Tampa Bay Rowdies Jager Cup vs. South Georgia Preview
Written by James Knowles
Date: Saturday May 31, 2025
Kickoff Time: 7:30 pm EST at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, FL
Records: Tampa Bay Rowdies (1 pts 0W-1D-0L); South Georgia FC (3 pts 1W-0D-0L)
Standings: The Rowdies are 4th while Tormenta are 1st in Group 6 of the 2025 USL Jagermeister Cup.
Since we last took in a USL Jagermeister Cup match, a lot has happened in St. Pete – not much of it good. A drubbing at home against their worst rivals was followed by two more league losses for Tampa Bay. Playing a third division side seems like a bit of respite from the grind of regular games. Don’t be fooled by the visitors’ position in their Jager Cup group: they are also currently struggling. Get to Al Lang this weekend to help cheer the boys on past their opponents from League 1!
Is this a game we can win?
Despite all the rough and tumble results through the month of May, there is a bright light at the end of this tunnel. A recent draw in league play suggests somewhat more stability in the team. Now, the Rowdies will get the chance to take on lower league opposition. Even though they beat fellow Group 6 side Greenville Triumph, the South Georgia Tormenta are also going through it right now.
The Tormenta have one win in their last five fixtures in all competitions – the previously mentioned victory over Greenville. They sit twelfth out of fourteen in the USL League 1, only ahead of expansion side Westchester SC and, oddly, last year’s winners Union Omaha. The fact that they’re traveling could also bode well for Tampa Bay. But, this is just all the on paper stuff.
Local fans should be aware of the few threats Tormenta has at their disposal. Chief among those is Mason Tunbridge. The English attacker has been with South Georgia for two seasons now and has really hit the ground running in 2025. Scoring a double in their 2-1 win over Greenville comes in between another five goals in eight games in league play.
Despite his good returns, Tunbridge is not always a starter for the Georgians. It is likely that he gets a start in the Jager Cup match, as even at this early stage, it seems difficult for Tormenta to truly challenge for the League 1 playoffs. If there is to be any chance of success, their staff may view the USL Cup as the best way to go achieve something this year.
Following a draw against Lexington, the home side have some stuff to build upon. Ethan Bandre got his first league start, and is likely to keep that spot between the pipes on Saturday. His strong play helped Tampa Bay secure the point they did. He was helped at times by his defense, which had been shifted into the three-at-the-back system fans have seen over the last couple seasons.
Even though the Rowdies defense may have more familiarity with this setup, there are still some concerns that stand out from their road trip to Kentucky. A series of bad giveaways nearly cost them over and over, until it eventually led to Lexington’s goal. Learning – or re-learning – to avoid these bad balls out of the back again is important.
Part of this comes down to the options the Green and Gold have available higher up the field. Their midfield, mostly consisting of Danny Crisostomo and Thomas Vancaeyezeele of late, have not been able to bridge the gap between back and front when the Rowdies are in possession. Too often, players are isolated and lose it that way, or looking for a pass that simply was never on.
South Georgia, with their poor record in a lower league, provides a good chance for Tampa Bay to work on these issues especially. It’s one thing to try to shore up defensive frailties. But constantly losing the ball means you will eventually gift something to the other team. Don’t make Tormenta’s night easy for them; they should at least have to work for it!
RBLR Sports covers all professional sports in the Tampa Bay area, including the Rowdies and Sun FC. If you’d like more: our podcast releases every week live on YouTube.com/@RBLRSports and all major podcast platforms.