Rowdies extend undefeated streak to 6

A blistering opening half-hour allowed the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies to extend their undefeated streak to six games, the longest current streak in the USSF Division II, and gain some revenge for their only defeat of the season with a 3-1 victory against NSC Minnesota at Steinbrenner Field on Thursday night.

Long Tan was the star of the show, scoring and playing a role in the team's other two goals as the Rowdies delighted a crowd of 3,886 with their third straight three-goal performance.

The Rowdies (4-1-3) got off to a flying start when Gordon Kljestan gave the team the lead in the sixth minute, a long ball being flicked on by Aaron Wheeler to Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe, who passed inside to Tan just outside the penalty area. Tan slid the ball sideways to find Kljestan, who drove a left-footed shot into the left corner of the net.

"It's always good to get an early goal, especially when you're playing at home," Kljestan said. "With it being my first home game it couldn't have started better than that."

Tan was the provider on the Rowdies' second goal in the 20th minute as well, turning his defender beautifully at the halfway line before sliding a through-ball that Wheeler beat Stars goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel to as it entered the penalty area. When the goalkeeper brought down the 6-foot-4 striker, Wheeler himself stepped up and fired home the resulting penalty for his third goal of the season.

The Stars (2-7-1) tried to hit back, Rowdies goalkeeper Daryl Sattler being called upon to make a pair of excellent saves from a header by Chris Clements and a free kick by Leilei Gao, but they went down 3-0 in the 26th minute. This time it was Kljestan who turned provider for Tan, who flicked a near-post header into the net after a corner from the right had been half-cleared by the Stars' defense.

The goal was Tan's second in as many games, and according to teammates is indicative of the confidence he has started to show in his game.

"He's been nothing short of phenomenal," Kljestan said of the Chinese midfielder. "We always knew he had it, it was just a matter of confidence, and he's very confident right now and to be honest with you I don't see anybody as dangerous as him. When he's on, he's on and he's hard to stop."

"We see it in training every day, and now you guys are starting to finally see it," Wheeler added. "He's just a different class on the ball really, his touch is good, his vision is great, he works hard, you can't ask for much more out of him."

Up 3-0, it appeared the rout might be on for the Rowdies, but they took their foot off the pedal and sat back more defensively, allowing Minnesota to gain more possession. That resulted in a goal in the 38th minute, Daniel Wasson shooting just inside the right post from a free kick 25 yards from goal.

While Minnesota continued to play well in the second half, though, Sattler wasn't overly troubled after the break as the Rowdies secured all three points ahead of their home game against the Puerto Rico Islanders on Saturday night.

"If we're going to win championships, we need to be professional," Rowdies coach Paul Dalglish said. "When you go 3-0 up, it gives you the right to sit back. They've then got to come at you, then you've got to hit them on the counter-attack.

"There's no reason to take unnecessary risks when you go up 3-0, and I think it was a really professional victory."