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The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Georgi Hristov to a two-year deal. Year two of the contract is a club option.

Hristov (28 years old, 6-0) has recently seen action in Bulgaria’s first division, playing for Lokomotiv Sofia and Slavia Sofia. Hristov has played nearly a decade for first division teams in Bulgaria, Poland and Israel.

Hristov started his professional career with Maritsa Plovdiv and made his senior team debut in 2002 in the Bulgarian second division. He would go on to score over 50 goals in approximately 110 appearances in the Bulgarian second division, and later become a leading goal scorer and league footballer of the year in the Bulgarian First Division with Botev Plovdiv. In 2008-2009, Hristov won the Bulgarian first division championship with Levski Sofia and competed in the UEFA Europa League.

He joined the Rowdies as a trialist after the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, making his debut against the University of South Florida last Saturday.

The Rowdies will take on Orlando City on Saturday, March 9 in the first leg of the I-4 Derby Presented by United World Soccer. The match on Saturday will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Florida Citrus Bowl, with the second following on Saturday, March 30 in St. Petersburg at Al Lang Stadium. Fans can purchase their tickets for the second leg of the I-4 Derby by clicking here, or by contacting the front office at 813-287-1539 or tickets@rowdiessoccer.com. Tickets for the first match in Orlando can be purchased now by calling (855) ORL-CITY.