Rowdies preseason date with FC Dallas appear to be in works

Posted Feb 15, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Feb 15, 2010 at 12:33 PM

Is a preseason game with FC Dallas one of the ones in the works for the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies? According to the second item in this notebook from the Philadelphia Inquirer, it appears so. Dallas is also expected to face the Philadelphia Union, which could lead one to speculate on the possibility of a Union-Rowdies game also being a probablity.

Officially, both Dallas and Philadelphia are still firming up their preseason schedules, as is also the case with the Rowdies, with Dallas defeating the University of Tulsa 7-1 and Philadelphia defeating the University of North Carolina 5-0 in scrimmages over the weekend, but this looks like the clearest indicator yet that MLS sides will make up part of the Rowdies preseason.

Overseas, It’s starting to be pretty good to be Freddy Adu.

Adu scored his first goal for FC Aris in Greece this weekend, and if you listen closely to the end of the clip with the PA announcer and fans, it sounds as though he’s become a fan favorite quickly over there.

Looking ahead to next week’s U.S. international friendly against El Salvador at Raymond James Stadium, ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle writes that the squad coming to Tampa is under pressure to make a good final impression on Feb.24. With the friendly against the Netherlands on Match 3 on an official FIFA International date, Coach Bob Bradley is expected to name a Euro-centric squad for that game, meaning MLS players like Connor Casey, Robbie Findlay and Kyle Beckerman will need to play well next Wednesday to stay in Bradley’s thoughts for the 23 he will name for South Africa.

In other Rowdies news, USL Premier Development League affiliate the MPS Phoenix Portland have announced their regular season schedule, opening at home against Westchester on May 9.