NEW YORK (Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021) – Los Angeles Football Club forward Cristian Arango has been voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Week for Week 31 of the 2021 MLS season.
Arango netted a hat trick, scoring all three goals for LAFC in their 3-2 victory against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium on Wednesday evening, the club’s second win in a row.
It’s the second time this season Arango has been named the MLS Player of the Week, after coming into the league during the secondary transfer window. The hat trick marked his third multiple-goal game already this season in MLS, just one off the league lead.
Arango pulled LAFC level for the first time, converting a penalty kick in the 33rd minute, his fifth penalty kick goal of the season, tying the score at 1-1.
Then in the final quarter-hour, Arango scored twice within a four-minute span, again leveling the score before giving LAFC the game-winner.
In the 75th minute, Arango finished off a quick break out of the midfield, putting a Danny Musovski pass into the back of the net after he was freed alone behind the FCD backline, for the equalizer at 2-2. Then in the 79th minute, Arango latched onto a deflected cross from the right corner, before driving a low shot home from the penalty area inside the near post for the decider.
The hat trick gave Arango 11 goals on the season, in just 13 matches played by the Colombian-born striker since being signed from Millonarios FC in his home country. Arango has scored each of LAFC’s last five goals, over the last two games.
Arango and LAFC return to action on Saturday evening, Oct. 23, facing Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field (7 p.m. CT, ESPN+) as they look to move back above the line into a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while a Twitter fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.
