Weekly honors announced

USL News Release

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced the Team of the Week honors for the second week of the USL season, honoring Miami’s Diego Serna as the USL First Division Player of the Week and Steve Fisher as the USL Second Division Player of the Week.

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Former Miami Fusion star Diego Serna, having last played a total of 13 minutes with the Colorado Rapids in 2005, had disappeared from the American soccer landscape playing in Ecuador with Macara and Brazil with Fast. He was among a trio of South Florida soccer greats honored in the pre-game ceremonies with Ray Hudson and Teofilo Cubillas, but quickly showed he is not done yet.

In the 28th minute Serna perfectly flicked-on a corner kick from the near side of the penalty area to Alen Marcina at the far post for the opening strike of the match.

Four minutes after Cleveland leveled the match in the 33rd, Serna made a fantastic individual play. Capitalizing on a poor defensive pass along the back line, Serna closed in and blocked a clearance. The deflected ball popped forward, creating a breakaway for the former MLS All-Star. He quickly gathered the free ball and charged the goal, beating on-loan Real Salt Lake netminder Chris Seitz for what held as the winner.

Serna helped ice the game with 11 minutes remaining when he played a brilliant square ball across the top of the penalty area to an on-rushing Leo Inacio Nunes, who promptly put a well-paced shot past Seitz as insurance.

Earning the Player of the Week honor for the two matches played on Opening Weekend of the USL-2 season was Harrisburg striker Steve Fisher, who guided the City Islanders to a 2-2 draw on the road against the Richmond Kickers.

Trailing after 16 minutes, Harrisburg tied it up the 23rd minute after forward Steve Fisher intercepted a cross in the midfield. Carrying the ball into the box, Fisher coolly slipped a low shot on goal. Kickers goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale was able to get his fingertips on the ball but it ricocheted off the far post and back into the net.

As the halftime whistle approached, Harrisburg claimed the lead with a 43rd minute tally by the menacing Mo Oduor. The City Islanders floated a free kick into the box from midfield. Fisher flicked the ball to Oduor. With his back to goal, he chested the ball down, turned and fired just over Pascale’s outstretched hands.

USL First Division Team of the Week

The first edition of the USL-2 Team of the Week will be issued next week.