ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies made the most of their set pieces on the way to a 3-0 victory against in-state rival Miami FC on Wednesday night at Al Lang Stadium, setting up the potential the Rowdies could clinch a postseason berth this weekend in the process.

Should Miami fall on Saturday night to current second-placed side in Group H, the Charleston Battery, the Rowdies would seal a place in the postseason with victory on Sunday evening at home to the Philadelphia Union II.

Following the opening minutes of the contest, between 7:00 and 8:46 of the match, players from both sides came together at the center circle, united against racism, and in support of equality, diversity and compassion.

In the game, both sides opened slowly when it came to chances, with the first real effort on goal not arriving until the 21st minute when Tampa Bay’s Lewis Hilton sent a shot wide of the right post after a layoff by Sebastian Guenzatti to the top of the penalty area. The Rowdies went closer in the 38th minute after Sebastian Dalgaard had been dragged down just outside the penalty area, but Leo Fernandes’ shot off the free kick to the top-right corner was palmed over by Miami goalkeeper Bryant Gammiero.

Off the ensuing corner kick, however, Tampa Bay struck. An outswinging delivery from the right by Hilton was met cleanly at the near post by the head of Jordan Scarlett, who flicked his finish past Gammiero and into the net for his first goal for the Rowdies.

Miami had one good chance late in the first half as Harrison Heath pulled a finish wide of the left post from outside the penalty area, and then early in the second half Vincent Bezecourt curled a shot over the crossbar from 20 yards for the visitors.

The Rowdies doubled their lead in the 63rd minute, though, as a free kick from the right by Fernandes was sent to the far post where Forrest Lasso redirected the ball back across goal with his thighs, popping the ball into the six-yard area where Guenzatti was first to react and head into the net.

Miami almost responded four minutes later when Bezecourt slid past two Rowdies through midfield and fired a low shot to the left corner that Rowdies goalkeeper Evan Louro got down to save. The Rowdies put the game away with six minutes to go, however, when Fernandes capped off a good performance by converting from the penalty spot with a shot to the right corner after Kyle Murphy had been spilled by Hassan Ndam in the area.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Jordan Scarlett, Tampa Bay Rowdies – Scarlett scored his first goal in Green and Gold, and was stellar overall as he completed 71 of 80 passes, made six clearances and won 4 of 4 duels and 4 of 4 aerials in defense.