Kandji and Dawkins Players of the Week

August 5, 2008 - USL First Division (USL-1) News Release


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 Stories from August 5, 2008


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