DETROIT — Detroit City FC’s 2024 season comes to an end, as the club falls to Tampa Bay Rowdies 1-3 on penalty kicks. A chippy match throughout saw both sides score only one goal each throughout the 120 minutes, but it would be the Rowdies scoring the penalties in the shootout that saw them advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Head Coach Danny Dichio made two changes to the starting eleven that defeated San Antonio FC last week. Nate Steinwascher starts in goal, replacing Carlos Saldaña, and Laurent Kissiedou replaces Abdoulaye Diop in the midfield.
Detroit started quickly in this matchup, as Maxi Rodriguez came close to an early opening goal in the 2nd minute. He received a pass from Ben Morris just outside the box, but his shot curled just wide of the far post.
Detroit controlled possession for the first 20 minutes of this match, but both sides shared chances in the attacking third. Ben Morris was the next player to come close to an opener, as in the 18th minute, a rocket of a shot forced the Tampa keeper into a diving deflection. Connor Rutz was there for the rebound off the deflection, but his shot went straight to the keeper.
As quickly as that Detroit opportunity ended, Tampa Bay was down the field on the attack, and they would force a corner in the 19th minute. Off the kick, Cal Jennings would head it away and give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead. Maxi Rodriguez would pick up the match’s first yellow card in the aftermath of the goal for dissent.
Tampa Bay flipped the script on Detroit after the goal, as they became the team controlling the tempo. Detroit City struggled for the rest of the half to get anything going in the attacking third.
Coming out of the halftime break, Detroit City again began to control possession. In the 48th minute, Alex Villanueva won a free kick on the left wing, giving DCFC its best opportunity to score since Tampa took the lead. The ball was swung into the box, and after being thrown into the box, Maxi Rodriguez forced a deflected shot off of Nick Moon. The ball ended up in the back of the net, leveling this match at 1-1.
The match became even more chippy after the equalizer, as in the 52nd minute Laurent Kissiedou picked up a yellow card, and in the 56th, Devon Amoo-Mensah would also pick up a yellow.
Villanueva would come close to a go-ahead goal in the 62nd minute, as his shot from the top corner of the box forced the Tampa Bay goalkeeper to track back to the far post to make a save.
Tampa Bay would control the tempo again, and Detroit City would struggle to get anything going in the attacking third. When they did, it was on the counterattack or by forcing a corner. Amoo-Mensah would come close in the 79th minute off a corner, as his shot off the kick went straight to the keeper.
Detroit would wait until the 86th minute to make their first substitutions of the night, as James Murphy and Matt Sheldon came onto the pitch for Laurent Kissiedou and Rhys Williams.
The full-time whistle would blow after three minutes of stoppages, and the two sides were in for at least another 30, as the match was still level at 1-1.
Detroit would make one change in the first half of extra time, as Elvis Amoh entered for Connor Rutz in the 103rd minute.
Brett Levis would enter the match for Alex Villanueva in the 111th minute, which would be the final change of the evening.
After the extra 30 minutes, there was still no separating either side. This match would head to penalties.
In round one, Nate Steinwascher would deny Manuel Arteaga, but Maxi Rodriguez would see his attempt saved.
Round two would be more of the same, as Steinwasher would make a save on Joshua Perez’s shot, but James Murphy would see his kick saved.
Round three would finally see some goals, as Eddie Munjoma and Ben Morris would convert their spot kicks.
Round four saw Jordan Doherty get his shot past Steinwascher, but Elvis Amoh’s penalty would go off the crossbar.
Round five would see Lewis Hilton convert his penalty, sending Tampa Bay to Charleston next week to face off against Charleston Battery in the Eastern Conference Semifinal.
For Detroit City, the club’s best-ever USL Championship season has come to an end, as the team had its highest-ever USL finish and hosted a playoff game at Keyworth for the first time.
Detroit City Starting XI: Nate Steinwascher, Alex Villanueva (111’), Devon Amoo-Mensah, Stephen Carroll, Michael Bryant, Ryan Williams, Maxi Rodriguez, Rhys Williams (86’), Laurent Kissiedou (86’), Connor Rutz (104’), Ben Morris
Detroit City Substitutes: James Murphy (86’), Matt Sheldon (86’), Daniel Espeleta, Brett Levis (111’), Elvis Amoh (104’), Jeciel Cedeño, Carlos Saldaña
For more information about Detroit City FC, visit detcityfc.com and follow @DetroitCityFC on X and Facebook and @detroitcityfootballclub on Instagram.
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Primary Media Contact: Jarrett Maki (Sports Information Director, jarrett.maki@detcityfc.com)
