Swope Park Rangers midfielder Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal garnered USL Team of the Week honors today after helping SPR to a playoff-clinching 5-1 victory over LA Galaxy II on Sunday at Children's Mercy Park.
Kuzain broke the deadlock in Sunday's regular season finale with a sweetly struck free kick in the 28th minute. The 20-year-old went on to control the center of the park, completing 29 of 33 passes while winning five of seven duels, as the Rangers sealed their spot in the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs.
On loan from Sporting Kansas City, Kuzain was named the No. 3 player on the United Soccer League's 20 Under 20 rankings last week. The Sporting KC Academy product has started 20 games for the Rangers this season, bagging all three goals off set pieces, in addition to logging a goal and an assist in eight competitive appearances with the first team.
Kuzain and SPR will kick off their playoff campaign at 9:30 p.m. CT Saturday with a visit to No. 2 seed Sacramento Republic FC. The Western Conference quarterfinal will stream live from Papa Murphy’s Park on ESPN+. Guided by first-year head coach Paulo Nagamura, the Rangers have won the Western Conference title and advanced to the USL Cup Final in each of their first two seasons in 2016 and 2017.
USL Team of the Week (Week 31)
GK – Andrew Putna, Real Monarchs SLC: Putna recorded a six-save shutout in the Monarchs’ 1-0 win against Fresno FC that sealed the No. 4-seed in the Western Conference on Saturday night at Chukchansi Park.
D – Paco Craig, Louisville City FC: Craig won 18 of 25 duels and recorded 13 clearances, three tackles and one assist as Louisville swept to a pair of victories against North Carolina FC and Indy Eleven.
D – Sean Reynolds, Saint Louis FC: Reynolds recorded four interceptions, 11 clearances and won 9 of 10 duels to help STLFC record a pair of shutouts and clinch its first trip to the USL Cup Playoffs with four points over two games.
D – Adrian Diz Pe, Portland Timbers 2: Diz Pe recorded four tackles, three interceptions and nine clearances while winning 14 of 15 duels overall in T2’s 1-0 victory on the road against Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday night.
D – Carter Manley, Las Vegas Lights FC: Manley recorded nine interceptions, eight clearances and 7 of 10 duels across two contests and won a penalty kick in Las Vegas’ midweek victory against Phoenix Rising FC at Cashman Field.
M – Jared Stroud, New York Red Bulls II: Stroud scored in both the Red Bulls II’s victories over the week against Penn FC and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC that secured a fourth consecutive postseason berth.
M – Corben Bone, FC Cincinnati: Bone recorded a pair of goals to reach double-digits for the season in Cincinnati’s 3-3 draw with Nashville SC on Saturday night at First Tennessee Park.
M – Matthew Harding, Sacramento Republic FC: The Make-A-Wish signing became the youngest goal-scorer in Republic FC history when he found the net in the first minute against Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday night.
M – Wan Kuzain, Swope Park Rangers: Kuzain scored the opening goal in SPR’s 5-1 victory against the LA Galaxy II and completed 29 of 33 passes while winning five of seven duels as the Rangers sealed their place in the postseason.
F – Cameron Lancaster, Louisville City FC: Lancaster recorded three goals in two games to lift Louisville to a pair of victories and set the USL single-season scoring record as he concluded the regular season with 25 goals.
F – Daniel Rios, North Carolina FC: Rios scored three goals in two games as North Carolina claimed the Southern Derby with its victory against the Charlotte Independence on Saturday only to just miss out on a place in the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs.
F – Brandon Allen, Nashville SC: Allen recorded two goals and one assist across two contests as Nashville clinched a place in the USL Cup Playoffs in its first professional season.
Bench: Caleb Patterson-Sewell (TOR), Neveal Hackshaw (CHS), Giuseppe Gentile (RIC), Antoine Hoppenot (RNO), Alec Diaz (SEA), Lagos Kunga (ATL), Sammy Ochoa (LV)
