Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson’s diving right-handed save on an Alan Gordon header didn’t just preserve the Fire’s 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy last Sunday. It also earned the rookie the NAPA Save of the Week for Matchday 18.
Johnson – who was selected 51st overall by the Fire in January’s MLS SuperDraft – made four saves in his MLS debut, but none bigger than the stop on Gordon to help the Fire hand LA their first home loss of the season. Johnson is the first rookie to win the award this season and the second Fire goalkeeper to do so, after Andrew Dykstra took the prize in Week 5.
Johnson earned approximately 50 percent of the vote, narrowly topping Kansas City’s Jimmy Nielsen (45 percent), who stopped Toronto FC coach forward Mista with a right-handed stop in the Wizards’ 1-0 win over Toronto FC.
San Jose’s Jon Busch, Colorado’s Matt Pickens and New York’s Bouna Coundoul rounded out the voting.
1. Sean Johnson – 50.11%
2. Jimmy Nielsen – 45.20%
3. Jon Busch – 2.45%
4. Matt Pickens – 1.21%
5. Bouna Coundoul – 1.02%
NAPA Save of the Week Winners
Week 18: Sean Johnson, Chicago Fire
Week 17: Kasey Keller, Seattle Sounders FC
Week 16: Jimmy Nielsen, Kansas City Wizards
Week 15: Stefan Frei, Toronto FC
Week 14: Jimmy Nielsen, Kansas City Wizards
Week 13: Jimmy Nielsen, Kansas City Wizards
Week 12: Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake
Week 11: Chris Seitz, Philadelphia Union
Week 10: Donovan Ricketts, LA Galaxy
Week 9: Jimmy Nielsen, Kansas City Wizards
Week 8: Gino Padula, Columbus Crew
Week 7: Kevin Hartman, FC Dallas
Week 6: Joe Cannon, San Jose Earthquakes
Week 5: Andrew Dykstra, Chicago Fire
