No Hammerheads Selected To USL-2 Team of the Week

USL News Release

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced the USL First Division and USL Second Division Team of the Week honors Tuesday for Week 16 of the season, honoring Atlanta’s Macoumba Kandji and Richmond’s Fabian Dawkins as the Players of the Week, respectively.

The Atlanta Silverbacks posted their first back-to-back set of wins of the year this weekend with speedy forward Macoumba Kandji leading the way with three goals in their wins over Charleston and Rochester. The Silverbacks topped the current league leaders 2-1 in Atlanta Friday before downing the Rhinos on the road Sunday in a thrilling 4-3 match.

Kandji opened the weekend by converting a penalty in the club’s win over Charleston, but it was his performance in Rochester that was the highlight of the week.

Though the Rhinos applied much of the early pressure, Atlanta was the first to get on the board on a penalty kick by Macoumba Kandji in the 42nd minute. The penalty was awarded after Silverbacks midfielder Scott Buete was knocked down by Alfonso Loera.

Atlanta made it 3-1 just two minutes later when Buete played Kandji behind the Rhino defense before Kandji deposited his second goal of the game. Rochester earned one back just a minute later when Guppy flighted a cross to Delicate, who nodded the ball over Atlanta keeper Ryan McIntosh and into the back of the net to make the score 3-2.

Atlanta pushed their lead to two in the 71st minute on another penalty kick by Hayes when Kandji was brought down in the box. The penalty proved to be the winner.

The Richmond Kickers clinched a bye to the USL Second Division Semifinals with a pair of victories over the Wilmington Hammerheads. They followed up a 2-1 win at home Friday with a 3-2 victory on the road Saturday that also kept them in the hunt for the regular season title, trailing Charlotte by two points with one game remaining. Recent addition Fabian Dawkins led the attack in the two wins.

Wilmington took an initial lead in Richmond, but the Kickers were not about to enter the break trailing and Nyazamba was not to be denied a third time, connecting with Dawkins in the 34th minute to bring the score even. Dawkins fed the ball through to an on-rushing Nyazamba who eluded defenders on a breakaway and unleashed a powerful strike from the top of the box.

A flurry of goals within the last five minutes of the match saw the Kickers end up on top of a back-and-forth affair. Dawkins came off the bench in the second half and connected in the 86th minute while Wilmington forward Jeff Rowland found the equalizer in the final minute of regulation.

The Jamaican international struck again during stoppage time to steal the three points necessary for a first round bye in the USL-2 playoffs. The Kickers will host their Semifinal match on Saturday, August 16th at 7:00 pm at the University of Richmond Stadium.

USL First Division Team of the Week
Pos
Name
Team
Highlights
G
Chris Eylander
Seattle
Seven saves in 2-1 win at Puerto Rico
D
Nelson Akwari
Charleston
Led team in 2-0 win over Vancouver
D
Cristian Arrieta
Puerto Rico
Goal in 1-0 win over Carolina
D
Omar Jarun
Vancouver
Goal, assist in 3-2 win at Carolina
M
Josh Gardner
Seattle
Goal in 2-1 win at Puerto Rico
M
Jonathan Steele
Puerto Rico
Two assists in win and loss
M
Andrew Gregor
Rochester
Goal in 4-3 loss to Atlanta
M
Osvaldo Alonso
Charleston
Two goals in 2-0 win over Vancouver
F
Bryan Jordan
Portland
Goal, assist in 2-2 draw at Minnesota
F
Macoumba Kandji
Atlanta
Three goals in pair of wins
F
Jerson Monteiro
Atlanta
Goal, assist in pair of wins
USL Second Division Team of the Week
Pos
Name
Team
Highlights
G
Eric Reed
Cleveland
Five saves in 1-0 win over Charlotte
D
Andrew Marshall
Baltimore
Led team in 3-0 win over Bermuda
D
Kevin Knight
Richmond
Led team in 2-1 win over Wilmington
D
Ryan Pierce
Harrisburg
Assist in 4-2 win over Bermuda
M
Floyd Franks
Cleveland
Goal in 1-0 win over Charlotte
M
Val Teixeira
Baltimore
Goal, assist in 3-0 win over Bermuda
M
David Schofield
Harrisburg
Two assists in 4-2 win over Bermuda
M
Larry Mark
Baltimore
Two goals, assist in pair of wins
M
Jonah Long
Charlotte
Goal in 2-1 win at Pittsburgh
M
Victor Ramirez
Real Maryland
Goal, assist in 3-2 loss at Baltimore
F
Fabian Dawkins
Richmond
Two goals, assist in pair of wins

-- Jesse Jones, CAPE FEAR SPORTS REPORT