LEESBURG, Va. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies got a goal late in the first half from Steevan Dos Santos that proved enough for a 1-0 victory against Loudoun United FC on Saturday night at Segra Field to remain in position to earn the best record in the USL Championship’s regular season with one game to go in the campaign.

The hosts carved out the first good look at goal in just the fourth minute when Jackson Hopkins received possession at the top-left edge of the penalty area and curled a shot just wide of the far post. The Rowdies began to get on the front foot soon after, though, and in the 11th minute Jordan Doherty flashed a shot through the six-yard area that wasn’t turned home by a teammate before the Irish midfielder shot just wide of the left post from the top of the penalty area a few minutes later.

The pressure from the visitors continued to build as the first half went on and five minutes before the break it paid off as off a free kick from the left, Lewis Hilton swung a cross into the penalty area that was cleared off the line by a defender, but he could only send the ball straight to Dos Santos for a simple close-range finish to put the Rowdies ahead.

Tampa Bay almost doubled its lead three minutes later as another set piece by Hilton – this time a corner kick from the left, found Max Lachowecki unmarked at the near post only for the defender to miss the target with his header. Rowdies’ leading scorer Sebastian Guenzatti then got his first good look of the game 11 minutes into the second half as he got underneath a shot from a teammate that was blocked high into the air above the penalty area, setting up an overhead kick that went straight to Loudoun goalkeeper Jermaine Fordah.

The visitors went close again midway through the second half as they were awarded a free kick beyond the top-left edge of the penalty area that Lewis Hilton curled just wide of the top-left corner of the net from 25 yards, and with a minute to go the visitors were denied a second twice by a pair of fine saves from Fordah who scrambled across his net to first keep out a shot from Guenzatti before making a double-save on Dos Santos. Tampa Bay saw out the win from there, however, as Evan Louro recorded his 14th shutout of the season with one save to close out the contest.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Lewis Hilton, Tampa Bay Rowdies – Hilton was sharp on the ball throughout the night recording three shots and three key passes while completing 34 of 44 passes and winning 8 of 12 duels for the visitors.

Scoring Summary
TBR – Steevan Dos Santos 40’

Full Box Score