USL Week 8 pro honors announced
June 2, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1) News Release
TAMPA, FL -- United Soccer Leagues announced the Team of the Week honors for the sixth week of the USL season, honoring Austin's Yordany Alvarez as the USL First Division Player of the Week and Harrisburg's Ty Shipalane as the USL Second Division Player of the Week.
With the English attacking duo of Eddie Johnson and Gifton Noel-Williams missing from the lineup, the expansion Aztex were sparked offensively to their second win of the campaign by Cuban midfielder Yordany Alvarez, who finished the night with two goals and an assist.
Jeff Harwell, brought up from Austin's U-23 Premier Development League team to compensate for injuries, sent in a curving cross inside the area to Alvarez, who beat his marker to make just enough contact to send the ball low past Islanders goalkeeper Bill Gaudette.
Alvarez doubled the lead in the 52nd minute when he sent a corner to the center of the area, connecting with an open Lyle Adams, who headed it past Gaudette.
An Islanders tally 10 minutes later on a corner cut the deficit, but Alvarez would restore the two-goal cushion late on a counter attack in the 86th minute. With plenty of room going up the right flank, Alvarez chipped the ball over an on-rushing Gaudette.
Alvarez, who was one of several Cuban U-23 internationals that defected in Tampa, Fla. in March of 2008 during the Olympic Qualifiers, came into the contest with a goal and assist on the season in five previous appearances. He now leads the team in points and is tied for third in minutes played, having only missed the club's match in Montreal due to his asylum status.
With second-year Real Maryland's 1-0 road victory Friday over state rival Crystal Palace Baltimore, the Monarchs moved to second in the table and threatened to overcome Harrisburg in a Sunday showdown for first place against the visiting City Islanders.
A fourth minute Harrisburg penalty by Chad Severs and a Marc Gracien equalizer in the 54th had the match in a 1-1 stalemate when midfielder Ty Shipalane left his mark on the match.
In the 65th minute Steve Fisher delivered an excellent ball behind the Monarchs defense that Shipalane was able to run onto at the edge of the 18 on the left side before sending his shot to the far side of the goal past Chase Harrison.
Seven minutes later, a fantastic individual effort from Shipalane on the other side of the pitch saw him jump on Harrison's thrown distribution out of the box and drive toward the end line and back toward goal. He finished with a shot from a narrow angle that found its way past Harrison for a needed two-goal advantage in what finished as a 3-2 victory.
View Teams of the Week [+]
USL First Division Stories from June 2, 2009
- Three Timbers Named to First Division Team of the Week - Portland Timbers
- Paladini, Low named to USL-1 Team of the Week for Week 8 - North Carolina FC
- USL Week 8 pro honors announced - USL-1
- RailHawks Partner with Local Retailer - North Carolina FC
- Impact To Play Against Haitian And Syrian National Teams - Montreal Impact
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