NEW YORK
(Monday, July 1, 2019)
– San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Vako was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Week for the 17
th
week of the 2019 MLS season.
Vako scored two goals in San Jose’s 2-0 home win over the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday before registering one goal and an assist in a 3-0 victory over the LA Galaxy on Saturday. The Georgia National Team player scored game-winning goals in both matches. On the season Vako has now scored four goals to go along with two assists in eight starts. San Jose sits in 5
th
place in the Western Conference with 25 points (7-6-4 overall record).
San Jose took a 1-0 lead over Houston in the 22
nd
minute when Vako collected a corner kick directly in front of goal and finished with a chip over the goalkeeper (
watch goal
). Vako then secured a brace in the 75
th
minute with a curling shot from the top of the box to the left side of goal (
watch goal
).
Vako continued his scoring ways in the California Clasico, taking an early 1-0 advantage against the Galaxy in the 11
th
minute with a powerful shot from the top of the box towards the left side of goal (
watch goal
). San Jose then took a 2-0 lead in the 82
nd
minute when Vako sent a pass over defenders to a wide open Shea Salinas, who finished with an impressive strike from the right side of the box (
watch assist
).
San Jose returns to action on Wednesday when traveling to face Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+), before hosting Real Salt Lake at Avaya Stadium on Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
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.
