Match Preview | Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Loudoun United FC
Leesburg, VA (April 9th, 2025) – Loudoun United Football Club head to the Sunshine State to take on Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday, April 9th at 7:30 pm.
The Matchup
The Red and White (4-1-0) hit the road to take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies (1-3-0) at Al Lang Stadium in Tampa, FL. Loudoun United FC is 2-1-0 on the road this season and sits in 1st place in the Eastern Conference, while Tampa Bay sits in 9th place in the East. This will be Tampa Bay’s first match at home in the 2025 season. The Red-and-White look to keep their winning streak going, coming off back-to-back 2-0 wins at home against last season’s Eastern Conference Champions, Rhode Island FC and Hartford Athletic. Loudoun’s rising star, Abdellatif Aboukoura, won USL Championship Player of the Month for March. Be on the lookout for Loudoun’s attack of Aboukoura, Zach Ryan, or Riley Bidois to get active on the scoresheet.
Tampa Bay will look to bounce back, coming off a 2-1 defeat to Charleston Battery this past weekend. The Rowdies are not off to their best start with just one win and three goals scored on the season. Tampa Bay will look to jumpstart its offense in front of its home crowd for the first time this season. Some notable players to look out for on the Tampa side are Manuel Arteaga and Woobens Pacious. Loudoun United FC defeated Tampa Bay 2-0 in both meetings last season. The Rowdies have dismissed head coach Robbie Neilson ahead of the match, and former Loudoun United assistant coach Steve Coleman will serve as interim coach.
Thoughts from the Team
Head Coach Ryan Martin on facing Tampa Bay on the road:
“We are excited. It’s still early in the season, so we are constantly trying to improve and be better week after week. The big thing against Tampa will be continuing to defend the box, especially with how much service they are able to get into the box. They are one of the most storied and talented clubs in the league, but for us it’s about our preparation and sticking to our identity.”
Keegan Tingey on the team’s mindset heading to Tampa with a 4-1-0 record thus far:
“We want another win. The team is on a good roll right now, it’s important for us to keep this momentum going and not slow down. We will take the positives out of our back-to-back clean sheets at home and look to build off those heading into Saturday.”
Club News
Abdellatif Aboukoura won USL Championship Player of the Month for March! This is Loudoun United’s first Player of the Month award since October of the club’s inaugural season in 2019. He is the youngest ever winner of Player of the Month.
Abdellatif Aboukoura is tied for the lead in goals scored (4) in USL Championship play.
Florian Valot leads the USL Championship in assists (4).
Hugo Fauroux is tied for the lead in clean sheets (2) in USL Championship play.
Where to Watch
Saturday’s match against Tampa Bay Rowdies can be found on ESPN+ at 7:30 pm ET.
Come out and join our fans and staff at Anchor Bar NOVA for the official watch party on Saturday! The party starts at 7:00 pm!
Follow Loudoun United Football Club
To keep up with news and information on the team, follow @loudoununitedfc on X and Instagram.
