TAMPA, Fla. – Tulsa Roughnecks FC forward Ian Svantesson has been voted the USL Player of the Week for Week 8 of the 2017 season. Svantesson scored four goals in two Roughnecks victories over the course of the week as Tulsa earned home wins against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 and Orange County SC to move into the Western Conference playoff positions.
Svantesson received 67 percent of the poll conducted by a national panel of independent media representing every USL market. Svantesson’s Roughnecks teammate Juan Pablo Caffa finished second with 24 percent of the vote.
USL Team of the Week
GK – Jake McGuire, Bethlehem Steel FC: McGuire recorded a seven-save shutout to help Steel FC earn a 1-0 victory on the road against Toronto FC II.
D – Seb Hines, Orlando City B: Hines recorded four clearances and two interceptions, while also completing 38-of-48 passes as OCB defeated FC Cincinnati 2-0 on the road.
D – Joe Greenspan, Pittsburgh Riverhounds: Greenspan earned selection as he won 14-of-15 duels and 8-of-9 aerial duels as the Riverhounds defeated Ottawa Fury FC 1-0.
D – Forrest Lasso, Charleston Battery: Lasso recorded the game-winning goal, his fourth tally of the season, and also recorded seven clearances in a 1-0 win against Saint Louis FC.
M – Todd Wharton, Rio Grande Valley FC: Wharton notched the only goal of the game, and also won 3-of-4 duels, to help lead the Toros past the Swope Park Rangers.
M – Juan Pablo Caffa, Tulsa Roughnecks FC: Caffa scored two goals from direct free kicks, and added a pair of assists as the Roughnecks took victories against Vancouver and Orange County.
M – Sebastian Velasquez, Real Monarchs SLC: Velasquez had two goals and one assist as the Monarchs defeated the LA Galaxy II on the road and Sacramento Republic FC at home.
M – Shaun Wright-Phillips, Phoenix Rising FC: Wright-Phillips scored a 95th-minute game-winner to lift Rising FC past OKC Energy FC 2-1 on Saturday night.
F – Gloire Amanda, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2: Amanda scored his first two professional goals, including what proved to be the winner against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Sunday.
F – Ian Svantesson, Tulsa Roughnecks FC: Svantesson scored twice against both Vancouver and Orange County as the Roughnecks recorded back-to-back victories.
F – Jorge Herrera, Charlotte Independence: Herrera recorded a goal and assist as the Independence romped past the New York Red Bulls II 5-1 on Thursday night.
Bench: Connor Sparrow (SLC), Henry Kalungi (CLT), Joey Calistri (TUL), Joe Cole (TBR), Justin Dhillon (LA), Omar Bravo (PHX), Georgi Hristov (TBR)
