YOSHI BATTLES THE STRIKERS: Forward and July 4 scorer Tsuyoshi Yoshitake received the NASL Offensive Player of the Week two weeks in a row after his return from a chest injury. Credit: rowdiessoccer.com

YOSHI BATTLES THE STRIKERS: Forward and July 4 scorer Tsuyoshi Yoshitake received the NASL Offensive Player of the Week two weeks in a row after his return from a chest injury. Credit: rowdiessoccer.com

YOSHI BATTLES THE STRIKERS: Forward and July 4 scorer Tsuyoshi Yoshitake received the NASL Offensive Player of the Week two weeks in a row after his return from a chest injury. Credit: rowdiessoccer.com
  • rowdiessoccer.com
  • YOSHI BATTLES THE STRIKERS: Forward and July 4 scorer Tsuyoshi Yoshitake received the NASL Offensive Player of the Week two weeks in a row after his return from a chest injury.

Rowdies 3, Fort Lauderdale 1: Playing in front of a record home crowd of 4,710 at Al Lang Stadium, the Rowdies came out with “a bit of a lull,” as Tampa Bay coach Ricky Hill so eloquently described after the team’s fourth straight victory. The visitors were aggressive from the opening whistle, nearly registering two goals in the first ten minutes until finally tallying a goal by Andy Herron in the 18th minute.

Spurred on by another boisterous showing by the Ralph’s Mob — the Rowdies exuberant fan group, Tampa Bay began playing like a team worthy of the longest winning streak in team history (since the rebirth).

This article appears in Jul 5-11, 2012.