TEAM OF THE WEEK | Week 2

Fort Lauderdale Strikers midfielder Victor “PC” Giro, New York Cosmos forward Raúl, and Ottawa Fury FC goalkeeper Romuald Peiser were just a few of the players that turned in strong enough performances over the weekend to earn a spot on the North American Soccer League (NASL) Team of the Week.

Find out which other top performers joined them on the Team of the Week below:

GK: Romuald Peiser (Ottawa Fury FC) – In a close match, Peiser made four key saves to help Fury FC escape with a 1-1 draw against the Atlanta Silverbacks. The French veteran’s stops, particularly late in the match, proved to be crucial and led to the club’s first point of the 2015 season.

DEF: Stefan Antonijevic (Tampa Bay Rowdies) – For the second week in a row, Antonijevic earned Team of the Week honors, putting in another strong defensive shift. The 6-foot-6 defender played an important role in keeping a strong Minnesota United FC attack off the scoresheet.

DEF: Tiago Calvano (Minnesota United FC) - With the Rowdies finding the back of the net three times in their season-opening win, the Loons’ backline was always going to need to put in a strong shift – and that’s exactly what they did. Led by the strong play of Brazilian defender Calvano, United kept a clean sheet in its first game of the 2015 season.

DEF: Blake Wagner (Carolina RailHawks) – In tough, windy conditions against FC Edmonton, the RailHawks earned a solid point on the road. With the Eddies piling on more pressure in the second half, Wagner did well to limit the hosts to one goal and help Carolina earn a 1-1 draw.   

MID: PC (Fort Lauderdale Strikers) – Not only did PC draw a penalty, which his teammate Léo Moura finished off, he also scored his first NASL goal. The Brazilian youth international’s strike from distance, which proved to be the game-winning tally, helped him take home NASL Player of the Week honors.

MID: Léo Moura (Fort Lauderdale Strikers) – A long-time defender, Moura has been playing in a more advanced role with the Strikers, and it has paid immediate dividends. The Brazilian veteran has certainly acted as one of the side’s creative hubs, and he managed to score his first NASL goal, from the penalty spot, in a 2-1 win over the Armada FC.

MID: Lance Laing (FC Edmonton) – Another former defender that now plays further forward, Laing scored his first goal of the 2015 season, helping the Eddies to a 1-1 draw. The Jamaican international continues to impress in his midfield role, posing as a constant threat on the left side against the RailHawks on Sunday.

MID: Marcos Senna (New York Cosmos) – As the only other player to earn Team of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks, the Spanish international played a pivotal role in the Cosmos’ draw with Indy Eleven. He created several dangerous opportunities in another strong showing in midfield.

FWD: Raúl (New York Cosmos) – With the Cosmos trailing by a goal in a hostile environment in Indy, the Spanish icon provided the pivotal touch, heading home a cross from teammate Walter Restrepo. The equalizer offered a reminder of how dangerous Raúl can be in the penalty area.

FWD: Brian Brown (Indy Eleven) – With Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer off his line, Brown turned a fortuitous moment into an impressive goal. The ball fell to the Jamaican international’s feet, and he converted a 30-yard chip to open the scoring in a 1-1 draw with New York. 

FWD: Kyle Porter (Atlanta Silverbacks) – The beneficiary of a lovely team move by the Silverbacks, Porter had an easy finish to level the match against Fury FC. The Canadian international added his first tally in the NASL since September 13, 2012, when he was a member of FC Edmonton.