ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Dayonn Harris has been named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 19 of the season following his electric performance in the club’s 4-1 win at Loudoun United FC. After a scoreless first half, Harris came off the bench and broke the scoring open with two assists on Tampa Bay’s first tallies in the span of four minutes.
Against Loudoun, Harris utilized his pace to push the ball past a defender out on the right wing and race into the box before centering a pass for Jake LaCava to convert. Four minutes later, Harris penetrated the right side of the box again and drove a cross to the back post which Steevan Dos Santos redirected into the back of the net.
The 24-year-old has started to feature more for the Rowdies in recent weeks as a substitute now that he has recovered from the injury he suffered in the match against Phoenix Rising FC on May 15. Harris scored in that win at Phoenix and also earned the stoppage-time penalty against Hartford Athletic last week that allowed the Rowdies to take all three points back home.
Even with the Rowdies unbeaten in ten straight matches, Head Coach Neill Collins has been keen to get Harris back in the mix and contributing again.
Harris also earned the penalty deep into stoppage time against Hartford Athletic that allowed the Rowdies to take all three points home in a 3-2 result.
“This is where we’ve been missing Dayonn for a long period of time since the Phoenix game,” said Collins. “I’ve been dying to get him back because I really felt he was just starting to find his feet as an integral part of this team and he came on and did what he expected him to do.”
Harris is the seventh Rowdies player to be included in the USL Championship Team of the Week this season. CJ Cochran, Juan Tejada, Lewis Hilton, Leo Fernandes, Jake LaCava have all earned the league-wide honor once in 2022. Tampa Bay’s Laurence Wyke has been named to Team of the Week twice.
The Rowdies return home this Saturday, July 23 to host Atlanta United 2. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and can be purchased here or by calling the Rowdies sales office at 727-222-2000.
