NEW YORK (Monday, October 23, 2023) – Sporting Kansas City forward Johnny Russell was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 38 of the 2023 MLS season.
Russell scored two goals in the club’s 3-1 victory over Minnesota United FC on Saturday, October 21, which helped the club clinch a spot in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. With his brace, Russell produced his seventh career multi-goal game, tying Preki for the third-most multi-goal games in Sporting Kansas City history. The forward has scored in each of his last three matches, which marks his first three-game scoring streak since an eight-game stretch in 2021. Russell finished the 2023 regular season with eight goals – his third consecutive season hitting the back of the net at least eight times. The Scotsman joins Dom Dwyer (2014-16) and Preki (1996-98) as the only players in club history to accomplish this feat.
Russell opened the scoring in the 28th minute when he dribbled at a Minnesota defender, cut onto his left foot, and fired a curling effort into the side-netting to give the home side a 1-0 advantage (Watch Here). After Kansas City and Minnesota exchanged goals, Russell solidified all three points and a 3-1 victory in the 78th minute. The forward chased down a Loons defender and blocked the clearance into the air, which he volleyed home from short range to seal a postseason spot (Watch Here).
Russell is the second Kansas City player to be named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire this season, joining Alan Pulido on Matchday 18. This is the fourth time Russell has earned the honor in his career, joining Chris Klein (five), Preki (five), and Josh Wolff (six) as the only players with at least four Player of the Matchday awards in Sporting Kansas City history.
Kansas City, the No. 8 seed, will host the Western Conference Wild Card match against No. 9 San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, October 25 (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass) with the opportunity to face No. 1 St. Louis CITY SC in the Round One Best-of-3 Series on the line.
The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire is selected each matchday 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.
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