USL United Soccer League Championship

Los Angeles' Cortez Named Player of the Week

Published on May 28, 2013 under United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


TAMPA, Fla. - USL PRO named its Team of the Week for Week 10 of the season on Tuesday, with the Los Angeles Blues' Chris Cortez earning Player of the Week honors after scoring a pair of goals and adding an assist in his side's 4-3 win against the Charlotte Eagles on Saturday night. The Blues moved into fourth place in the USL PRO standings with the win, while also handing the Eagles their first defeat of the season.

After the Blues took the lead in the 18th minute from a free kick, Cortez doubled the advantage off a corner kick a minute later as he was on hand to tap home after Allan Russell's pass found him near the left post. Cortez played provider just before the halftime break, springing teammate Gabriel Gonzalez on a counter-attack to give the Blues a 3-0 lead a few minutes before halftime.

Cortez then scored what proved to be the game-winning goal early in the second half as he beat Charlotte goalkeeper Eric Reed to a cross to head home for a 4-1 lead. Fellow Team of the Week selection Jorge Herrera led the Eagles' comeback, scoring twice as they pulled within a goal late, but the Blues were able to hold on to win.

Joining Herrera in the Team of the Week midfield is Phoenix's Scott Morrison, who had a goal and an assist for the Wolves in their 2-2 draw with Charlotte, and Matt Dallman, who capped another good performance with his first goal for the Riverhounds while also taking the league lead with his sixth assist.

Tampa Bay's J.T. Noone was named after a good all-around performance that was completed by the game-winning goal in VSI's 1-0 win against Wilmington, while Richmond's Nate Robinson was selected after scoring the game-winning goal in the Kickers' 2-0 victory against Harrisburg.

Robinson's teammate Andrew Dykstra earned a second consecutive selection after recording a nine-save shutout against Harrisburg to help keep the Kickers undefeated. Joining him defensively were Orlando City's Bryan Burke, who had a goal and an assist in the Lions' 4-1 win against Wilmington, and Rochester's Tyler Bellamy and Charleston's Emmanuel Adjetey, who both performed well in a 0-0 draw between the Battery and Rhinos.

Dayton's Joey Madigan completes the Team of the Week after he scored the opening goal and drew a penalty kick in the Dutch Lions' 3-1 win against Antigua Barracuda FC on Sunday night.

The USL PRO season continues on Friday night as two west-coast teams head east for the weekend, with Phoenix FC visiting the Richmond Kickers at 7 p.m. ET and the Los Angeles Blues visiting the Rochester Rhinos at 7:35 p.m. ET. Also on Friday night, the Charleston Battery host the Harrisburg City Islanders at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Saturday night brings four games, with an interleague clash between VSI Tampa Bay FC and the Portland Timbers Reserves at 7:30 p.m. ET at Plant City Stadium highlighting the slate. Also on Saturday night the Rochester Rhinos visit the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at 7 p.m. ET, Phoenix FC completes its road trip with a visit to the Wilmington Hammerheads at 7:30 p.m. ET, and Harrisburg completes its trip with a visit to the Charlotte Eagles at 8 p.m. ET.

The weekend concludes on Sunday as the Los Angeles Blues visit the Dayton Dutch Lions at 6:30 p.m. ET. Every game of the USL PRO season can be seen on USLNation.com, with live updates also available via Twitter (@USLPRO), Facebook and Google+.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 28, 2013


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