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USL League One Team of the Week - Week 1

By USLLeagueOne.com Staff, 03/12/24, 2:30PM EDT

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Greenville's big opening week sees five named to Team of the Week

TAMPA, Fla. – USL League One today announced the Team of the Week for Week 1 of the 2024 regular season with Greenville Triumph SC forward Leo Castro named Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball with a goal in Greenville's season-opening victory.

The 2023 USL League One All-League Second Team goalscorer - a one-time Player of the Week and nine-time member of the Team of the Week a season ago - bagged the third goal of Greenville's goal-heavy, 3-1 victory over expansion side Spokane Velocity FC on Saturday evening at Paladin Stadium. The goal was the 34-year-old's 79th professional score in his 329th professional appearance, cementing the Colombian as Greenville's oldest-ever goalscorer.

"You all saw such a great performance from a team that has a tremendous desire to win," Greenville Head Coach Rick Wright said. "They proved it tonight, and we're going to continue to prove it."

Greenville's big win propelled the league's winningest club to a week-high five players and one coach named to the Team of the Week. All six clubs that played in Week 1 earned representation on the Team of the Week.

COACH - Rick Wright, Greenville Triumph SC: In his debut as a professional head coach, Wright guided Greenville to a big victory to kick off the post-John Harkes era in the Upstate. Triumph SC's goal difference minus expected goal difference mark of 3.25 was the most in the league - more than six times more than the second-highest.

GK - Amal Knight, Lexington SC: Knight was one of two goalkeepers in Week 1 to keep a clean sheet and added to his side's scoreless draw with Northern Colorado with three saves and the second-best goals minus expected goals mark on the week.

D - Ashkanov Apollon, Central Valley Fuego FC: The 32-year-old Apollon bagged the first match-winning goal of the Jermaine Jones era in the 21st minute - Apollon's first goal since April 2022.

D - Jorge Corrales, Lexington SC: The Cuba international and former MLS defender put in a solid shift in his Lexington debut, racking up nine recoveries, five duels won, three interceptions, two tackles won and maintained a passing accuracy of 88%.

D - Lucky Opara, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC: Kicking off his second season with the Hailstorm, Opara helped Northern Colorado to a season-opening clean sheet with his seven recoveries, four duels won, two tackles won and an 81% passing accuracy.

D - Nate Shultz, Greenville Triumph SC: Shultz recorded his eighth professional assist and fourth with Greenville, helping Zion Scarlett open the scoring in the 18th minute. The 28-year-old also recorded six duels won, three tackles won and three recoveries.

M - Moe Espinoza, Central Valley Fuego FC: The former United States international and California native opened his Central Valley account with a penalty conversion in the third minute of Central Valley's victory in Statesboro.

M - Evan Lee, Greenville Triumph SC: Triumph SC's all-time appearances leader bagged his second career goal to secure a victory over expansion side Spokane Velocity FC on Saturday evening. Lee also completed 81% of his passes and tallied five recoveries.

M - Lyam MacKinnon, Greenville Triumph SC: The second-year Swiss professional assisted Leo Castro's goal in the 60th minute and led the league in duels won with 12.

M - Zion Scarlett, Greenville Triumph SC: The former Jamaica youth international and 19-year-old midfielder became the youngest goalscorer in club history in his Triumph SC debut. Scarlett also registered six duels won, three recoveries, two fouls won and two tackles won in his seventh-ever professional match.

F - Leo Castro, Greenville Triumph SC: Greenville's oldest goalscorer, Castro scored the third goal of the evening and added seven recoveries, six duels won and two dribbles completed. Castro's 0.35 goals-added mark was the second-most in the league, according to American Soccer Analysis.

F - Josh Dolling, Spokane Velocity FC: The 26-year-old English forward etched himself into Spokane history by netting the first goal in Spokane Velocity FC history. Dolling also created three chances, won four tackles and registered three recoveries.

BENCH - Carlos Ávilez (CV), Bruno Rendón (NCO), Clayton Torr (CV), Jack Denton (SPK), Pierre Reedy (SPK), Yannick Yankam (LEX), Gabriel Rodriguez (TRM)


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