Nigro debuts for Rowdies after six-month injury layoff

Gennaro Nigro’s first Tampa Bay Rowdies minutes came after nearly six months lost to injury, surgery and another procedure that kept him out until July 12. He entered in the 74th minute of the Rowdies’ 2-0 win over FC Naples at Al Lang Stadium, his first appearance since Tampa Bay signed him on January 5.

Nigro arrived in St. Petersburg as the Rowdies’ first offseason addition for 2026, a 25-year-old New Jersey native coming off two seasons with Las Vegas Lights FC. He played in 66 matches across all competitions for Las Vegas and led the club with seven assists in the 2025 regular season. Dominic Casciato, hired as Rowdies head coach on July 8, 2025, said Nigro had been “one of the best fullbacks and wingbacks in the league” in Las Vegas and pointed to his passing, set-piece quality and captain’s armband work as reasons Tampa Bay wanted him.

Nigro said the injury required surgery in the preseason and then a second procedure in the early months of the regular season, turning the opening months of the year into rehabilitation instead of training. He said the time away from the field pushed him to lean harder into relationships with teammates and to learn the club from a different angle.

Once he got on the field against FC Naples, Nigro won a tackle, recorded an interception and forced the goalkeeper into action with a shot from distance. He also said the anticipation of getting back on the field left him without his usual pregame nerves.

Tampa Bay finished a perfect 4-0-0 in the Prinx Tires USL Cup group stage and moved into the knockout rounds for the first time, with the quarterfinal draw set for July 14 ahead of August 12 matches. Tampa Bay beat FC Naples 3-0 in preseason on February 18 and had already handled the club 2-0 in last year’s USL Jägermeister Cup and 1-0 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.