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Old rivalry reborn as Miami ties Tampa Bay

Miami FC logo  Tampa Bay Rowdies Logo

By FRANCO PANIZO

A bus containing several dozen Tampa Bay residents made a near-275 mile trip to Florida's East Coast on Saturday. It didn't go for the beaches and nightlife, but for the revival of an old soccer rivalry in the Sunshine State.

Tampa Bay citizens traveled in numbers to Lockhart Stadium for the rebirth of a decades old derby between Miami FC and FC Tampa Bay Rowdies, but they weren't the only ones lured out as several South Floridians made the effort to attend their first game of the season.

"I'm one of the old Miami Fusion fans, and this is my first time back so I'm really excited to come back," said Jay Rose, a Miami Beach native. "I don't know why it's been so long, but my friends are in from out of town and they are like 'let's go to the game' so that's why I'm here."

The Blues hosted Tampa Bay in the first match of this season's Coastal Cup, the new, annual derby between the two Florida teams that is decided by points won in a season against one another, and it had every bit the making of a renewed heated rivalry.

In front of an announced crowd of 1,506 fans at Lockhart Stadium, there were several clumsy (and perhaps dirty) challenges, a handful of cards dished out, including one red, and a late equalizer which ended an already intense game with drama.

After struggling to find its rhythm in the first half an hour, Miami took a 1-0 lead in the 39th minute courtesy of Christian Gomez's first goal for the club. The 2006 MLS MVP got on the end of a nifty heel pass from forward/midfielder Paulo Araujo Jr. and struck a shot that deflected off a defender before creeping inside the near post.

"It was a great play where I made an overlapping run, got on the end of a heel pass, brought it down with my right foot and shot it with my left to the near post," said Gomez. "I saw [Tampa Bay goalkeeper Darryl Sattler] cheating to the far post so I struck it where I did and got a bit lucky."

Gomez's glory was short-lived as three minutes after halftime he was sent off for a reckless slide tackle from behind on Rowdies forward Aaron Wheeler at midfield.

"I went in poorly, but I think the referee was pressured into his decision because the second half had just begun," said Gomez. "I don't think it was for red, it was for yellow. They had fouled me similarly earlier. I'm sincerely disappointed because I left the team with ten men winning 1-0 and we couldn't pull out the victory."

Miami began to absorb waves of pressure from its northern neighbor, and in the 81st minute the defense finally collapsed as former Los Angeles Galaxy defender Julian Valentin headed home a corner kick in the 81st. 

The Rowdies followed up the goal with numerous chances that could have given them the lead, but splendid saves from Blues 'keeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell ensured the match would end 1-1. The draw kept Miami undefeated this season, but also marks the first time the club has opened a season with three draws.

Despite surrendering a late goal, Miami FC coach Victor Pastora was pleased with his team's response to the red card. Pastora was also excited by the potential this Florida rivalry promises to have.

"We know it was a great rivalry and you can see it in the stands and you can see the players getting a feel for it," said Pastora. "It's always about bragging rights, beating the guys from your state, so I think this rivalry will only develop."

A sign that the rivalry is continuing to develop will come on July 4, when Miami plays at Tampa in the second of four matches this season. If a bus load of Miami FC faithful snub the beach and fireworks on Independence Day for a trip up north, this Florida rivalry may prove to be one of the strongest in the league.

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What do you think of the renewed rivalry between Miami and Tampa? Do you see Gomez going on a tear now that he is starting to settle with the Blues?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. It’s hardly “hate,” I just think the writer got too excited. I’m glad Tampa can draw some fans at home, but that’s pathetic for Miami. Yes, the comparison is apples and oranges, but my point was that there is no reason to get excited about 1,500 fans at a professional soccer game.

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  2. At this point, I could care less about an MLS team here — at least in the short team. We’re happy down here in Tampa just to have a team. Our home season kicks off on Saturday and it’s been a long time coming for this area. Hopefully we can have good attendance numbers and show everyone that soccer can work down here!

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  3. Why the hate? The point is that 50 or so fans cared enough to make the 5 hour bus ride from Tampa to Miami and cheer on their new club..whether it’s D2 or D7. I don’t hear anyone clammoring for an MLS club in Tampa or Miami. Just supporting our little club.

    Home opener this weekend..and if we get 2500–3000, that’s fine with me. You have to start somewhere.

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  4. This is kind of a non-issue. Neither of these markets have an MLs team and it’s unlikely either will anytime soon, with many less apathetic places lined up to get that 20th MLS team after Montreal.

    Miami’s problem is pathetic government that doesn’t support anything that doesn’t line their own pockets, it took the Marlins 15 years to get a stadium to call home, and that’s MLB!

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  5. About the same thing that a 11k or 13k attendance in Montreal and Portland say.

    Not very much. Markets vary.

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  6. Tampa hasn’t had its first home game yet. That happens this Saturday. They’ve played preseason games at a college stadium that holds 1,500 and packed that every game. They’ll be playing at the Yankees spring training home, right next to the Bucs stadium. It holds 10K and hopefully they have it half-full consistently.

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  7. Miami front Office has all the responsibility for the attendance. Many soccer fans just don’t know about Miami FC or were they play. Tampa first home game attendance was real bad. Miami inaugural game got about 4000 fans.

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  8. I won’t try to defend Tampa as a soccer ‘hotbed’, but it is definitely not a ‘terrible place for soccer’. The Mutiny averaged about 10K. That’s not great, but compare that to FC Dallas. I think the Rowdies will draw about 3K-4K average, which is not bad for D-2. Also, ‘several dozen’ is misleading. We had a bus of a little over 50 fans travel down to the game. The team sold out the seats on the bus and hopefully we’ll get two buses for the next game down there. The 1,500 in Miami is sad, and while the team holds some responsibility, it might not be a great place for soccer.

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  9. Soccer doesn’t do well in Florida? Quick, google Rowdies NASL 1975. Or hey, google Tampa Bay Mutiny. A team that 10 years ago averaged better than some MLS teams are currently averaging despite no owner or real push from MLS to make it work.

    It’s usually best to stay silent if the only thing you can think of to say is fueled by ignorance.

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  10. Bring Back MLS in Miami and Tampa.Garber made a huge mistake removing the Fusion from the league back in 2001.

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  11. Ivy League schools are traditionally top Lax teams (see Yale, Princeton, Cornell, UPenn), and you’re comparing a game that takes place on a college campus during the school year to a game that took place in some random stadium in Florida. Apples to oranges, my man. Apples to oranges.

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  12. I surrrrre miss soccer here in florida. wore a mutiny shirt yesterday in fact. but, game days summer in florida u were quite likely to have a thunderstorm either at game time or shortly before. killlllllled any walkup or momentum. but the state is filled with players, young and old. wish wish wish someone could make it work.

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  13. Soccer doesn’t do well in Florida, because Florida is full of baseball fans and transplants who root for their old home teams. It’s a terrible place for soccer.

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  14. That is solely a problem of Miami, not Tampa. The Rowdies were able to draw 3k+ in the preseason, with nearly no marketing by the team. And it’s their ingaural season, while Miami has been around for more than 3 years.

    As a Tampa fan, I hope Miami can step their game up and make this a great rivalry again. Then again, Miami is Miami, so I believe it will stay one-sided

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  15. DOZENS of Tampa fans attended?! WOW!!! And 1,506 in the stands, too!! What could be better?!

    Oh, wait. The college lacrosse game I went to on Saturday, Brown vs. Dartmouth, drew exactly twice that (3,013). The teams have no significant rivalry or anything, and Brown, the home team, is having a disappointing year. So what does that say about the level of apathy for USSF-2?

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  16. Terrible emblems. They remind me of the generic emblems that soccer video games used to use back in the day when they didn’t have the image rights to teams. Classic.

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  17. 1,506? Wow. Miami FC needs to chnage their name to the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers and attempt to market the team for once.

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  18. The amount of potential World-Class players that could come out of these areas is Huge!

    Just look at Football.

    Reply

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