ST. PETERSBURG, FL – The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today that keeper Raiko Arozarena will join the Cuban national team for a pair of CONCACAF Nations League matches this week.
Arozarena, 25, made his debut for Cuba in back-to-back international friendlies last November. The Rowdies keeper helped Cuba record a 4-2 victory in a starting shift against the Dominican Republic and then followed that up a few days later by seeing out a 1-1 draw as a substitute in another match with the Dominican Republic.
Cuba is set to close out the group stage of the Nations League away to Barbados on Thursday, March 23 and at home versus Guadeloupe on Sunday, March 26. With two matches remaining, Cuba currently sits atop Group A of CONCACAF Nations League B. A first-place finish in Group A would guarantee Cuba a spot in this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup as well as promotion to CONCACAF Nations League A next year.
Since joining the Rowdies in 2021, Arozarena has made eight appearances for the club across all competitions. He spent the second half of the 2022 season on loan to USL League One’s Forward Madison FC, where he made 36 saves and recorded four shutouts in 16 appearances.
