Having claimed their place in the USL Championship Playoffs for a fifth consecutive season, the Tampa Bay Rowdies could move into first place in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday night as they kick off a big week with a visit to Memphis 901 FC, with the hosts also looking for a win to boost their hopes of a top-four finish.

Here's a look ahead at the action.

Memphis 901 FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies

Venue: AutoZone Park
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN+ / SiriusXM FC

The Lowdown: The Tampa Bay Rowdies will try to add to a four-game winning streak as they visit Memphis 901 FC for the first meeting between the teams since last year’s playoffs, with the hosts looking to break a recent winless run as they kick off a three-game homestand. 901 FC (10-7-9, 39pts) played to a 1-1 draw on Saturday night at Detroit City FC as Luiz Fernando’s second-half goal earned the side a point but left it winless in the past three games. Memphis dropped to sixth place in the Eastern Conference with the result as it looks to reverse last year’s dramatic playoff clash between these sides that saw Aaron Molloy denied from the penalty spot by Rowdies goalkeeper Phil Breno before Leo Fernandes converted in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time to send Tampa Bay through with a 1-0 win in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Rowdies (15-6-5, 50pts) earned their return to the playoffs this season on Saturday as veteran forward Ariel Martinez scored a late winner in a 2-1 victory against Hartford Athletic at Al Lang Stadium. The result moved Tampa Bay a point behind both Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Sacramento Republic FC in the battle for the Players’ Shield, with the Rowdies holding two games in hand on their two main rivals. A win here ahead of another major clash this weekend with Louisville City FC would put Tampa Bay in a good position to claim the best record in the regular season for the second time in the past three campaigns.

Spotlight Players
Memphis 901 FC – Aidan McFadden: The Atlanta United loanee has made a positive impact on the right side for Memphis, recording seven chances created, and could pose a two-way threat for the hosts against a good Rowdies’ lineup.

Tampa Bay Rowdies – Cal Jennings: A standout with Memphis in his rookie season in 2020, when he bagged nine goals in the abbreviated campaign, Jennings now leads the Rowdies with 11 goals this season after finding the net again against Hartford.