Here is the USL PRO log for Week 12, June 5 to June 11, 2013.
Sticking to the analysis this week and focusing less on the details, let me know which format you like better.
BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK:
This week’s player of the week would have gone to goalkeeper Molvin James of winless Antigua Barracuda FC if he kept a clean sheet against league leaders Orlando City SC. However, James gave up two goals (one on a penalty kick) late, after a valiant performance for the first eighty-five minutes with over ten saves. Also it’s hard to ignore the fact that two days earlier a player scored four goals on Molvin James in the first minutes. Mauricio Salles was that player who scored four goals in sixteen minutes. He added another goal ten minutes later to make his final tally with five goals and one assist. Five goals in a game gave Salles the league record for the feat; breaking previous records held by Jhonny Artega and Peter Byers who both scored four in a game.
This is the second time Salles has been named Player of the Week by Reckless Challenge and he is the first to do that this season, even Dom Dwyer has not accomplished that, yet. I usually try to give different players the spotlight from week to week but I had no choice this week. Salles is a great player with lots of speed who knows how to make runs when need be. He sets himself up perfectly to receive balls from his team mates to be in the best position to score. This Brazilian was not named player of the week for dominating the worst team in the league but for how he did it.
WHO TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON:
My player to watch this week is Dennis Chin of Orlando City Soccer Club. Chin has been out of the spotlight this season due to the loan deal with Sporting Kansas City which brought lead record scoring Dom Dwyer to Orlando City. Dom Dwyer along with the three other loanees from Sporting KC will not be available for the fourth round US Open Cup match in Kansas City against Sporting. Before this year, Chin was the leading scorer for the club with eleven goals last season and captured the league record doing so.
This week Chin will be center stage again, his audience will be any USL PRO fan who wants to see a club from this league advance, the faithful of Sporting Park, and most importantly all of Lion Nation. Look for Dennis Chin tonight to get on the score sheet and help advance the boys in purple to the quarterfinals. One of only two of USL’s hopes at winning the US Open Cup for the first time since 1999 in is the hands of Dennis Chin and the Orlando City Lions.
WHAT YOU CAN”T MISS:
This week the focus shifts to the US Open Cup with USL PRO teams still alive and bring the trophy back to the United Soccer Leagues for the first time since 1999.
Tonight the fourth round of the US Open Cup is scheduled to take place and only two USL PRO teams remain. As I mentioned before, Orlando City SC is still alive and the other team is the Charleston Battery. Orlando City will face Sporting Kansas City tonight at 7:30 local time at Sporting Park. Last year Sporting KC eliminated Orlando City from the US Open Cup, they are also are partnered with each other so they know each other fairly well. I predict Orlando City will win on penalties after playing for 120 minutes to an even score of 1-1.
Charleston Battery will match up against Real Salt Lake in the fourth round of the 100th edition of the cup. Charleston has more experience than any other club in this league against MLS opponents. In years past, the boys in black and gold have gone far in the US Open Cup. In 2008, the Battery made it to the championship match but lost to DC United at RFK Stadium by a score of 2-1 and are the only club to reach final since Rochester’s title run in ’99.
This season the baud boys have flexed their muscle against Major League Soccer, they earned points against an MLS side in the Carolina Challenge Cup, an annual friendly pre-season tournament hosted by them at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston. The Battery swept their interleague season series against MLS Reserves Houston Dynamo in dominating fashion with a 1-0 victory at BBVA Compass Stadium and a 4-1 victory at home. Look for them to continue the good form against Real Salt Lake tonight at Rio Tinto Stadium tonight at 7:30 local time. I believe Charleston will defeat RSL 1-0 in full time.
