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Charlotte Independence, and Trinidad & Tobago international midfielder Cordell Cato earned USL Team of the Week Honors behind a two-goal performance in a 4-1 victory over Ottawa Fury FC. Saturday night's, Season Opening win marked the USL debut for Cato.

The 25-year-old has made 20 appearances for the Trinidad & Tobago National Team in addition to six seasons, with over 100 games played in the MLS. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup CONCACAF qualification, Cato made starts in “The Hex” versus Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama and Mexico. Cato has two goals for the Soca Warriors including a 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup score versus Guatemala in front of a crowd of 54,126 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.

Swope Park Rangers forward Kharlton Belmar has been voted the USL Player of the Week for Week 1 of the 2018 season. Belmar scored two goals and recorded two assists, including the game-winner in stoppage time, as the Rangers took a 4-3 victory against Reno 1868 FC on Saturday afternoon at Greater Nevada Field. 

Belmar received 88 percent of the poll conducted by a national panel of independent media representing every USL market. Charlotte Independence midfielder Cordell Cato finished second with eight percent and New York Red Bulls II midfielder Andrew Tinari third with four percent.

USL Team of the Week

GK – Jake Fenlason, Saint Louis FC: Fenlason recorded four saves to help Saint Louis claim a point on the road in its opening game of the season against Rio Grande Valley FC.

D – Paco Craig, Louisville City FC: Craig made four tackles, four interceptions and eight clearances to lead Louisville to a shutout victory against Nashville SC.

D – Dekel Keinan, FC Cincinnati: Keinan notched 11 clearances and won five of eight duels as he played a key role in FCC’s 1-0 road victory against the Charleston Battery.

D – Taylor Hunter, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: Hunter won five of six duels, completed 85.7 percent of 28 passes and registered seven clearances as the Switchbacks held the LA Galaxy II to only one shot on goal.

M – Nick Hinds, Seattle Sounders FC 2: Hinds capped his professional debut with the game-winning goal in S2’s 2-1 victory against the Portland Timbers 2 and also won two tackles and five of eight duels in the midfield.

M – Cordell Cato, Charlotte Independence: Cato scored the opening two goals as the Independence romped to a 4-1 victory against Ottawa Fury FC in their home opener.

M – Andrew Tinari, New York Red Bulls II: Tinari scored twice and recorded five key passes as the Red Bulls II rallied to take a 2-1 victory against Toronto FC II.

M – Jack Blake, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Blake completed 35 of 45 passes, registered two tackles and two clearances and capped the Rowdies’ 3-1 win against North Carolina FC with a fine long-range goal.

F – Brandon Allen, Bethlehem Steel FC: Allen notched a pair of goals in his debut for Steel FC as the hosts pulled away for a 4-1 victory against the Richmond Kickers.

F – Matt Thomas, Las Vegas Lights FC: Thomas’ goal after 70 seconds set a record for the opening goal in a USL expansion club’s history and paved the way for a 3-2 road win against Fresno FC. 

F – Kharlton Belmar, Swope Park Rangers: Belmar had two goals and two assists, including the stoppage-time game-winner, as the Rangers took a 4-3 victory on the road against Reno 1868 FC.

Bench: Cody Mizell (TBR), Francis Atuahene (OKC), Niall McCabe (LOU), Carlos Alvarez (LV), Solomon Asante (PHX), Hadji Barry (SPR), Villyan Bijev (SAC)


Originally published on charlotteindependence.com