Seconds from victory, Rowdies settle for a tie

Marcel Schafer scored the Rowdies' only goal./STEVEN MUNCIE

Sunday, 1 a.m.

Sometimes, a tie feels like a defeat.

Just ask the Tampa Bay Rowdies, who saw the Richmond Kickers tie their game in the final seconds of extra time Saturday night.

The Rowdies led 1-0 for most of the game on a goal by Marcel Shafer. But with the clock dying, Richmond tied the game on a goal by Frank Tayou.

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Joe Cole came close to scoring in the second half./STEVEN MUNCIE

"It's a tough result," said Head Coach Stuart Campbell. "We controlled most of the match, and to get scored on in the final play of the match is hard."

The Rowdies now have as many ties as wins. They are 6-3-6 on the season.

Tampa Bay went ahead 1-0 in the 64th minute when Schafer scored.

"It's always nice to score, but I would change a goal for three points any day," said Schafer. "We controlled the game and getting scored on in the last moment of the match is hard. We picked up a point on the road, but it could've easily been three."

Minutes later, midfielder Joe Cole had the chance to double the lead after stealing the ball off a Richmond center back and going in on goal, but Richmond recovered well and blocked Cole's shot.

The Rowdies would regret not securing the match, as Richmond's newcomer Frank Tayou scored the equalizer in the final play of the match. The second-half substitute, who signed with the Kickers on Friday, received a ball from defender Mallan Roberts and fired a volley from outside the 18-yard box into the top corner of the net, denying the Rowdies the three crucial road points.

The Rowdies will play on the road on Thursday, June 22, this time flying up to Pittsburgh to face the Riverhounds. They will then have another road match on July 1, this time facing the first-place Charleston Battery.

"We have another important road match on Thursday," said Campbell. "We're going to look at this game and work on several things. We need to learn from games like these and make sure it doesn't happen again."