Lexington Sporting Club’s USL Championship team earned a 1-1 draw against Tampa Bay Rowdies on an energetic night at Lexington SC Stadium.
Lexington opened with intensity, launching multiple quick attacks from the front line. Forward #71 Michael Adedokun tested the Tampa Bay defense early with a shot on goal, while Lexington defender #5 Kendall Burks applied strong defensive pressure to keep the Rowdies from scoring.
Forward #33 Forster Ajago found his first goal for Lexington Sporting Club in the 31st minute to give Lexington an early lead before halftime. The goal was assisted by team captain #11 Marcus Epps.
“I can see the eagerness in Forster; he’s a player that we’ve had a few weeks now and we know how hungry he is to score,” said Epps on the goal. “So, if I see him like that, you know I just lead it into him, and he’s going to get the job done. So, I’m real proud of that.”
The Lads in Green maintained their energy in the second half, creating several scoring opportunities against Tampa Bay’s goalkeeper #41 Ethan Bandré. However, Tampa Bay leveled the game in the 62nd minute with a header goal by #9 Manuel Arteaga, off a corner by #10 Leo Fernandes.
Despite continued efforts from both sides, neither team found a winning goal, leaving the final score 1-1.
“I think the guys took on a lot of what we discussed on the week, and they were aggressive, and we got the goal, and we created chances, and obviously we want to score a couple more of them, but I can’t fault their effort,” head coach Terry Boss said. “They got in good positions, and they continue to grow as a group, and that’s all we can ask.”
Lexington SC will look to build on this momentum into next week as they travel to face Charlotte Independence in the second round of the USL Jägermeister Cup group stage. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 31.
About Lexington Sporting Club
Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in the USL Championship (U.S. Soccer Second Division men’s professional soccer), and in USL Super League (U.S. Soccer First Division women’s professional soccer). The two professional teams are the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,000 players within its youth and academy systems. Lexington SC has recently opened a 7500-seat, state-of-the-art stadium, indoor facilities and training fields.