Red-hot Swope Park Rangers forward Hadji Barry continued his blistering run of form with goals in both matches last week, securing a spot on the USL Team of the Week today as one of the premier performers in Week 28.
Barry bagged the game-winner in a pivotal 2-0 home victory over San Antonio FC on Wednesday and scored again in Saturday's 1-1 road draw with Tulsa Roughnecks FC, setting a new USL modern-era record with goals in eight consecutive league appearances.
Barry has enjoyed a brilliant first season in Kansas City with 16 goals, tied for fourth-most in the USL, plus five assists in 31 games played. The Guinean began his current scoring streak in a 3-3 stalemate versus Reno 1868 FC on Aug. 19, and the Rangers are 5-1-2 over the course of his offensive outbreak.
Led by head coach Paulo Nagamura, the Rangers (14-10-8, 50 points) currently occupy sixth place in the USL’s Western Conference with two regular season matches remaining. The top eight teams will advance to the USL Cup Playoffs, which commence the weekend of Oct. 19-21. SPR own a seven-point cushion above the playoff line and are on course for their third straight postseason appearance, having advanced to the USL Cup Final as Western Conference champions in 2016 and 2017.
SPR will return to the field on Wednesday, Oct. 3, with a visit to fourth-place Sacramento Republic FC before closing out the regular season at Children's Mercy Park on Sunday, Oct. 14, against LA Galaxy II. Tickets for the club's home finale are now on sale via SeatGeek.com.
USL Team of the Week – Week 28
GK – Tomas Gomez, Saint Louis FC: Gomez recorded a five-save shutout as STLFC took a big step toward the playoff positions with a 2-0 victory against San Antonio FC on Saturday night at Toyota Stadium – Saint Louis.
D – Hunter Gorskie, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Gorskie scored the opening goal in the Rowdies’ victory against Richmond, and recorded 12 possession recoveries and seven clearances over Tampa Bay’s two wins on the week.
D – Joe Farrell, Phoenix Rising FC: Farrell scored the opening goal, recorded a team-high 13 clearances and won four of six duels as Phoenix took a 2-1 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks on Saturday night.
D – Oscar Jimenez, Louisville City FC: Jimenez recorded a pair of assists and completed 42 of 48 passes as Louisville took a 4-0 victory against Ottawa Fury FC on Saturday night at Slugger Field.
M – Aodhan Quinn, Orange County SC: Quinn had a pair of goals as Orange County swept to a 5-2 victory against Real Monarchs SLC on Wednesday night to remain on top of the Western Conference standings.
M – Hayden Partain, Sacramento Republic FC: Partain scored twice, including the game-winning goal, as Republic FC took a 4-1 victory on Wednesday night against Tulsa Roughnecks FC.
M – Tah Anunga, Charleston Battery: Anunga scored the equalizer, and recorded eight interceptions and 19 possession recoveries as the Battery earned a 1-1 draw on the road against Nashville Sc on Saturday night.
M – Raul Mendiola, Las Vegas Lights FC: Mendiola scored a pair of goals, including a 90th-minute equalizer, as Lights FC earned a 3-3 draw with Reno 1868 FC on Saturday night.
F – Donovan Ewolo, North Carolina FC: Ewolo recorded the second four-goal game of the season – including a hat trick in the opening 35 minutes – as North Carolina took a 6-1 win against ATL UTD 2.
F – Hadji Barry, Swope Park Rangers: Barry scored in both of the Rangers’ contests, including their key midweek win against San Antonio FC, to set a new USL modern-era record with eight consecutive games with a goal.
F – Efrain Alvarez, LA Galaxy II: Alvarez scored a hat trick as the Galaxy II romped to a 6-1 victory against Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday night, the 16-year-old’s second three-goal outing of the season.
Bench: Daniel Vega (TBR), Ben Zemanski (PGH), Todd Wharton (RGV), Cameron Lancaster (LOU), Albert Dikwa (STL), Cameron Iwasa (SAC), Brian Brown (RNO)
