In a year in which Chris Wondolowski has been full of surprises, the San Jose Earthquakes striker added one more on Monday: his second MLS Player of the Week award in three weeks, as voted on by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR).
Wondolowski put up two goals against D.C. United on Saturday – including a Goal of the Week candidate off a volley that caromed off the underside of the bar – to help the Quakes clinch their first playoff appearance since being reinstated in 2008.
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That brace also pushed Wondo into sole possession of second place in the Golden Boot race, his total of 14 goals now just two behind Edson Buddle on the league scoring sheets. Prior to this year, Wondo had never scored more than five goals in a season during his career as a reserve striker.
But since becoming a starter in Frank Yallop's attack, Wondolowski has fluorished and is now one goal away from matching Ronald Cerritos' single-season club record of 15, set in 1999. Wondo also leads MLS this season with eight game-winning goals and is a surprise candidate for the MVP award.
“I said it before and I’ll say it again," said Yallop after Saturday's victory, "there are some good players in the league, but to go from where Wondolowski has come to be where he is now is outstanding. Hopefully he’ll be in there [for MVP discussion] — I know that I’d vote for him.”
2010 MLS Player of the Week Winners
Week 1: Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake)
Week 2: Kenny Mansally (New England Revolution)
Week 3: Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)
Week 4: Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy)
Week 5: Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC )
Week 6: Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy)
Week 7: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
Week 8: Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake)
Week 9: Emilio Renteria (Columbus Crew)
Week 10: Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC)
Week 11: Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
Week 12: Chris Pontius (D.C. United)
Week 13: Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls)
Week 14: Álvaro Saborío (Real Salt Lake)
Week 15: Justin Braun (Chivas USA)
Week 16: Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)
Week 17: Steve Zakuani (Seattle Sounders)
Week 18: Juan Pablo Ángel (New York Red Bulls)
Week 19: Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas)
Week 20: Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake)
Week 21: Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo)
Week 22: Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders)
Week 23: Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids)
Week 24: Alan Gordon (Chivas USA)
Week 25: Blaise Nkufo (Seattle Sounders)
Week 26: Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 27: Bouna Coundoul (New York Red Bulls)
Week 28: Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
