USL Cup: Sarasota Paradise Fall to Tampa Bay Rowdies in In-State Group Stage Opener

Apr 28, 2026 86 Views USL LEAGUE 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Sarasota Paradise opened their inaugural Prinx Tires USL Cup campaign on Saturday night with a hard-fought 2-0 loss to the USL Championship’s Tampa Bay Rowdies. Despite a disciplined defensive effort and several key saves from goalkeeper Alex Sutton, the Paradise were unable to overcome two strikes from Rowdies forward Karsen Henderlong.

The match, held at Al Lang Stadium, marked a significant milestone for Sarasota as they faced one of the most established clubs in Florida soccer history during their first professional season in USL League One.

A Battle of Attrition in the First Half

Sarasota entered the match under immediate pressure. The Rowdies tested Sutton just two minutes into the contest, but the Paradise keeper stood tall, anchoring a defense that kept the game scoreless for the opening half-hour.

Head Coach Mika Elovaara praised the team’s tactical approach but lamented the lapses that allowed Tampa Bay to break through. "We felt like we had a very good game plan," Elovaara said postgame. "We felt like it was presenting some questions to them... but mistakes were made."

Those mistakes proved costly in the 32nd minute when Karsen Henderlong found the back of the net to give the Rowdies a 1-0 lead. Sarasota nearly answered back in the 41st minute when Jørgen Pettersen unleashed a strike that rattled off the post, denying the Paradise a dramatic equalizer before the break.

Henderlong Doubles Down

The second half mirrored the first, with Tampa Bay maintaining high pressure. In the 56th minute, Henderlong clinicaly slotted his second goal of the night past Sutton, extending the Rowdies' lead to 2-0.

Sarasota continued to probe for a way back into the match, but the Tampa Bay defense remained organized, thwarting any late attempts to salvage a point.

Match Statistics

Stat	Tampa Bay Rowdies	Sarasota Paradise
Score	2	0
Goals	Henderlong (32', 56')	—
Saves	Waite (1)	Sutton (3)
Competition	Prinx Tires USL Cup	Group Stage (Round 1)

The "Sunshine State" Group

This match kicked off a highly competitive Group 7 slate, which serves as an unofficial "Florida Derby" for the regional clubs. To advance to the knockout rounds, Sarasota will need to secure points in their remaining group matches against Miami FC, Sporting JAX, and FC Naples.

Looking Ahead

The Paradise will look to put the Cup loss behind them as they return to USL League One action this weekend. They aim to secure their second consecutive league win after their recent 2-1 victory over Corpus Christi FC.