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Two firsts for New York Red Bulls II in USL 2017 Team of the Week this week: the team had two players in the selection for the first time this season, and neither of them is Vincent Bezecourt.
Bezecourt has been the stand-out player for NYRB II in the early weeks of the 2017 USL season, but the team's 3-1 over Harrisburg City Islanders in Week 7 saw a couple of other players catch the attention of the league's talent-spotters.
For his brace of penalty-kicks against HCI, NYRB II striker Brandon Allen makes the bench of the official USL TotW for Week 7. And Justin Bilyeu's gradual transition to center-back gets a thumbs up from the league: he makes the starting lineup. Or maybe it was his assist to Douglas Martinez for NYRB II's third goal of the game - achieved after Bilyeu had switched from CB to left-back in the second half - that impressed the TotW selectors.
Whatever the reason, Bilyeu joins Bezecourt on the short list of NYRB II to have made USL's TotW starting XI so far this season. And Allen adds his name to Bezecourt's as the only Red Bulls to have the TotW bench to date in 2017.
NYRB II's USL TotW representation so far this season:
USL 2017 TotW | Starting XI | Bench |
Week 1 | Vincent Bezecourt | |
Week 2 | Vincent Bezecourt | |
Week 3 | ||
Week 4 | Vincent Bezecourt | |
Week 5 | ||
Week 6 | ||
Week 7 | Justin Bilyeu | Brandon Allen |
Also in USL's all-league selection this week: OaM favorite Wuilito Fernandes. An unsuccessful trialist with RBNY in 2010, Fernandes landed in this year's MLS SuperDraft. FC Dallas drafted him, but chose not to sign the forward, who subsequently landed with Orange County SC in USL. His selection to TotW comes after he scored his first goal of the season in OC's 4-0 win over LA Galaxy II on May 6.