Loudoun United FC will play their eighteenth match of the 2022 United Soccer League (USL) Championship regular season against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, July 16 at 7:15 PM EST. This will be the seventh time the two eastern conference rivals have faced off in the USL Championship regular season.
Loudoun United News
Coming off a bye-week, Loudoun United FC (LUFC) enter Saturday’s matchup 2-2-1 in their last five matches. The Red-and-White are currently undefeated in their last four matches at Segra Field.
The last outing for Loudoun United FC was against FC Tulsa on Saturday, July 3. Defender Jalen Robinson found his name on the score sheet in the seventh minute to put Loudoun ahead. His goal marked his second career goal in the USL Championship. It also marked the longest number of days between goals in the league’s history, with the center back’s prior goal having come while on loan at the Richmond Kickers from D.C. United in the 2015 Championship season in a draw against Wilmington Hammerheads FC. 2,654 days later, Robinson once again found the back of the net in a draw. The mark broke the prior longest stretch that was held by Rodrigo Lopez (1,835 days).
Tyler Freeman scored his fourth goal in 10 appearances against FC Tulsa. Midfielder Nicky Downs is the only player to have appeared in every game for Loudoun United this season. The midfielder recorded his second assist of the season against FC Tulsa. Midfielder Michael Gamble currently leads Loudoun United with three assists. On the opposite end of the pitch, goalkeeper Luis Zamudio recorded his second penalty save of the season.
Midfielder Abdellatif Aboukoura has recently been called up to the Egypt National Football Team for the 2022 Arab Cup U20. The tournament will run from July 20 to August 5. The Egyptian international currently has four goals in seven appearances for LUFC.
“It’s always an honor to represent the national team,” said forward Abdellatif Aboukoura. “I’m really excited for my first FIFA tournament. I’m looking forward to coming back with some silverware and finishing the season strong with Loudoun United.”
In addition to Aboukoura’s stint with the national team, Loudoun United’s defender Sami Guediri has been promoted to a first team contract with D.C. United. Guediri has been featured in five matches across all competitions for the Black-and-Red.
Head Coach Ryan Martin on Upcoming Match
“After a few days off the guys are mentally prepared to push this second half of the season. There are no easy games and Tampa is one of the biggest clubs out there. They are well coached so it will be a huge test at home.”
How can I Follow the Match?
Tickets to Saturday’s match are available now at loudoununitedfc.com/singlegametickets. Saturday’s match will also be available to stream on ESPN+.
About Tampa Bay Rowdies
The Tampa Bay Rowdies claimed victory on Saturday, July 9 versus Hartford Athletic at Dillon Stadium to extend their unbeaten streak to nine matches. The Rowdies earned a penalty in the dying moments of the match, which was converted by midfielder Leo Fernandes to seal a 3-2 result.
The Tampa-based club are currently 10-3-6 in the 2022 USL Championship season and have found success on the road with a record of 4-1-4, falling only to Eastern Conference second place Memphis 901 FC. Leo Fernandes and Jake LaCava are tied with nine goals. Goalkeeper C.J. Cochran has recorded five clean sheets in 15 appearances.
Defender Jordan Scarlett has been suspended for one game following his red card for serious foul play against Hartford Athletic on July 9. Scarlett will be unavailable for selection on Saturday. Jordan Scarlett has appeared in 18 of the possible 19 matches for the Rowdies.
Match Up History
This will be the seventh matchup in USL Championship history. The Red-and-White are 1-2-0 at home against the Rowdies. The last match was a 1-0 win for the visitors at Segra Field on Saturday, Oct. 23 in the 2021 USL regular season.
