found the forehead of Collins to tie the game.
“I thought we deserved the goal,” Collins said. “After a really tough week, it’s not the worst point. We’ve got to give (Saint Louis) credit. They’re a hard-working side and they came here with a good game plan and well rested, so it’s not the worst point in the world.”
Tampa Bay dominated statistically with 12 goals (four on goal) compared to three for Saint Louis. The Rowdies had 27 crosses, 22 more than Saint Louis.
The Rowdies return to Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play on Wednesday night with a Third Round match against the NASL’s Miami FC in South Florida. Tampa Bay’s next home game is June 10 against the Rochester Rhinos.
Shaffer makes his point with officials./CARMEN MANDATO
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