by JAKE NUTTING

Not a bad week of firsts for the Rowides, huh?

Not only did they record their first win outside the state of Florida in over a year with the victory in Minnesota, that 2-0 result is the first time they have tallied two goals in a single match this year.

That statement win over the Loons is also the first goal and assist (Even though it probably should’ve been his third assist. Yeah, we haven’t forgotten about you, PRO) for Joe Cole in a Rowdies shirt. Those contributions were enough to earn Cole his first of what we obviously hope will be many more NASL Player of the Week awards.

And then of course, on Wednesday night the Rowdies notched their first win in the U.S. Open Cup since 2013, besting the USL’s FC Cincinnati 1-0. Probably not so coincidentally, it was also the first time the Rowdies hosted an Open Cup match at Al lang since that year.

Last night’s goalscorer Georgi Hristov even got his first goal from the run of play this year, with a sequence that gave us even more flashbacks to 2013 when he claimed the league’s MVP award.

Long Live King Cole

Old King Cole was a rowdy old soul

And a rowdy old soul was he;

He called for the ball, and picked his spot

And he finished with glee

Every finish had finesse

And a very fine touch had he

Oh there’s none so rare, as can compare

With King Cole and the Rowdies

I said it in my preview and it proved true over the weekend, it was only a matter of time before Cole’s positive form paid off for the Rowdies on the scoresheet and in the win column. In Saturday’s uplifting win over Minnesota, Cole went the full 90 for the third straight time (and then he did it again for last night’s Open Cup match!) and led the team in touches (67) for the second time since making his debut. He actually shared the lead with the always active Darnell King, but the fact remains that Cole’s influence is being felt immediately on the field.

Not only did he play a huge part in both goals, he was also a presence on the other side of the ball. To go along with an impressive defensive performance for the team as a whole, Cole won every one of his five tackle attempts and was the winner in 10 of his 14 duels.

Cole is playing a more advanced attacking role than I expected. At least that seemed to be the case against Minnesota, who were surprisingly a step behind the Rowdies in their home stadium. Check out Cole’s heat map from the match below. The listed holding midfield position for him in the starting lineup is clearly more of a suggestion. Not only did Cole spend most of his time in Minnesota’s end of the field, he also spent quite a bit of time working out on the left wing.

Kalif is Feelin’ It

I’ll be the first to put my hand up and say I thought it was nearing time for Kalif Alhassan’s status as a starter to be questioned two weeks ago. Boy this is is one of those that I love to be proven wrong.

Alhassan has drastically become more involved in the attack in the last two league matches and now leads the team with 13 scoring chances created this year. He’s also been spot on with many of his passes, completing 39 of 50 attempts against New York and Minnesota. But those aren’t simple conservative passes back to the defense. He’s looked to move the ball forward quickly and often. In fact, he didn’t attempt a single backward pass in the Minnesota win.

What a Finish

It was a terrific pass from Joe Cole to set him up, but can we get a slow clap for this lovely finish from Eric Avila that completely fooled Sammy Ndjock?

Where have you been, Georgi?

Welcome back, Georgi Hristov. We’ve missed you. Won’t you stay a while?

This sequence from Hristov to nab the winner early in the match with FC Cincinnati is the type of thing supporters grew to expect from Hristov during his MVP season in 2013 but has been lacking since last year.

Check out the clearly mutant ability to sense the oncoming defender from the periphery and then the deft cutback to make him look silly before burying it into the net. If Hristov can build his confidence back up and start finishing with consistency, the Rowdies could become a serious contender in the Fall Season.

Never Forget, Florida is a Swamp

There’s really nothing of substance here. This moment of Stu trying to swat away a bug during his post game interview just made me laugh out loud when I was watching at 2:30 a.m. It’s another reminder that Florida is a swamp and nature is constantly fighting to return it to that state.

Enjoy.

Get Well Soon, Zac

There aren’t enough green and gold heart emojis in the world to express how heartwarming this tribute to Zac Portillos from last night’s starting XI was.

We’re all pulling for Zac to have a speedy recovery from the injury he suffered in Minnesota last weekend. Not only is he a tremendous player, but our limited interactions with him and the sentiments from everyone within the club suggest he’s a great guy off the field as well. He battled back from a season-ending injury last year and we’re sure he can come back from this one stronger than ever.