For the fourth time in seven weeks, a Toronto FC player has been voted the Alcatel MLS PLayer of the Week.
Jozy Altidore nabbed the honor this time by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 27 after logging the eighth brace of his MLS career in TFC’s 4-0 shellacking of the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday at BMO Field.
Sebastian Giovinco won the award in Week 25 and Week 21, sandwiched around TFC teammate Justin Morrow’sWeek 23 win.
Altidore upped his goal total to 13 on the season, to go along with five assists — both matching career highs in MLS play.
The standout striker’s first goal came in the 48th minute when he found open space behind the defense and finished a beautiful through ball from Victor Vazquez to give the Reds a 2-0 lead.
He completed the brace on a powerful 64th-minute header on a cross from Steven Beitashour, helping to seal a win that clinched the league’s first spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Winners of five straight matches, Altidore and TFC sit atop the Supporters’ Shield standings with 59 points (17-3-8 overall record) and return to action Saturday to face the LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center (10:30 pm ET, TSN1/3/4 in Canada, MLS LIVE in US).
The Alcatel MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.
