Swope Park Rangers midfielder Kevin Oliveira has been named the USL Player of the Week while Mark Anthony Gonzalez has also been named on the USL Team of the Week for Week 12. Oliveira, who claimed 50 percent of the poll conducted by national media, becomes the youngest player to be named Player of the Week this season at 20 years old.
Oliveira had one goal and three assists in the Rangers’ 4-0 victory over Rio Grande Valley FC last Wednesday, becoming the first player this season in MLS, NASL or USL to record three assists in one game. The Cape Verde native came off the bench at halftime in Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 and almost snatched an equalizing goal with the last kick of the game when his free kick came off the inside of the post.
Gonzalez, who scored his first professional goal against Timbers 2 on June 4, scored twice in the 4-0 win over RGV on Wednesday before adding his fourth goal in three games on Sunday against Whitecaps FC 2.
Oliveira now has three goals and is tied for the league-lead with four assists in 12 games this season, while Gonzalez is tied for the team-lead with four goals and has two assists in nine appearances.
The Rangers are back in action this Saturday, hosting Sporting KC legend Jimmy Nielsen and his OKC Energy FC side at Swope Soccer Village. That game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT and will be live streamed on SportingKC.com, while tickets are available here.
USL Team of the Week (Courtesy of USLSoccer.com)
GK – Mark Ridgers, Orlando City B: Ridgers recorded 10 saves as Orlando held on with 10 men throughout the second half to take a 2-1 victory on the road in Charleston.
D – James Musa, Saint Louis FC: Musa recorded three assists as Saint Louis took a 7-1 victory against Tulsa.
D – Jeffrey Payeras, LA Galaxy II: Payeras helped limit a strong Colorado Springs attack to only two shots on goal in a 0-0 draw between the Western Conference sides.
D – Milton Palacios, San Antonio FC: Palacios scored an 87th-minute equalizer for San Antonio as it took a 1-1 draw on the road against Portland.
M – Pierre Da Silva, Orlando City B: Da Silva recorded assists on both OCB goals as the side took a 2-1 victory against Charleston at MUSC Health Stadium.
M – Kevin Oliveira, Swope Park Rangers: Oliveira celebrated his 20th birthday with a goal and three assists in the Rangers’ 4-0 win against Rio Grande Valley FC.
M – Marco Bustos, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2: Bustos scored his first two goals of the season to lead WFC2 to a 3-2 win against Swope Park on Sunday.
M – Seth Rudolph, Saint Louis FC: Making his first start for the team, Rudolph scored a pair of goals in a 7-1 victory against Tulsa.
M – Liam Miller, Wilmington Hammerheads FC: Miller put in a strong performance in midfield as the Hammerheads earned a 2-2 draw on the road against Louisville.
F – Sean Okoli, FC Cincinnati: Okoli had both goals as Cincinnati took a 2-1 win against Montreal in front of 14,267 fans at Nippert Stadium.
F – Mark Anthony Gonzalez, Swope Park Rangers: Gonzalez scored three goals in two games for the Rangers against RGVFC and Vancouver.
Bench: Callum Irving (RGV), Jordan Burt (COS), Luca Uccello (TOR), Andy Craven (SEA), Chandler Hoffman (LOU), Irvin Herrera (STL), Yudai Imura (RIC)
