Tesho Akindele's case for the Rookie of the Year award just got a little stronger.
In the midst of a battle with Chicago Fire youngster Harry Shipp for this season's rookie honors, Akindele improved his chances by scoring a hat trick in FC Dallas' 5-0 road romp over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday. The 22-year-old Canadian forward continued his recent tear with a three-goal showing that gives him six goals in as many games and ups his season total to seven.
The performance for red-hot FC Dallas was enough for Akindele to be voted Week 23's MLS Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters. He just beat out a class of candidates that included teammate Fabian Castillo, Dom Dwyer, Luis Silva and Tony Tchani.
Akindele is the first member of FC Dallas named Player of the Week this season and second rookie after Shipp, who netted a hat trick of his own to win the honors back in Week 10.
2014 MLS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
- Week 23: Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas)
- Week 22: Chris Schuler (Real Salt Lake)
- Week 21: Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
- Week 20: Yannick Djalo (San Jose Earthquakes)
- Week 19: Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City)
- Week 18: Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)
- Week 17: Erick Torres (Chivas USA)
- Week 16: Jack McInerney (Montreal Impact)
- Week 15: Luis Silva (D.C. United)
- Week 14: Fanendo Adi (Portland Timbers)
- Week 13: Deshorn Brown (Colorado Rapids)
- Week 12: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
- Week 11: Federico Higuaín (Columbus Crew)
- Week 10: Harry Shipp (Chicago Fire)
- Week 9: Joao Plata (Real Salt Lake)
- Week 8: Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)
- Week 7: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
- Week 6: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders)
- Week 5: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders)
- Week 4: Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
- Week 3: Bernardo Añor (Columbus Crew)
- Week 2: Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC)
- Week 1: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
