Niyongabire Earns Second Straight Team of the Week Selection
June 25, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tampa Bay Rowdies News Release
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - The USL Championship revealed the Team of the Week for Week 16 of the 2024 season on Tuesday, with Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Pacifique Niyongabire earning his second straight selection after a stellar all-around performance in the 1-0 win at Hartford Athletic last Friday.
"Pacifique's attitude and work rate is top level," said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. "He wants to drive forward, but he also wants to do the defensive work. When we brought him in, he'd played predominantly as a winger. We knew he had the attacking attributes out wide, we just wondered isf he'd have the defensive attributes that we ask of our wide players. He's been doing all that really well, so we're really pleased with him."
Niyongabire earned his first Team of the Week selection of the year in Week 15 after providing the game-winning assist in the 87th minute of Tampa Bay's 3-2 win over first-place Louisville City. He followed up that shift with terrific showing on both sides of the ball to help the Rowdies claim all three points in Hartford. The 24-year-old Burundi international won 4 of 4 tackles, 11 of 17 ground duels and recorded four chances created and three shots against Hartford.
After last week's match in Hartford, Niyongabire is now tied with teammate Danny Crisostomo for a team-leading 22 chances created.
"The coaches have given me a lot of freedom out wide to do what I'm good at, or do what I like to do, which is dribble and take on players and try to create chances and help the team win," said Niyongabire. "We always have plenty of players in the box, so I just have to pick out one of them."
The Rowdies were the only team in the top four of the Eastern Conference standings to win last week. Louisville City FC (1st place, 35 pts), Charleston Battery (2nd place, 30 pts), and Indy Eleven (3rd place, 29 pts) all dropped points, allowing the Rowdies (4th place, 28 pts) to gain crucial ground in the standings race.
Next up for the Rowdies is another road matchup with Loudoun United FC on Saturday, June 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
USL Championship Team of the Week - Week 16
GK - Colin Shutler, Orange County SC: Shutler posted an eight-save shutout as Orange County SC earned a 1-0 victory on the road against Indy Eleven, posting a minus-1.46 goals prevented mark to hold the Boys in Blue scoreless for the first time this season.
D - Stephen Turnbull, Rhode Island FC: The right back recorded two assists in RIFC's 5-2 victory against Louisville City FC and defensively won 6 of 8 tackles and 12 of 20 duels as the visitors won their second game of the season.
D - Jesus Enriquez, Monterey Bay F.C.: The left back came on as an 18th-minute substitute and played a key role as MBFC defeated NorCal rival Oakland Roots SC, recording one assist and four chances created while completing 4 of 5 dribbles and winning 6 of 9 duels.
D - Jojea Kwizera, Rhode Island FC: The Rwanda international scored once, won 3 of 3 tackles and 9 of 14 ground duels, and recorded four clearances as Rhode Island recorded a 5-2 victory on the road against Louisville City FC.
M - Walmer Martinez, Monterey Bay F.C.: The El Salvador international recorded one assist and completed 24 of 32 passes in his side's 2-1 victory against Oakland Roots SC while also winning 4 of 4 tackles and 7 of 9 duels and recording six clearances and two interceptions defensively.
M - Dawson McCartney, Birmingham Legion FC: The 25-year-old recorded four shots and three chances created while completing 43 of 51 passes and winning 4 of 5 ground duels and one tackle in Legion's 3-0 victory against San Antonio FC.
M - Abdellatif Aboukoura, Loudoun United FC: The Egyptian youth international scored a spectacular goal to spark Loudoun's comeback to take a 2-2 draw against Miami FC while also completing 39 of 46 passes and winning 8 of 14 ground duels.
M - Pacifique Niyongabire, Tampa Bay Rowdies: The Burundi international earned his second consecutive selection after another stellar all-around display in his side's 1-0 win against Hartford Athletic in which he won 4 of 4 tackles, 11 of 17 ground duels and recorded four chances created and three shots.
F - Tyler Pasher, Birmingham Legion FC: The Canadian forward scored one and had four shots and five chances created while completing 36 of 39 passes overall in a 3-0 victory against San Antonio FC on Wednesday night.
F - Khori Bennett, Las Vegas Lights FC: The Jamaican forward scored in each of Las Vegas' contests in the week and recorded five shots in 98 minutes overall as the Lights earned draws with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Memphis 901 FC.
F - Phillip Goodrum, FC Tulsa: Goodrum recorded a goal and assist to lead Tulsa's comeback 2-1 victory against Miami FC last Wednesday night and recorded five chances created and four shots overall while winning 5 of 9 ground duels defensively.
Coach - Khano Smith, Rhode Island FC: Smith's Rhode Island side claimed a remarkable 5-2 victory on the road against Louisville City FC for its second win of the season as RIFC became the first visiting team to score five goals against Louisville on its home turf in USL Championship history.
Bench - Alex Tambakis (NM), Alex Crognale (BHM), Talen Maples (NM), Zach Duncan (MEM), Joe Brito (RI), Frank Lopez (MIA), Ethan Zubak (OC)
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United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 25, 2024
- Exciting New Experience at Our July 6th Home Game vs. Louisville FC - Oakland Roots
- Watch Party: Phoenix Rising FC at Memphis 901 FC - Phoenix Rising FC
- Niyongabire Earns Second Straight Team of the Week Selection - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Phillip Goodrum Named to USL Week 16 Team of the Week - FC Tulsa
- Khano Smith Named USL Championship Coach of the Week, Stephen Turnbull and Jojea Kwizera Earn Team of the Week Honors - Rhode Island FC
- Martínez, Enríquez Earn TOTW 16 Honors - Monterey Bay FC
- Goalkeeper Colin Shutler Named the Week 16 Konami eFootball USL Championship Player of the Week - Orange County SC
- Oakland Roots and Soul Sports Club Announces New Partnership with East Brother Beer Company - Oakland Roots
- Orange County SC and Lyngby BK Agree to Terms as Head Coach Morten Karlsen Heads to Denmark - Orange County SC
- North Carolina FC Sends Forward Garrett McLaughlin to Forward Madison - North Carolina FC
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