ST. PETERSBURG, FLA (May 6, 2025) – The USL Championship revealed the Team of the Week for the combined Weeks 8 and 9 of the 2025 season on Tuesday, with Tampa Bay Rowdies winger Pacifique Niyongabire earning a spot.
Niyongabire rescued a point for the Rowdies in the third minute of added time in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Birmingham Legion FC at Al Lang Stadium. With the final whistle approaching, the Burundi international received a pass from youngster Endri Mustali at the right edge of the box and drove forward before shaking off a defender and cutting past another sliding defender to deliver a strike past Legion keeper Matt Van Oekel.
The point was an important one for the Rowdies, who had yet to earn a result at home since returning to Al Lang last month. Tampa Bay held the lead for most of the night until Birmingham managed to pull ahead with goals in the 70th and 76th minutes.
“For me, that’s a really amazing moment for the season to score that goal,” said Rowdies Interim Head Coach Steve Coleman. “Amazing composure from [Pacifique] to hold the shot while people are diving around him and then finishing the goal – it’s a really special moment for the team and for Pacifique in particular. For us, it’s an important moment.”
Niyongabire has now registered two goals in the last three weeks. The 25-year-old also netted a goal in the Rowdies win over FC Naples in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on April 16.
The Rowdies are set to host two matches this week. On Wednesday, the club will face off against Major League Soccer’s Orlando City SC in Open Cup Round of 32. They will close out the week with Saturday’s Military Appreciation Night match against the Charleston Battery. Both matches are set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 8/9
GK – Raiko Arozarena, Las Vegas Lights FC
D – Nico Benalcazar, Orange County SC
D – Houssou Landry, Charleston Battery
D – Daltyn Knutson, Miami FC
M – Gabriel Torres, El Paso Locomotive FC
M – Louie Perez, North Carolina FC
M – Juan David Torres, Charleston Battery
M – Pacifique Niyongabire, Tampa Bay Rowdies
F – Andy Cabrera, El Paso Locomotive FC
F – Elvis Amoh, Indy Eleven
F – Lyam MacKinnon, Orange County SC
Coach – Wilmer Cabrera, El Paso Locomotive FC
Bench – Richard Sánchez (SA), Collin Smith (PHX), Freddy Kleemann (SAC), Arturo Rodriguez (CHS), Frank Daroma (ELP), Jansen Wilson (LOU), Francisco Bonfiglio (MIA)
