LA Galaxy captain Landon Donovan was today named the winner of the 2009 AT&T MLS Goal of the Year Award. With the scored tied 0-0 between the Galaxy and New England Revolution on August 8, Donovan hit a left-footed volley off a New England clearance that beat the diving Matt Reis and curled just inside the far post to give the Galaxy a 1-0 lead.
The Galaxy went on to win that game 2-1, stretching their unbeaten streak to six games and giving the club their first regular season road win over the Revolution since July 11, 1999. Donovan’s goal was his ninth of 12 on the season and stretched his consecutive games played with a goal streak to three games.
Donovan’s strike was one of three Galaxy goals on the initial list of 40 goals that was compiled by Major League Soccer for Goal of the Year voting. Eddie Lewis’ late equalizer against Columbus on May 17 made the list but was eliminated in the first round of voting, while Alecko Eskandarian’s first half volley in LA’s 3-1 win over the New York Red Bulls on July 16 was one of the ten goals to reach the final round of voting.
Donovan is just the second Galaxy player to win the MLS Goal of the Year award, joining Carlos Ruiz who claimed the award in 2002. His goal against the Revolution was voted by fans as the best of the 571 goals scored in Major League Soccer this season.
Here is another look at the goal and be sure to check below for a complete list of past Goal of the Year winners.
MLS Goal of the Year Winners
2009: Landon Donovan – LA Galaxy
2008: Will Johnson – Real Salt Lake
2007: Cuauhtémoc Blanco – Chicago Fire
2006: Brian Ching – Houston Dynamo
2005: Dwayne De Rosario – San Jose Earthquakes
2004: Dwayne De Rosario – San Jose Earthquakes
2003: Damani Ralph – Chicago Fire
2002: Carlos Ruiz – Los Angeles Galaxy
2001: Clint Mathis – MetroStars
2000: Marcelo Balboa – Colorado Rapids
1999: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United
1998: Brian McBride – Columbus Crew
1997: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United
1996: Eric Wynalda – San Jose Clash
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Landon Donovan Wins 2009 AT&T Goal of the Year Award
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3 comments:
Congratulations to Landon! It was a stunning goal. Well-deserved winner!
Now, on to the MVP!!
WOOO YAAA congratulations Landon !!
that was one amazing goal !!!
Yay! It was quite a goal. So happy for LD!
I'm already tired of the haters saying it was deflected. If there was a deflection, it was so little as to be inconsequential. The path of the ball did not change - it took a smooth curve from his foot into the net. That was all Landon right there :)
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