PREVIEW | Rowdies Look To Slow Down United's High-Scoring Attack

Tampa Bay arrives in Minnesota coming off a 1-1 draw against the Indy Eleven at Al Lang Stadium on Wednesday night. In that match, a pair of first-time Rowdies starters made a huge impact. Forward Long Tan, who arrived on loan from Arizona United SC on September 22, scored in his first start for Tampa Bay since 2010. Midfielder Freddy Adu  provided the assist on Tan’s goal from a corner kick. Perhaps unlucky not to score himself, Adu proved dangerous on set pieces.

Tampa Bay and Minnesota drew, 0-0, on April 11 and the Loons beat the Rowdies, 3-1, on Aug. 22. Both previous meetings this year took place in St. Petersburg.

Minnesota United is coming off a 5-2 thrashing of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers last weekend at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Christian Ramirez, Kalif Alhassan, and Daniel Mendes all scored, while Ibson chipped in two goals of his own in the victory. Buoyed in part by that result, Minnesota United has scored an NASL-high 47 goals in 2015. The next closest team is the New York Cosmos with 38 goals.

Christian Ramirez, last season’s Golden Boot winner, is in the race for the trophy again, with 10 goals so far this season. Fort Lauderdale’s Stefano Pinho leads the league with 12 goals. San Antonio’s Omar Cummings also has 10 goals.

The Rowdies are even on points with FC Edmonton for fourth place in the NASL Combined Standings, but trail the Eddies by four goals on goal differential, +2 to to -2. FC Edmonton and Tampa Bay have 34 points, ahead of Fort Lauderdale in sixth place with 31 points, but a game in hand. Edmonton visits league-leading Ottawa Fury FC on Saturday, while the Strikers visit ninth-placed San Antonio.