Tampa Bay Sun FC will host the first match of the second half of the 2024/25 USL Super League season against Fort Lauderdale United FC. Here’s what we can expect to see out of the Sun in the spring:
Strong start
Tampa Bay is coming off a huge comeback win over Spokane to end the fall and have an opportunity to jump to third in the standings with a win over Fort Lauderdale as the sides make up the postponed contest between the sides from last October. In the first Florida Derby, Tampa Bay nearly earned the win before a late equalizer from FTL split the points in South Florida. If the Sun can jump out to a hot start on their home turf and take advantage of the match in hand it has, it could kickstart a successful second half of the season.
The big three
Tampa Bay’s attacking trio of Carlee Giammona, Cecile Nielsen and Natasha Flint looked more confident in the last few matches of the fall. The three combined for 13 goals on 59 shots, contributing to two huge wins in the Sun’s last three matches. The trio might only be rivaled by Brooklyn’s front line in terms of potential production. That makes Giammona, Nielsen and Flint and their rising chemistry key to the team’s success this spring.
Player movement
Natalia Staude and Lauren Kozal completed their loans in December, leaving the Sun along with Riley Parker and Jasmine Abundis. However, Parker Goins and Jordan Zade were signed to the club from Racing Louisville FC and the University of Nebraska, respectively. Tampa Bay has one of the deepest rosters in the league, and Head Coach Denise Schilte-Brown will likely switch up the starting lineups with the variety of talent she has at her disposal.