Hague and Watson Players of the Week
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced the USL First Division and USL Second Division Teams of the Week for the 13th week of the season, honoring Portland’s David Hague and Richmond’s Matt Watson as the Players of the Week, respectively.
The Portland Timbers, having trailed the leaders for most of the season with fewer games played, caught up to the pack over the weekend and climbed into first with a pair of wins over the California Victory in the friendly confines of PGE Park and was capped off with David Hague recording the league’s first hat-trick of the season.
It wasn’t quite as easy as their recent 3-0 win in San Francisco was, starting the weekend off Friday night with a 1-0 win on a Bryan Jordan goal, and their second meeting Sunday was a 1-1 draw until Gavin Wilkinson inserted Hague up top with 24 minutes remaining.
Hague, who’s one goal in his previous nine appearances was an 89
th
minute 1-0 winner at California, needed just two minutes to do damage, however, scoring the game-winner in the 68
th
minute when he cut back and found the back of the net from 10 yards. He latched onto a long ball from goalkeeper Josh Wicks in the 74
th
to make it 2-0 and completed the hat-trick with his third two minutes from time.
Fresh off their US Open Cup upset victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer earlier in the week, the defending champion Richmond Kickers avoided a letdown with a pair of dominating performances over second-place Charlotte Eagles in a home-and-home series.
Matt Watson, who came into the weekend with just two goals and an assist, burst onto the scene with three goals and two assists in the two victories.
Watson opened the scoring just three minutes into their home game Friday night and set up Ricky Schramm to make it 2-0 in the 40
th
. Charlotte answered back three minutes later only to see Watson set up Open Cup scorer David Bulow in the 45
th
to restore the two-goal margin. He then added another strike in the 83
rd
to put the match out of reach as they prepared to visit Charlotte.
Having such a spectacular outing the night before, Watson was rested on the bench before being inserted into the second game at halftime with a 1-1 scoreline. An own goal gave Richmond the lead, and Watson scored in the 83
rd
minute for the second straight night to clinch the victory.
USL First Division Team of the Week |
| Pos | Name | Team | Highlights |
| G
| Nic Platter
| Minnesota
| Nine saves in 3-0 win over Montreal
|
| D
| Sergio Van Kanten
| Miami
| Assist in 2-1 win at Vancouver
|
| D
| Danny Jackson
| Seattle
| Led team to 1-0 win over Vancouver
|
| D
| Marco Velez
| Puerto Rico
| Goal in 3-1 win over Charleston
|
| D
| Scot Thompson
| Portland
| Assist in 1-0 win over California
|
| M
| Lazo Alavanja
| Charleston
| Goal, two assists in pair of losses
|
| M
| Rodrigo Rios
| Atlanta
| Goal, assist in 4-1 win over Rochester
|
| M
| Antonio Ribeiro
| Montreal
| Goal in 1-0 win at Carolina
|
| F
| Taiwo Atieno
| Puerto Rico
| Two goals, assist in 4-3 win over Charleston
|
| F
| Aaron Paye
| Minnesota
| Goal, two assists in 3-0 win over Montreal
|
| F | David Hague | Portland | Three goals in 4-1 win over California |
USL Second Division Team of the Week |
| Pos | Name | Team | Highlights |
| G
| Brian Rowland
| CP Baltimore
| Five saves in 0-0 draw at Harrisburg
|
| D
| Nate Baker
| Harrisburg
| Led team to 0-0 draw against CP Baltimore
|
| D
| Evan Harding
| Richmond
| Goal in 3-1 win over Charlotte
|
| D
| James Greenslit
| New Hampshire
| Led team to 1-1 draw against Cleveland
|
| D
| Frederico Molinari
| Western Mass
| Led team to 1-1 draw against Cleveland
|
| M
| Dana McGregor
| Cleveland
| Two goals in pair of 1-1 road draws
|
| M
| David Horne
| Cincinnati
| Goal in 3-2 loss to Bermuda
|
| M
| Jared Peniston
| Bermuda
| Goal, assist in 3-2 win at Cincinnati
|
| F
| David Bulow
| Richmond
| Goal in 4-1 win over Charlotte
|
| F
| Stephen Astwood
| Bermuda
| Two goals in 3-2 win at Cincinnati
|
| F | Matt Watson | Richmond | Three goals, two assists in pair of wins |
* Players of the Week