Another fantastic week from the Swope Park Rangers has culminated with two players receiving USL Team of the Week honors for Week 17.
Forward Kharlton Belmar and defender Amer Didic landed the accolade on Tuesday following their contributions in a pair of victories last week that pushed SPR’s club-record winning streak to six USL matches. Additionally, goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas was named to the USL Team of the Week bench.
Belmar was a game-changing super-sub as the Rangers opened their Pacific Northwest road trip with 1-0 triumphs against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 and Portland Timbers 2. Belmar came off the bench in both matches to notch the winning goal shortly after the hour-mark, moving into the team lead with six goals in 2017.
Didic, a 22-year-old center back on loan from Sporting Kansas City, hardly put a foot wrong as SPR’s defensive anchor, completing 125 of 133 passes across the two games while contributing to a pair of shutouts. He was especially superb on Sunday in Portland, recording 11 clearances and four interceptions as SPR held Timbers 2 to a single shot on goal.
Zendejas, meanwhile, posted his third and fourth consecutive clean sheets and now boasts a 381-minute shutout streak that dates back to June 27. The 21-year-old, also on loan from Sporting KC, has a 0.67 goals against average in 12 starts this season.
Currently third in the Western Conference standings, the Rangers will look to sweep their three-game tour of the Northwest when they face Seattle Sounders FC 2 at 9:30 p.m. CT Thursday at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington. The match will stream live on SportingKC.com.
USL Team of the Week
GK – Brandon Miller, Harrisburg City Islanders: Miller recorded seven saves across two shutouts, as the City Islanders claimed a pair of victories to move into Eastern Conference playoff positions.
D – Josu, FC Cincinnati: Josu came on as a first-half substitute and then recorded an assist, made a crucial goal-line clearance and helped set up FCC’s third goal, which proved the game-winner against Louisville City FC.
D – Amer Didic, Swope Park Rangers: Didic completed 125 of 133 passes over two games and recorded 11 clearances and four interceptions against the Portland Timbers 2, as the Rangers took a pair of shutout victories.
D – Brenton Griffiths, Reno 1868 FC: Griffiths went a perfect 7-of-7 on duels and aerial duels and recorded four interceptions and two tackles in 1868 FC’s 1-1 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2.
D – Modou Jadama, Tulsa Roughnecks FC: Jadama scored the first goal in the Roughnecks’ rally to earn a 2-2 draw with the LA Galaxy II, and also completed 75-of-82 passes for the game.
M – Octavio Guzman, Saint Louis FC: Guzman played a key role in the center of midfield and scored the only goal of the game with a fine free kick to lead STLFC past the Charleston Battery at Toyota Stadium – Saint Louis.
M – Mouhamed Dabo, Harrisburg City Islanders: Dabo applied pressure across the midfield, registering 50 passes, two tackles and one chance created, as the City Islanders defeated the Richmond Kickers 1-0 on Saturday.
M – Miguel Gonzalez, OKC Energy FC: Gonzalez scored a stoppage-time equalizer for Energy FC in a 1-1 draw with San Antonio FC at Toyota Field in the USL Game of the Week on ESPNU.
F – Kharlton Belmar, Swope Park Rangers: Belmar scored the game-winner in both the Rangers’ victories over the past week as Swope Park extended its winning streak to six by defeating Vancouver and Portland.
F – Jorge Herrera, Charlotte Independence: Herrera continued his recent hot streak with his 50th regular-season goal in the USL all-time and an assist in Charlotte’s 3-2 win against the New York Red Bulls II.
F – Jason Johnson, Phoenix Rising FC: Johnson scored twice after coming on as a halftime substitute to lead Rising FC to a 2-1 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday night.
Bench: Adrian Zendejas (SPR), Harrison Delbridge (CIN), Wal Fall (ROC), Stephen McCarthy (SA), Ropapa Mensah (HAR), Wuilito Fernandes (OC), Myer Bevan (VAN)
