TAMPA, Fla. - USL League One announced on Monday the Team of the Week Presented by Cleer Audio for Week 17 of the 2021 regular season, with North Carolina FC forward Robby Kristo named Player of the Week for the second consecutive week after scoring two goals to propel his team to a 3-2 away win against Fort Lauderdale CF on Sunday night at DRV PNK Stadium.
After scoring a pair of goals last week in NCFC’s 4-0 win over Richmond, Kristo bagged another brace on Sunday, scoring from the penalty spot in each half. He scored the latter of his two goals in second half stoppage time to turn one point into three for his side, earning NCFC’s second consecutive win and its first of the season away from home.
NCFC, the Richmond Kickers and Union Omaha lead all clubs with two players each represented in this week’s team.
GK - Akira Fitzgerald, Richmond Kickers:
Fitzgerald posted an eight-save shutout on Saturday night against FC Tucson, ensuring his side picked up a 1-0 victory at home.
D - Kobe Franklin, Toronto FC II:
Franklin was superb in TFC II’s scoreless draw with Greenville on Friday. He created nine chances - the most in a single game in League One this season - made four tackles, and passed at an 86 percent success rate.
D - Damià Viader, Union Omaha:
A regular in the Team of the Week this season, the Spanish fullback had another impressive performance in Omaha’s 1-1 draw with North Texas. Viader created four chances, won two tackles, led all players in the game with eight duels won and made 10 recoveries.
D - Michael Maldonado, North Texas SC:
Maldonado played a key role in helping North Texas earn its first away point of the season against Omaha, completing a game-high 51 passes at an 82 percent success rate, winning 4 of 6 duels, making five clearances and creating two chances.
M - Jay Tee Kamara, North Carolina FC:
Kamara scored an excellent opening goal for NCFC, making a direct run at defenders before firing a precise low strike to the bottom corner. He also created two chances and won 6 of 8 duels.
M - Aaron Molloy, Forward Madison FC:
Molloy continued his strong season in the Madison midfield on Saturday, recording three chances created and four successful tackles in the Flamingos’ 1-1 draw at Chattanooga.
M - Jose Carrera Garcia, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC:
Carrera Garcia was on the scoresheet for a second consecutive game on Saturday, scoring Chattanooga’s lone goal in its 1-1 draw with Madison in some style.
M - Charlie Dennis, FC Tucson:
Even in a losing effort for Tucson, Dennis put in an excellent shift in midfield. The Brighton, England native led all players in the match in chances created (five), fouls drawn (three) and dribbles completed (two).
F - Robby Kristo, North Carolina FC:
In addition to his pair of goals, Kristo won a game-high 17 duels - second-most by an individual player in a League One game this season - and drew the most fouls of any player with four.
F - Emiliano Terzaghi, Richmond Kickers:
Terzaghi scored the lone goal of Richmond’s 1-0 home win over Tucson from the penalty spot, bringing his tally for the season up to nine.
F - Greg Hurst, Union Omaha:
Hurst was back on the scoresheet yet again at Werner Park, netting a 20th-minute goal to keep him level with Terzaghi on nine goals for the season, good for joint-second in the Golden Boot race.
