April 25, 2023 – United Soccer League One (USL1) News Release
TAMPA, Fla. – USL League One today announced the Team of the Week for Week 6 of the 2023 regular season with Greenville Triumph SC midfielder Lucas Coutinho named Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball after tallying his first professional brace and an assist in Greenville’s six-point Week 6.
Coutinho got the scoring started early, bodying his way through a slew of Fuego FC defenders and finishing off his first goal of the season in just the 11th minute. In a match controlled by the hosts, Coutinho added to his total with a short pass to Noah Pilato, who put away his third goal in as many matches in the 42nd minute. Wrapping up the victory emphatically, Coutinho fired a laser into the back of the net from the top of the penalty area. While not as active on the offensive end in Greenville’s second match of the week, Coutinho put in an 81-minute shift to help Triumph SC to a clean-sheet victory over Lexington on Saturday.
“Firstly, want to glorify the man upstairs,” Coutinho said after Wednesday’s two-goal, one-assist performance. “The last couple of years have been very difficult for me, and I was waiting for a performance like tonight. I’m really happy to help the team get out of this hole we dug ourselves into at the beginning of the season.
“We’ve got a lot of season left, and we believe in each other and always work hard. We knew this first win would come, and I’m really proud of the energy the guys brought. This is the Greenville we know.”
“It was a really good team performance for sure,” Greenville Head Coach John Harkes said after the victory over Central Valley. “We added more discipline to our tactical shape and focused on how we are off the ball. When the guys start doing that work and rolling up their sleeves a little bit – especially in the wide areas of the field – that’s when we can close down teams.”
Greenville’s Week 6 success was reflected with a league-leading four players named to the Team of the Week and two to the Team of the Week Bench. Positive results for Charlotte, North Carolina and South Georgia see the trio place at least three players on the Team of the Week and Team of the Week bench.
GK – Austin Pack, Charlotte Independence: In a two-clean sheet, four-point week, Austin Pack went off, recording nine saves in a scoreless draw against Omaha and one save in a 1-0 victory over Central Valley.
D – Preston Kilwien, South Georgia Tormenta FC: In addition to…