Tuesday, September 1, 2009
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced today the USL First Division Team of the Week honoring the Carolina RailHawk’s Joseph Kabwe as Player of the Week following his three goal, one assist outburst in Carolina’s 9-0 defeat of Miami FC at WakeMed Soccer Park on Wednesday, August 26.
Kabwe’s assist preceded his three goals. He picked out teammate Andriy Budnyy in the 40th minute to give Carolina a 3-0 lead. Just four minutes later following a Gregory Richardson strike in the 43rd minute, Kabwe hit the reeling Blues with a fifth first half goal off an assist from Richardson.
Miami regrouped during the break and held off Carolina’s onslaught for half an hour in the second half, but in the 76th minute Kabwe headed in a Richardson cross to set off another RailHawks outburst. Kabwe completed his hat-trick in the 80th minute, beating the offside trap to finish a through ball played in by Sallieu Bundu.
“I will give it to the team, honestly,” Kabwe said after the match. “Because if you look at it, it’s all about making runs into the box without the ball. Whenever somebody has the ball, people tend to congest it. They did well building it up and positioning the ball, attracting guys to one side and then coming out of the other side.”
Carolina’s win was the biggest margin of victory since the 1998 season.
Two days later on Friday, August 28, Portland goalkeeper Steve Cronin made three saves while defender Stephen Keel played the full 90 minutes and held the Battery to five shots to push Portland’s unbeaten streak to 24 games in the formidable environment of Charleston’s Blackbaud stadium. On the other side of the ball, Charleston midfielder Scott Buete was the top player for the third place Battery.
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USL First Division Team of the Week
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Pos
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Name
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Team
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Highlights
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G
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Steve Cronin
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Portland
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Three saves in 0-0 draw at Charleston
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D
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Shaun Pejic
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Vancouver
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Led team in 1-1 draw against Rochester
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D
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Stephen Keel
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Portland
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Led team in 0-0 draw at Charleston
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D
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Adam Braz
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Montreal
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Assist in 1-1 draw against Carolina
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M
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Kyle Brown
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Austin
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Assist in 1-0 win against Miami
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M
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Scott Buete
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Charleston
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Led team in 0-0 draw against Portland
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M
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Joseph Kabwe
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Carolina
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Three goals, assist in 9-0 win against Miami
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M
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Ze Roberto
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Rochester
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Goal in 1-1 draw at Vancouver
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M
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Domenic Mediate
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Puerto Rico
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Assist in 3-1 win over Minnesota
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F
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Marco Terminesi
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Minnesota
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Two goals, assist in 3-0 win over Cleveland
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F
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John Cunliffe
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Carolina
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Two goals in home win and road draw
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