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USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 16

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 06/24/25, 2:30PM EDT

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New Mexico's Marlon Vargas named Player of the Week after productive performance for Western Conference leaders

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL Championship today announced the Team of the Week for Week 16 of the 2025 regular season, with New Mexico United midfielder Marlon Vargas named Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball with a goal and an assist against San Antonio FC.

After developing in the Seattle Sounders FC and Colorado Rapids systems, Vargas has enjoyed a productive start to his first full season in Albuquerque, now up to four goals and four assists across all competitions following his one-goal, one-assist performance in New Mexico's 4-2 victory against San Antonio. 

"It's an honor to be named the USL Championship Player of the Week, but my teammates and coaches deserve just as much credit for our success on Saturday," Vargas said. "Our focus is fully on bringing a championship to New Mexico."

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. Vargas finished with 45%, while the Charleston Battery's Arturo Rodriguez finished second on 27%.

GK – Carlos Herrera, Detroit City FC: Herrera led Detroit to its first victory since April 26 with a four-save shutout in DCFC's 2-0 victory against Miami, claiming his fourth clean sheet in 10 appearances for the club.

D – Jaylin Lindsey, New Mexico United: Lindsey opened the scoring against San Antonio with his first USL Championship goal, helping New Mexico to a 4-2 win on the day. The former United States youth international completed 83% of his passes, won all six of his duels, registered four recoveries and won three fouls.

D – Kai Greene, Oakland Roots SC: In Oakland's 1-0 win in Birmingham, the longtime USL Championship defender scored his first goal since 2021 and the first match-winner of his decade-long professional career. Greene finished with a 78% passing accuracy rate, six duels won, five clearances and three completed long passes.

D – Gabriel Torres, El Paso Locomotive FC: Torres recorded his 30th USL Championship goal contribution with an assist on Wahab Ackwei's opener in El Paso's 2-1 victory in Monterey Bay. The 28-year-old Brazilian added eight duels won, five recoveries, three tackles won, two accurate crosses, and completed 74% of his passes,

M – Marlon Vargas, New Mexico United: Vargas constructed his second one-goal, one-assist match of the season against San Antonio on Saturday. The 24-year-old completed 75% of his passes, won six duels, completed five dribbles, created three total chances and placed two shots on target.

M – Arturo Rodriguez, Charleston Battery: Rodriguez helped Charleston bounce back from a midweek loss against Miami with a match-winning brace against Phoenix on Saturday. Across 158 minutes, the 26-year-old totaled 11 duels won, 11 recoveries, seven fouls won, four chances created, three tackles won, and completed over 84% of his passes.

M – Luiz Fernando, New Mexico United: Fernando tallied the eighth multi-goal-contribution match of his professional career, scoring the winner against San Antonio in the first minute of second-half stoppage time before providing an assist two minutes later. The 28-year-old also completed 64% of his passes, won four duels and placed two shots on target.

M – Jeciel Cedeño, Detroit City FC: Cedeño scored his third match-winning goal of the season, helping Detroit down Miami, 2-0. The Ecuadorian also won a penalty kick, completed 82% of his passes, won six duels and earned four fouls.

F – Mukwelle Akale, New Mexico United: With a goal and assist against San Antonio, the second-year New Mexico man became the fifth player in club history to record four or more multi-goal-contribution matches in league play. The 28-year-old completed 81% of his passes, won six duels, created four chances, won three fouls, reeled in three recoveries, won two tackles, 

F – Kyle Edwards, Hartford Athletic: The St. Vincent and the Grenadines international became the second player in club history to record three braces for Hartford, helping the side to a 3-0 victory against Loudoun on Friday. Edwards also contributed with a 70% passing accuracy rate, five duels won and three shots on target across 68 minutes.

F – Andy Cabrera, El Paso Locomotive FC: Cabrera won and converted the match-winning penalty kick in El Paso's 2-1 road win against Monterey Bay. The 24-year-old finished with an 82% passing accuracy rate, six duels won, five fouls earned and two shots on target.

Coach – John Bradford, North Carolina FC: The fifth-year North Carolina coach helped his side to its first victory against Louisville since 2019, snapping LouCity's 13-match unbeaten start to the USL Championship season.

Bench – Danny Vitiello (SAC), Finn Sundstrom (NC), Wahab Ackwei (ELP), Juan David Torres (CHS), Mikey Maldonado (NC), Mamadou Dieng (HFD), Augustine Williams (PIT)

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