skip navigation

Matchday Report: Rowdies, Dos Santos Pull Away from Hounds

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 05/08/21, 9:33PM EDT

Share

Cape Verde forward opens scoring against former club in 3-0 Tampa Bay victory

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Steevan Dos Santos and Sebastian Guenzatti both found the net as the Tampa Bay Rowdies took a 3-0 victory against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday night at Al Lang for their second consecutive win to start the 2021 USL Championship season.

The game opened relatively evenly with Tampa Bay’s Laurence Wyke putting the first shot on target with a long-range effort in the eighth minute. Pittsburgh came close to breaking the deadlock seven minutes later, however, as newcomer Thomas Williamson’s free kick from 25 yards was just tipped over the crossbar by the Rowdies’ Evan Louro.

Inevitably, though, it would be former Pittsburgh man Dos Santos that provided the opening goal, which arrived on the half-hour mark. After the Rowdies worked the ball from right to left 30 yards from goal, Leo Fernandes delivered a cross the Cape Verde forward headed home for his first goal in Tampa Bay’s colors. Dos Santos went close again off a corner kick from the right shortly after, but Pittsburgh’s Danny Vitiello got across to save his header comfortably.

Pittsburgh didn’t offer much after Williamson’s free kick in the first half, but the San Jose Earthquakes loanee also threatened early in the second half as he redirected a cross from the right by Jordan Dover just off target. Dos Santos would have another decisive moment with 16 minutes to go, however, as he was brought down in the penalty area, giving the Rowdies a penalty kick. Sebastian Guenzatti stepped up and fired into the top-left corner of the net to double the host’s lead.

The Rowdies then put the game away with six minutes to go as Jordan Adebayo-Smith stole in after an attempt to clear by Vitiello caromed off defender Mekeil Williams, giving the English forward an open net to finish into.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Steevan Dos Santos, Tampa Bay Rowdies – Dos Santos opened the scoring, drew a penalty kick and put two of his four shots overall on target to help the Rowdies to victory.

Scoring Summary
TBR
– Steevan Dos Santos (Leo Fernandes) 30’
TBR – Sebastian Guenzatti (Penalty Kick) 75’
TBR – Jordan Adebayo-Smith 84’

Full Box Score

Follow the USL Championship

Most Recent News

Most Read News

Latest Videos