TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week for Week 7 of the 2024 regular season on Tuesday, with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC forward Edward Kizza voted the Championship Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball after he recorded a goal and assist to lead the Hounds to a 3-1 victory against Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday night to claim their first win of the campaign.

Currently in his second full season with the Hounds, the Ugandan forward played the leading role as the 2023 Championship Players’ Shield winners visited 2023 Championship title winner Rising FC. Kizza set up Pittsburgh’s opening goal in the 26th minute with a brilliant heel-flick inside the penalty area that dropped the ball into the path of Kazaiah Sterling for the opening goal of the game. He then scored what proved to be the game-winning goal just past the hour-mark, tucking home a close-range finish after a clever move into the penalty area.

Kizza originally joined the Hounds on loan from the New England Revolution late in the 2022 season and memorably scored twice as Pittsburgh earned victory on the road against Birmingham Legion FC in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of that season’s USL Championship Playoffs. The 25-year-old has started all six games of the current season as the Hounds look for a seventh consecutive trip to the postseason after a slow start to the campaign.

“I think our movements and ideas are much better,” said Hounds Head Coach Bob Lilley of his side’s breakout performance. “We showed that against Tampa Bay and showed it this weekend against Phoenix. At some point this year, every team will go through a stretch where they go four or five games when they struggle to score goals. Clearly, we're playing better in the last three games than the first three, and that's the journey we're on, to try and be better in the next three games.”

Kizza earned 45 percent of the ballot to claim the award. The Charleston Battery’s MD Myers finished second on 36 percent after scoring a pair of goals as the Battery took a 4-1 victory against FC Tulsa to remain undefeated at the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

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. 

GK – Jahmali Waite, El Paso Locomotive FC: The Jamaican international recorded seven saves to lead Locomotive in a 1-1 draw against the Tampa Bay Rowdies with a -1.81 Goals Prevented mark at Al Lang Stadium.

D – Sean Totsch, Louisville City FC: The veteran center back had a stellar display in LouCity’s 1-0 victory against Loudoun United FC, winning 4 of 5 ground duels, 2 of 2 aerial duels and recording three interceptions and 10 recoveries while completing 70 of 81 passes.  

D – Forrest Lasso, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Lasso put in an outstanding defensive display for the Rowdies, winning 4 of 4 tackles, 7 of 7 aerial duels and 6 of 7 ground duels while also recording two chances created and one shot as a target on attacking set pieces against El Paso Locomotive FC.

D – Stephen Turnbull, Rhode Island FC: Turnbull scored the opening goal in Rhode Island’s first victory in club history and had two chances created coming up from right back while also winning 6 of 7 ground duels and 2 of 3 tackles in RIFC’s 2-1 win at Las Vegas Lights FC.

M – Jorge Hernandez, San Antonio FC: The 2023 Golden Playmaker was a pivotal figure in San Antonio’s 3-1 victory on the road at Hartford Athletic, recording four chances created and two shots while completing 44 of 48 passes and winning 4 of 5 tackles and 7 of 10 ground duels.

M – Danny Crisostomo, Tampa Bay Rowdies: The central midfielder provided the assist on Manuel Arteaga’s equalizer for the Rowdies against El Paso Locomotive FC, hit the woodwork with one of his two shots, and had two chances created while completing 54 of 58 passes and winning 5 of 6 tackles.

M – Aaron Molloy, Charleston Battery: The two-time Championship All-League First Team selection notched his first assist of the campaign, had five chances created overall, won 10 of 18 ground duels and made 11 recoveries in his side’s 4-1 victory against FC Tulsa.

M – Jesus Enriquez, Monterey Bay F.C.: The 26-year-old notched the assist on Monterey Bay’s game-winner against Memphis 901 FC and had four chances created overall while defensively he won 3 of 3 tackles and 7 of 11 ground duels at AutoZone Park.

F – Greg Hurst, New Mexico United: The Scottish forward scored twice to pull New Mexico level in the first half before the visitors grabbed a late victory at North Carolina FC and had four shots overall while completing 10 of 14 passes.

F – MD Myers, Charleston Battery: Myers recorded two goals, hit the woodwork once – which led to another goal – and had five shots and two chances created overall in the Battery’s 4-1 victory on the road against FC Tulsa.

F – Edward Kizza, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: The Ugandan forward had a goal and assist as the Hounds picked up their first win of this season on the road at Phoenix Rising FC and had two shots, three chances created and completed 21 of 25 passes overall.

Coach - Khano Smith, Rhode Island FC: After four draws in its first five games in the Championship, Smith’s squad claimed the first win in RIFC history as an impressive first-half display paved the way to a 2-1 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC.

Bench: Danny Faundez (LOU), Jack Gurr (SAC), Brett Levis (DET), Javier Nevárez (ELP), Kobe Hernandez-Foster (BHM), Ben Morris (DET), Nick Markanich (CHS)