Detroit City FC will host its first postseason game since joining the USL Championship when it welcomes the Tampa Bay Rowdies to Keyworth Stadium on Saturday night. | Photo courtesy Jon DeBoer / Detroit City FC
DETROIT – Detroit City FC will host its first postseason contest since joining the USL Championship as it faces the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday night in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs presented by Terminix. Kickoff at Keyworth Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Here’s what you need to know.
How They Got Here
Detroit City FC (15-8-11, 56pts) – Le Rouge built their best season since joining the USL Championship under the leadership of new Head Coach Danny Dichio, who led the side to a five-game winning streak to open the campaign and the Round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup with an upset of Houston Dynamo FC. A midseason lull saw the side remain in the hunt for a top-four berth before Detroit closed the season on a nine-game undefeated streak that included home victories against New Mexico United and Louisville City FC. Both Ben Morris and Maxi Rodriguez recorded double-digit goals for the side, while Rodriguez added a team-high five assists, but it was defensively where DCFC shone brightest, ranking second in the league with only 32 goals conceded as Stephen Carroll and Devon Amoo-Mensah led one of the strongest back lines in the Championship.
Tampa Bay Rowdies (14-12-8, 50pts) – The Rowdies earned a sixth consecutive trip to the postseason after a strong first half of the campaign preceded an uneven second half that was exacerbated by the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton on the Tampa Bay region, forcing the club out of longtime home Al Lang Stadium for its final three games of the campaign. The side features one of the best attacking duos in the Championship with Manuel Arteaga (17 goals) and Cal Jennings (15 goals) both sitting in the top four in the league in goals, and both players were on the scoresheet as they closed the season with a positive 3-0 win against Indy Eleven on Saturday night. The Rowdies have been one of the major enigmas of this campaign, however, with the side ranking second in the league with an Expected Goals mark of 64.38xG but only finding the net 55 times in the regular season.
All-Time Series
The Rowdies hold a narrow 3-2-1 advantage in the series between the clubs, but Detroit City took a win and a draw from the two meetings between the teams this season, including a 3-2 victory when the teams last met at Al Lang Stadium on August 21 as Ben Morris scored a pair of second-half goals.
Opta Says
11 – Detroit City FC allowed only 11 first-half goals in the regular season, the fewest of any club in the USL Championship.
225 – The Tampa Bay Rowdies recorded 225 successful crosses in the Championship’s regular season out of 815 attempted crosses, with both marks leading the league.
Players to Watch
Detroit City FC – Stephen Carroll: The longtime club captain has put together another strong season at the center of the Le Rouge defense, leading the side with 150 clearances and 38 interceptions while also winning 62.8 percent of duels and 68.1 percent of tackles.
Tampa Bay Rowdies – Cal Jennings: The 2023 All-League First Team selection finished second on the Rowdies with 15 goals this season on an Expected Goals mark of 17.1xG but scored in each of the club’s last two outings and led the league with 95 shots. Jennings can be one of the Championship’s most lethal finishers if he gets on a roll.
Uniforms
Discipline Report
Detroit City FC – No suspensions
Tampa Bay Rowdies – No suspensions
Officials
REF: Sergii Demianchuk
AR1: Stephen McGonagle
AR2: Art Arustamyan
4TH: Ricardo Montero Araya