Search Shop
Announce
Clemson Players in the Professional Ranks

Clemson Players in the Professional Ranks

It was another busy week for a handful of former Clemson men’s soccer players at several different professional levels. Details below, and be sure to follow @ClemsonMSoccer on Twitter for updates throughout the week.

Thomas McNamara was a sub for New York City FC this weekend, facing Amadou Dia’s Sporting KC club at Yankee Stadium. Sporting KC was victorious 1-0, but not before NYCFC had several scoring chances during stoppage time. McNamara served in a ball from the left side in the 93rd minute to his teammate Jeb Brovsky, but Brovsky could not score the equalizer. Dia was on the bench for Sporting KC in the contest.

Time to get the legs going #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/wFtVBLDBII

— New York City FC (@NYCFC) March 28, 2015

Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC also squared off in MLS action this past weekend. Former Clemson captain Phanuel Kavita signed a homegrown contract with RSL before the season and spent his first time on the bench for RSL this weekend. Joe Bendik, another former Tiger, started in goal for Toronto and went the distance. He has 14 saves on the season so far. 

In United Soccer League (USL) action, the Charlotte Independence and Charleston Battery squared off Friday night in Charlotte, the Battery were victorious 3-2. Former Clemson player Jack Metcalf played a full 90 minutes for Charlotte in it’s first ever game as a franchise. Facing a late deficit, Charlotte pressed to score the equalizer before the final whistle. On perhaps it’s best chance, former Tiger Austin Savage headed the ball away in stoppage time to prevent a Charlotte score. Savage saw action as a sub in the second half. 

Manolo Sanchez, a draft pick of the New York Red Bulls in January, made his professional debut with the New York Red Bulls II this weekend against the Rochester Rhinos. The Red Bulls II, as the organization is calling the team, serves as another rung on the development ladder within the club. Sanchez is one of four MLS players on the roster currently.

Stay tuned for all the #NYRBII details coming this week! http://t.co/a03L3UkwcM #USLpro pic.twitter.com/FI18EyxBzf

— NYRB II (@NYRBII) February 9, 2015

Here’s your first-ever starting XI for #NYRBII: Castano, Thomas, da Fonte, Plewa, Heffron, Zajec, Stolz, Manosalvas, Sanchez, Tsonis, Obekop

— NYRB II (@NYRBII) March 28, 2015

Throughout the season, the team will face competition from the USL. MLS players are available to the Red Bulls II on a week-to-week basis, the club reserves the right to call them up to the first team at any time. Sanchez can still compete in MLS this season.

65 – Dangerous ball in from Manolo Sanchez that’s cleared by @RochesterRhinos. Still scoreless, but #NYRBII are threatening.

— NYRB II (@NYRBII) March 28, 2015

As long as he is with the Red Bulls II, he’ll face opponents such as Metcalf’s Charlotte Independence and Savage’s Charleston Battery.

News