Sporting Kansas City forward Cameron Iwasa and former Swope Park Rangers forward Kris Tyrpak are up for USL Goal of the Year. The award will be decided by fan vote in a bracket elimination format.
Iwasa’s strike came while playing for Sacramento Republic FC with a goal just 38 seconds into a thrilling 3-2 win over Rio Grande Valley FC on June 18. After shifting the ball onto his left foot, the 23-year-old plundered a strike in off the post from 25 yards to give the Republic an early lead. The Sacramento native later added his second goal of the game in the 53rd minute to put his side 2-1 up.
Iwasa is up against FC Montreal’s Jimmy Sanon, whose goal against the Charleston Battery on Sept. 7 was named September Goal of the Month.
Tyrpak, who signed for San Antonio FC in December, scored a stunning goal in the Rangers’ 3-0 victory over Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Sept. 10 at Swope Soccer Village. He cut inside several challenges from the right before unleashing a powerful left-footed strike that found the side netting to give SPR a 2-0 lead in the 32nd minute.
Tyrpak’s goal is up against FC Cincinnati forward Omar Cummings’ strike against Charleston on July 30 that earned Goal of the Month honors.
Iwasa led the Republic with 12 goals and three assists as Sacramento finished first in the Western Conference but were eliminated in the Western Conference Quarterfinals by Orange County Blues FC – who went on to face the Rangers in one of the most epic showdowns in USL Cup Playoff history.
Texas native Tyrpak placed second on the team with 10 goals in 2016, including three in the postseason as SPR became just the second expansion side to reach USL Cup – after Sacramento performed the same feat in 2014.
