Hat Trick earns Ngwenya Player of the Week honor

TAMPA, Fla. – USL PRO named its Team of the Week for Week Eight of the season on Tuesday, with the Richmond Kickers’ Joseph Ngwenya earning Player of the Week honors after recording a hat trick in the Kickers’ 4-1 victory against Antigua Barracuda FC on Saturday night. The victory allowed the Kickers to remain undefeated this season, while giving Ngwenya five goals.


Ngwenya teamed with fellow Team of the Week selection Nate Robinson on a pair of goals, including the Kickers’ opener in the 18^th minute. Robinson, who had three assists, found space down the left before sending a low ball across the top of the six-yard box that Ngwenya met at the far post.

Five minutes later Ngwenya added a second, heading home a finish after Brian Ownby kept an attack alive with a looping overhead cross that found the midfielder near the right post. Ngwenya then completed his hat trick in the 44^th minute, finishing a free kick by Robinson to give his side a 3-1 halftime lead.

Virginia native Bill Hamid named MLS Player of the Week

Annandale, VA native Bill Hamid was voted MLS Player of the Week following his shutout of the New York Red Bulls this past weekend. Hamid is a product of Premier Athletics Club. 

Washington, D.C. (March 18, 2013) – D.C. United announced today that goalkeeper Bill Hamid was selected by the North American Soccer Reporters as MLS Player of the Week. Hamid earned the honors after a strong performance and second straight shutout against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Hamid was tested often and helped preserve the shutout with an impressive seven saves.

Hamid’s final save of the game came during stoppage time as he cleared a Brandon Barklage shot off the line with a last-ditch effort to preserve the clean sheet. Hamid, who won Major League Soccer’s Save of the Week in week one, is also leading the League in shutouts (two) and saves (13).

READ/WATCH: A closer look at Hamid’s impressive day

The Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected each week of the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from The North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.

D.C. United returns to action on Saturday and will look to extend its home undefeated streak to 20 games over the 2012 and 2013 Major League Soccer campaigns.