FC Tampa Bay Acquires Maykel Galindo on Loan

Forward Maykel Galindo, 29, has went on loan from Chivas USA of MLS to FC Tampa Bay for the remainder of the 2010 USSF D2 season.  Galindo’s last MLS contest was June 26 in Chivas USA’s contest against FC Dallas.

A native of Cuba, Galindo defected to the United States in 2005 while in the country with the Cuban national soccer team.  Galindo signed with the then USL-1 Seattle Sounders, although injuries limited him to eight games with the Sounders over his two years with the club..  He signed with Chivas USA in 2007, and had a breakout season, leading the team in goals with 12 and ending up fifth in MLS in scoring.  In 2008, Galindo was limited to 10 games because of a sports hernia injury, and was still bothered by injury initially in 2009, but recovered to play 23 games for Chivas USA, starting 15.  Overall, Galindo has scored 17 goals in 64 games for Chivas USA since he joined the club.   He has endured three sports hernia surgeries.

“We are delighted to bring a player of Galindo’s quality to the Rowdies for the remainder of our season,” said Rowdies Head Coach Paul Dalglish. “He is a very talented player, with incredible pace, and is another great capture for the organization. The addition of Galindo and the players we have coming back from injury, will help us in achieving our goal of making the playoffs in our inaugural season.”

The 5’10” Galindo played 35 games for the Cuban national team before defecting, scoring 12 times.  He also played for FC Villa Clara in Cuba, scoring 31 goals in 87 games.

Galindo is the fourth new addition to the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies.  Recently, the club acquired midfielders Ricardo Sanchez and Jonny Steele from Vancouver, and had gotten forward Andre Arkpan from the Colorado Rapids of MLS. 

As USSF D2 teams prepare for their playoff runs with a third of the season left and no team mathematically eliminated, Miami FC acquired Gerson Mayen and Chukwudi Chijindu on loan from Chivas USA, and Aaron Hohlbein on loan from the Kansas City Wizards.  Miami FC has also added Traffic Sports product Danilo Martins Teixeira, a young Brazilian who was the leading scorer in Sao Paulo A2 league for Feroviaria. 

The Portland Timbers recently picked up Dutch forward Ibad Mamudu and Montreal signed French defender Richard Pelletier.  AC St. Louis had acquired Collen Warner and Chris Schuler from Real Salt Lake, but both players were on short loans and have already returned to RSL.  Austin dealt for forward Randi Patterson from Crystal Palace Baltimore to bolster their already strong attack.  Looks like the USSF D2 teams are serious about obtaining a playoff berth in October.  Eight of the twelve USSF D2 will qualify for the playoffs.