Week #14 NASL Players of the Week: Mike Palacio & Daniel Illyes
MIAMI, Fla. (July 9, 2012)- Following Saturday’s late game heroics in which the RailHawks (5-6-5, 21 pts.) scored two goals in the final minutes to earn a 3-3 draw against the Strikers (5-5-6, 20 pts.), RailHawks’ midfielder Mike Palacio has earned NASL Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance. Palacio scored two goals against his former club and provided the assist for Ty Shipalane’s stoppage time equalizer.
The RailHawks jumped to an early lead when Palacio collected a shot off the post and placed the ball into an open net in the 13th minute. The Strikers stunned the fans at WakeMed Soccer Park with three unanswered goals to lead 3-1. In the 87th minute, Palacio skillfully dribbled through a pair of defenders and ripped a shot into the far post side netting. With time winding down and Carolina still down a goal, Palacio would play a key role in the equalizer in the final seconds of added time. His cross found Shipalane, unmarked at the back post, who proceeded to slot the ball between Matt Glaeser’s legs to tie the match at 3-3.
Palacio has appeared in 14 matches for the RailHawks this season, making ten starts. He has scored three goals and provided two assists in his first season with the RailHawks. This is the first Offensive Player of the Week recognition for Palacio and the first offensive recognition for a RailHawks player in 2012. Goalkeeper Ray Burse has been named Defensive Player of the Week twice this season.
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Atlanta Silverbacks goalkeeper Daniel Illyes has been named the North American Soccer League’s Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced today.
Illyes, a native of Eger, Hungary, helped lead the Silverbacks to a 2-0 win over Minnesota Stars FC, the league’s defending champions, on Saturday at the NSC Stadium in Blaine, Minn. The Hungarian goalkeeper made six saves, and punched away a number of dangerous crosses to collect his second shutout of the season. The result also handed the Stars their first shutout loss at home this season.
“Daniel made some big saves and punches on Saturday, and I thought his overall performance was outstanding,” said Silverbacks Interim Head Coach Eric Wynalda. “Any time you shut out a team like the Stars in their own backyard, it usually has a lot to do with the goalkeeper, and it was no different on Saturday.”
The veteran goalkeeper is in his first season with the Silverbacks after spending 10 years playing in the Hungarian professional ranks. He has started 15 of the Silverbacks’ 16 games this season and ranks third in the league in saves with 58.
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Illyes? Is this a late April Fool’s joke? The Stars had two maybe three serious scoring attempts. Beyond that the guy was only expected to stand between the pipes and look good for the cameras. I guess I did not watch any matches beyond the Stars/Silverbacks match, but it must have been a bad week for the NASL if this was their pick for the Defensive Player of the Week.
@ Soccer Boy – I agree. Goulash won???????? He did very little besides unwrap feeble efforts called shots.