FC Naples took a step up in competition on April 16 and showed its fans at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex that it belonged.
Facing the long-established Tampa Bay Rowdies in the third round of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, FC Naples refused to yield to their higher-level opponent. After a 30-minute overtime period and 10 rounds of penalty kicks, the first-year franchise finally fell to Tampa Bay 9-8 when its final kick hit off the crossbar to seal the defeat.
FC Naples’ first five penalty kick shooters were Karsen Henderlong, Jayden Onen, Jake Dengler, Chris Heckenberg and Ian Cerro. Heckenberg was the only one to fail to score via a diving block by Rowdies’ goalkeeper Ethan Bandre. FC Naples’ goalkeeper Edward Delgado made a stop on Tampa Bay's Leo Fernandez’s attempt to send the game to sudden-death kicks.
The teams continued to trade goals for the next four rounds, until FC Naples’ Julian Cisneros hit the crossbar.
“Anytime you get into penalty kicks, it's a flip of the coin. You know, it sure it hurts the guys that miss it, but it takes confidence to step up,” FC Naples coach Matt Polland said. “Ultimately, sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't, and there's something that just kind of sits on you."
Naples won its first two Lamar Hunt games against USL League 2’s Sarasota Paradise and Little Rock Rangers, 2-1 and 3-0, respectively. That set up the matchup with the USL Championship League Rowdies. A win against the Rowdies guaranteed a shot against an MLS team in the round of 32.
Meanwhile, FC Naples' inaugural season has seen them have a firm hold at the top of the USL League One standings. In the club's first six matches, they hold a 4-0-2 record, five points ahead of the second-place Richmond Kickers in the standings. FC Naples defeated the Kickers 2-1 on April 12.Facing the Rowdies, a franchise that's been around since the mid-1970s, thousands of FC Naples fans filed into the Paradise Coast Sports Complex. The stands were showered in deep blue, gold and white with the La Barra 239, FC Naples' official fan club, waving flags and banging drums.
“It's everything we don't we don't exist without the community supporting us, and tonight, they made themselves heard,” Polland said. “They cheered on the guys even after the loss, and encouraged them. What more can you ask for.”
FC Naples started the game aggressively, firing two shots on goal within the first five minutes. However, the Rowdies created the most scoring opportunities, missing two shots to the outside of the left goalpost.
Tampa Bay’s pressure soon proved too much for FC Naples' back four as midfielder Pacifique Niyongabire scored to the bottom left in the 25th minute. The Rowdies didn’t hold their lead for long, as FC Naples scored three minutes later off the leg of Luke Prpa to even the score, 1-1.
The match's early aggression resurfaced in the second half, with both teams going down to the ground with harsh contact inside the penalty box, with no fouls, to the dismay of fans, who erupted in displeasure through the stands.
However, everyone in attendance made the most noise when winger Andres Ferrin shot what looked like the go-ahead goal in added time with Bandre out of position. A save by defender Forest Lasso inside at the goal line sent the match into a 30-minute overtime period.
With neither team scoring in the final added time period, the game ended in the penalty shootout.
FC Naples returns to the Paradise Coast Sports Complex on Saturday, April 19, to continue USL League One action against One Knoxville SC. The match against the Rowdies should buoy FC Naples as it continues league play
“We should have all the confidence in the world,” Polland said. “We did it for 120 minutes against one of the best USL Championship League teams historically.