February 19, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Damian Rivera
(Tampa Bay Rowdies)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today that midfielder Damian Rivera has joined the club on loan from Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution for the upcoming USL Championship season, pending league and federation approval.
Rivera, 21, arrived in camp with the Rowdies last week and had a full week of training with his new teammates before starting in Saturday’s 4-1 victory over CF Montréal at Al Lang Stadium. Rivera notched Tampa Bay’s winning goal in the 37th minute when he dispossessed a defender in the box, poking the ball into the path of Manuel Arteaga, who played it back for Rivera to finish off.
“Damian is exactly what we were looking for in a player,” said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. “We want dynamic guys running forward, taking shots, and making dangerous crosses. He does exactly what we want. We knew he would, but he’s maybe settled in with the squad even quicker than expected.”
Born in Rhode Island, Rivera signed a Homegrown Player contract with New England a month before his 17th birthday. Since then, Rivera has split his time between the first team and New England Revolution II. The 21-year-old has recorded one goal in 25 appearances for the MLS side while also tallying 17 goals and five assists in 55 appearances for Revolution II.
“My teammates have been very welcoming here in Tampa Bay,” said Rivera. “It’s a great area and an excellent team from what I’ve seen. We’re building good chemistry. I want to take my game to the next level. Being here will help me gain confidence. I want to score a lot of goals, get a lot of assists, and get a lot of wins here. I’m excited about it.”
Last summer, Rivera earned his first call-up to Costa Rica’s Under-23 Men’s National Team and made three appearances for “Los Ticos” in the 2023 Maurice Revello Tournament in France. Rivera previously featured for the United States at the youth level, appearing in two matches for the U.S. Under-17 team in 2019.
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