New York Red Bulls II will host the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, April 23, marking the 13th all-time meeting between the two clubs.
After meeting four times last season, they will clash twice during the 2022 campaign, with the other meeting coming in the regular season finale on October 15.
Four of the first five matches between Red Bulls II and the Rowdies featured four or more goals, including New York’s largest victory over Tampa Bay, a 5-0 result in April of 2018. In the remaining seven matches, only once has there been a meeting with three or more combined goals.
Additionally, four of the last five meetings have been decided by a goal or less, including the most recent meeting, a 1-1 draw at Al Lang Stadium on October 15, 2021. Goalkeeper AJ Marcucci recorded seven saves in the match against the league leaders, including six in the second half to secure the hard-fought road point.
New York claimed the lone playoff match, a 2-1 victory in St. Petersburg in October of 2017 during the USL Conference Semifinals.
Adding an additional wrinkle to this season’s clashes are the loans of Jake LaCava and Jordan Adebayo-Smith. LaCava, who signed with the New York Red Bulls after two successful seasons with Red Bulls II, will face off against his former team for the first time. Adebayo-Smith was loaned to Red Bulls II from the Rowdies in February.
Both players have scored for both clubs and have also scored against the clubs they are at now. LaCava scored against the Rowdies in August of 2021, and Adebayo-Smith recorded two goals against Red Bulls II last season, one in each meeting at MSU Soccer Park.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET, with coverage available on ESPN+.
