Rarely are 30 minutes enough for a player to earn the MLS Player of the Week award.
San Jose Earthquakes forward Steven Lenhart pulled off the feat last weekend with a two-goal appearance off the bench against the Philadelphia Union, which won the North American Soccer Reporters vote as Week 8's top performer.
The Californian, who also claimed the award last year in Week 13, narrowly edged out D.C. United's Maicon Santos by two first-place votes (see who and how the media voted here).
Lenhart came on at the hour mark and scored two headers, including a stoppage-time game-winner, as the Earthquakes maintained the lead atop the Western Conference.
2012 MLS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Week 8: Steven Lenhart (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 7: Chris Pontius (D.C. United)
Week 6: Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA)
Week 5: Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)
Week 4: Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)
Week 3: Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)
Week 2: David Estrada (Seattle Sounders)
Week 1: Kalif Alhassan (Portland Timbers)
