Damien Perrinelle plays 35 minutes for NYRBII in rehab performance against Wilmington

In today's New York Red Bulls II game against the Wilmington Hammerheads, NYRBII was joined by an unexpected guest.

After going down in the playoffs last November, Damien Perrinelle is officially back. Perrinelle spent more than eight months on the sidelines but returned today with a 35-minute appearance against the Wilmington Hammerheads.

Perrinelle started to train back in May, but this is his appearance first competitive appearance since his injury.

Nothing can stop me , i'm all the way up ! Thanks to the Fans for your support ! #progress #RBNY #back #soon pic.twitter.com/Jx0WVSZhIX

— Damien Perrinelle (@DamP_92) May 19, 2016

Much like Gideon Baah before him, Perrinelle used this NYRBII start to regain some fitness and get used to the ball at his feet in a competitive match. His 35th-minute exit appears to have been planned and is not a sign of a further setback. Perrinelle was replaced by Swiss defender Tim Schmoll.

In the time he played, Perrinelle made one bad giveaway with a pass to the top of his own box. Thankfully Ryan Meara bailed him out by making the save on the ensuing shot, and Perrinelle looked to settle well into the game after that. At halftime, DP tweeted out his thanks and looks to be very happy to be back on the field.

Thanks a lot to the RBNY 's fans who still had A word , A thought for me . thank you for not forgetting me ! #REDTogether @NewYorkRedBulls

— Damien Perrinelle (@DamP_92) June 26, 2016

Back on the Track ! 35 mn not perfect but the objective was somewhere else ... After 8 months, i became a @NewYorkRedBulls soccer player !!

— Damien Perrinelle (@DamP_92) June 26, 2016