June 11, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release
The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week for Week 14 of the 2024 regular season today with Phoenix Rising FC forward Dariusz Formella voted the Championship Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball after he scored both goals in Rising’s 2-1 victory against Orange County SC on Saturday night.
Acquired last July in a transfer deal from Oakland Roots SC, the Polish forward played a notable role last season in Phoenix’s run to its first USL Championship title. On Saturday night he marked his return to the starting lineup with a pair of goals, including the 87th-minute winner after Rising had been reduced to 10 players, having spent much of the past month at home in Poland with his wife and newly-born daughter.
“We were very happy that the boss and coach let me go for a little bit to Poland to spend time with my wife and daughter,” said Formella. “Every single day I was training in Poland and that work paid off today, so I’m very happy.”
Formella has recorded seven goals since his arrival in Phoenix last July, the most goals of any active player at the club. He has recorded 36 goals in 133 games in the USL Championship overall across the regular season and playoffs, having previously competed for Sacramento Republic FC before his stint in Oakland.
Formella earned 67 percent of the ballot to claim the award. Sacramento Republic FC goalkeeper Danny Vitiello and Oakland Roots SC’s Memo Diaz finished tied for second on 17 percent after Vitiello recorded a four-save shutout including a brilliant penalty save in his side’s 2-0 victory against Monterey Bay F.C., while Diaz recorded the assist on Roots’ game-winning goal to cap a stellar all-around display in a 1-0 win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.
USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 14
GK – Danny Vitiello, Sacramento Republic FC: The reigning Championship Goalkeeper of the Year posted a four-save shutout including a penalty kick save late on as Sacramento took a 2-0 victory on the road against NorCal rival Monterey Bay F.C.
D – Memo Diaz, Oakland Roots SC: The versatile right back provided the assist on Oakland’s winner against the Tampa Bay Rowdies and recorded six interceptions, six recoveries and four clearances defensively in his side’s…