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Mapp picked tops of the week
Philadelphia Union midfielder Justin Mapp was voted MLS Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters for his two-goal performance that helped his club to a 6-2 win at Toronto in Week 11.
Entering the game having scored just eight goals in 10 games, the Union’s offense exploded at BMO Field. After Gabriel Farfan opened the scoring in the second minute, Mapp intercepted a pass about 35 yards out and headed straight at the center of Toronto’s defense. Mapp used Kyle Nakazawa’s wall pass to clear space for a low, left-footed drive from just outside the penalty arc that beat goalkeeper Stefan Frei inside the right post in the 11th minute.
Up 3-0 at halftime, Philadelphia looked in full control of the match, but Toronto tallied the next two goals. Then Mapp struck again on a similar play, from a similar distance, to his first goal. After stealing a Toronto pass on the right flank, Mapp dribbled to the top of the box, cut to his left and blasted a shot into far side netting. The goal – just three minutes after Toronto had closed within one – was nominated for AT&T Goal of the Week and proved pivotal as the Union piled on two more to seal its second road win of the season. Philadelphia maintained its lead atop the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of its chief rival, the New York Red Bulls.
CSN Vote: One of the things I love about the NASR is that we all cover soccer and we don’t agree on who is the most worthy of player of the week.
This week, we went with Jeff Larentowicz. He has turned in stellar work in the midfield all season, and he picked up both goals in a 2-2 tie with New York on Wednesday. For this, he was our choice as player of the week.
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