Tampa Bay Rowdies completed a remarkable comeback to defeat Louisville City FC 5–4 in a nine-goal USL Championship clash on Saturday. Russell Cicerone and Matt Myers each scored twice for the Rowdies, with Marco Micaletto also on target, as the hosts erased a three-goal first-half deficit and then recovered again after Louisville reclaimed the lead.
Louisville dominated the opening 30 minutes. Jansen Wilson opened the scoring in the 21st minute, and Chris Donovan doubled the advantage four minutes later, finishing from an Evan Davila feed. Jake Morris made it 3–0 in the 29th minute, and the visitors looked in complete control heading into the break.
Whatever was said at halftime worked. Cicerone pulled one back three minutes into the second half, getting on the end of a Louis Pérez pass. Micaletto cut the deficit to one just three minutes later, converting from a Charlie Ostrem delivery. Myers then equalized in the 54th minute — three goals in six minutes to wipe out Louisville's cushion entirely.
Louisville refused to fold. Morris grabbed his second of the night in the 63rd minute, set up by Taylor Davila, to restore the visitors' lead at 4–3. It looked like enough.
It wasn't. Cicerone leveled again in the 86th minute after a Lewis Hilton assist, and Myers completed the turnaround in the 89th minute, once again supplied by Ostrem, to seal a 5–4 victory.
The result gives Tampa Bay three crucial points at home and caps one of the most dramatic comebacks of the USL Championship season.
USL Championship