TAMPA, Fla. – USL League One today announced the Team of the Week for Week 15 of the 2024 regular season with Central Valley Fuego FC forward Alfredo Midence named Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball with a trio of assists.
In Week 15 matches against Madison and South Georgia, the 22-year-old first-year professional added to his impressive tally with three assists on the week. The Honduran has now amassed eight goal contributions just nine matches into his debut professional season.
"Being named player of the week is an honor, and it means a lot to me," Midence said. "This wouldn't be possible without the hard work and dedication of my teammates and coaches. Their support motivates me to keep giving my best."
"He is a talent with big potential to make a difference in this league," said Central Valley Head Coach Jermaine Jones of Midence.
In total, Central Valley and Charlotte led all teams with three starters named to the Team of the Week, while Madison, Northern Colorado and South Georgia also placed multiple representatives across the Team of the Week and Team of the Week bench.
COACH - Scott Mackenzie, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: The first-year head coach led Chattanooga to an improbable upset victory against Omaha at Werner Park despite playing down a man for 50 minutes. Chattanooga's 2.76 points won above expected led all teams in Week 15, according to American Soccer Analysis.
GK - T.J. Bush, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Leading all goalkeepers in both USL League One and USL Jägermeister Cup play with 87 total saves, Bush tallied his eighth match of the season with five or more saves across both competitions on Saturday. With eight saves against the Players' Shield holders, Bush set a new record in Omaha, becoming the first visiting goalkeeper to tally eight or more saves and come away with both a clean sheet and a victory. The 26-year-old led all goalkeepers with his 1.06 goals conceded below expected and 1.33 goals added, per American Soccer Analysis.
D - Timmy Mehl, Forward Madison FC: The 2022 USL League One All-League Second Team defender helped the 'Mingos pick up three of six points on the week with his 15 duels won, 10 recoveries, four interceptions, and league-best 18 completed long passes and seven tackles won. With his 88.8% passing accuracy rate, Mehl led all players in Week 15 with a passing score of 9.56, according to American Soccer Analysis.
D - Bruno Rendón, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC: Rendón registered his first league assist of the year on Billy King's early winner in Madison, helping the Hailstorm move above the playoff line. The Cuban added to Northern Colorado's shutout victory with eight duels won, seven clearances, five recoveries, four chances created and two tackles won.
D - Issa Atcha Yaya, Central Valley Fuego FC: One of four teenagers to see the pitch for Central Valley this season, the 19-year-old Yaya played all 120 minutes of Fuego FC's Week 15. In addition to bagging his first professional goal, the Ghana-born defender totaled nine recoveries, six tackles won, two dribbles completed, a joint-league-high 16 duels won and a league-leading six interceptions.
M - Masango Akale, Spokane Velocity FC: Akale recorded the first multi-goal-contribution match of his young career in his side's loss to Charlotte on Saturday. In addition to his goal and assist, the brother of 2023 USL League One All-League Second Team midfielder, Mukwelle Akale, also contributed with six duels won, five dribbles completed, three recoveries, and completed 84% of his passes.
M - Joel Johnson, Charlotte Independence: In Johnson's 207th match with the club, Charlotte's all-time appearances leader provided a goal and an assist in his side's big win in Spokane. The Liberia international added three completed long passes, two recoveries and completed 81% of his passes.
M - Javier Mariona, Central Valley Fuego FC: The 19-year-old former El Salvador youth international recorded his first professional goal against Madison on Wednesday before doubling his season total with a goal against South Georgia on Saturday. The USL Academy signing totaled 12 duels won, four recoveries, three dribbles completed, three long passes completed and a joint-league-high four shots on target across both matches. Mariona led all players with an estimated 1.79 points added, according to American Soccer Analysis.
M - Gabriel Obertan, Charlotte Independence: With a goal and an assist in Charlotte's victory against Spokane, the 35-year-old French veteran has now registered 10 goal contributions across all competitions this season for the first time since the 2017-18 season with PFC Levski Sofia in Bulgaria. Obertan added four duels won, three recoveries, a joint-league-high five chances created and completed 83% of his passes.
F - Alfredo Midence, Central Valley Fuego FC: Across a pair of Week 15 matches, Midence led all players with three goal contributions on the week in the form of a trio of assists. The 22-year-old, first-year professional also contributed to Fuego FC's three-point week with 13 duels won, five completed long passes, four recoveries, four successful crosses, an 80% passing completion rate and a league-leading seven dribbles completed and joint-league-high five chances created.
F - Juan Carlos Obregón, Jr., Charlotte Independence: Enjoying the most productive season of his six-year professional career, the first-year Jack is up to 14 goals across all competitions this year following his brace in Spokane on Saturday. The league's new Golden Boot leader also added six recoveries, three completed long passes, two duels won and a 84% passing accuracy rate.
F - Sebastián Vivas, South Georgia Tormenta FC: Keeping pace with Juan Carlos Obregón, Jr. and Lyam MacKinnon atop the Golden Boot leaderboard, Vivas scored his seventh league goal of the season in a 3-2 loss against Central Valley. The Argentine also totaled 12 duels won, five tackles won, two chances created and completed 82% of his passes.
BENCH: Sean Lewis (KNX), Jacob Crull (MAD), Devin Boyce (MAD), Ates Diouf (LEX), Pedro Fonseca (TRM), Billy King (NCO), Dembor Benson (CV)