Detroit City Wire

Detroit City FC is set to face the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal of the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs. The match will take place at Keyworth Stadium on Saturday evening, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT. Fans can watch the game live on ESPN+ or locally on CW Detroit 50 (WKBD-TV). Michigan residents have the option to stream it for free via www.cbsnews.com/detroit.

Detroit City FC, known as Le Rouge, secured their playoff spot following a decisive 4-1 victory against San Antonio FC. Maxi Rodriguez initiated scoring with a shot from the top corner in the 28th minute. After San Antonio was reduced to ten players in first-half stoppage time, Ryan Williams extended Detroit's lead with a free-kick before halftime. Ben Morris added two more goals in the second half, ensuring DCFC clinched third place in the Eastern Conference.

This marks Detroit City's third consecutive qualification for the USL Championship playoffs since joining in 2022. Their initial playoff appearance saw them lose to Memphis 901 FC after conceding two late goals. In 2023, they achieved their first playoff win by defeating Pittsburgh Riverhounds with Dominic Gasso's goal securing victory. However, they were subsequently defeated by Louisville City FC.

This season represents DCFC's highest finish in USL Championship standings and their first home playoff game since winning the NISA Championship against Los Angeles Force in 2021.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies enter this matchup after a solid 3-0 win over Indy Eleven, featuring goals from Manuel Arteaga, Daniel Crisostomo, and Cal Jennings. Despite recent struggles, earning only seven points from their last nine matches of the season, they secured sixth place in the conference.

Earlier this season, both teams played twice against each other. In July's encounter, Elvis Amoh scored for DCFC but an equalizer from Tampa Bay led to shared points. In August’s match held in St. Petersburg, DCFC emerged victorious with a score of 3-2 thanks to Devon Amoo-Mensah and Ben Morris' contributions.

Tickets for Saturday’s game are selling fast and are available at www.detcityfc.com/tickets.