It’s been a rough start to the season for the reigning Gainbridge Super League champions Tampa Bay Sun FC.
The team lost both of its opening two matches, falling 2-1 to Brooklyn FC on the road before losing 3-2 in its home opener against expansion club Sporting JAX. For perspective, Tampa Bay had only lost once in its previous 18 regular and postseason matches.
To prevent a third loss – which would be the longest losing streak in the Sun’s history – and get out of last place in the table, it must defeat last season’s Players’ Shield winners Carolina Ascent FC at American Legion Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
So, how can Tampa Bay snap this skid and earn a result against a tough team at a venue where it’s yet to claim victory?
- Keep Scoring: The positive Tampa Bay can take away from both of its losses is neither were shutouts. The team is still creating chances, ranking third in penalty area entries and passes into the final third (behind only Spokane and Brooklyn which have played one more match), and finding players like Carlee Giammona, who are clinical inside of the box.
- Prevent the Multi-Goal Deficit: In both losses this season, Tampa Bay found itself in a hole by multiple goals well into the second half. All the momentum had shifted to its opponents, and by the time the Sun cut into the lead and got back into the game, it was too late. While the Sun led the league with nine points gained from losing positions last season, against a team like Carolina, which can quickly build one goal into four, it likely cannot afford to fall behind on Saturday.
- Utilize the Wings: All three of Tampa Bay’s goals have come from either Sydny Nasello making runs down the right flank, cutting inside and sending balls into the 6-yard box or from a corner that Erica Gaines-Ramos earned by making a dangerous run down the left flank. Those two, along with players like Jordan Zade and Sabrina McNeill, will be the keys to getting around Carolina’s stout defense.
Despite its slow start, Tampa Bay still feels confident and knows that it’s a long season with a lot of time to grow.
“Brooklyn is a hard environment to play in, and I don’t think we played our normal game,” Sun captain Jordyn Listro said after the season opener. “But there were positive moments, especially with the goal late in the final half, and those are things we can go back to and build on moving forward.”
Getting the win this weekend against Carolina is crucial, as the Sun’s next match on the schedule is at Spokane, a spot it has lost at twice, followed by Dallas, the team at the top of the table after two dominant wins.
Tampa Bay is the type of team that once it starts stringing results together, a momentum builds up that’s hard to slow down. The team just needs to earn a first win to start resembling the squad we saw lift the trophy in June.