There will be no game against his former team for FC Tampa Bay Rowdies coach Paul Dalglish, at least for this season.
Miami FC advanced to the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as Abe Thompson's 98th-minute penalty kick gave his side a 2-1 overtime victory against the Rowdies at Lockhart Stadium on Tuesday night. The Blues will face the club Dalglish formerly played for, the Houston Dynamo, in the third round on Tuesday.
"Two mistakes we've conceded goals from," Dalglish said. "I couldn't feel any worse, I haven't felt any worse in my career after a game. I can't ask for any more from the players, they did absolutely everything they possibly could to win the game."
Tampa Bay's Yendry Diaz had sent the game to overtime in the 82nd minute, scoring off a ball by Mozzi Gyorio, to send the game to overtime after being pushed upfield as an extra attacker from his normal defensive position. The Rowdies also had chances to grab victory in regulation, Miami goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell denying Diaz a second goal minutes later, while Long Tan hit the post in the 88th minute as they seemed to have momentum on their side.
The team, though, was left to rue the chances it missed and the mistakes that led to Miami's goals.
The first of those errors came in the second minute as goalkeeper Josh Lambo was unable to handle a free kick by Christian Gomez, and Paulo Araujo Jr. pounced to give Miami an early lead.
The second came in overtime as Rob Valentino's handball in the Rowdies' penalty area gave Miami its chance to retake the lead and wrest back momentum. Thompson converted and the Rowdies were unable to respond.
"You can't keep saying you were unlucky when you had the better chances and concede stupid goals," Dalglish said. "You can't keep saying that, we've got to eliminate stupid mistakes and we've got to take our chances more clinically so we don't find ourselves in this position."
The Rowdies will try to end a three-game losing streak in USSF Division II play this Sunday at the Portland Timbers before facing Miami for the second time in the league this season on July 4 at Steinbrenner Field.