Landon Donovan Named MLS Player of the Week

LA Galaxy forward Landon Donovan was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 7 of the 2010 MLS season. Donovan had a hand in all five of the Galaxy’s goals in two games this week, helping the team win 1-0 at Colorado on Wednesday and then 4-0 at Seattle on Saturday, claiming four assists and adding his first goal of the season. Donovan is the second consecutive Galaxy player to be named the MLS Player of the Week after Edson Buddle won the award last week.

This is Donovan’s first Player of the Week award this season and the 11th of his MLS career, with eight of those coming while a member of the Galaxy. His 11 Player of the Week awards are the second most in MLS history behind only FC Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham.

Donovan began the week by setting up the Galaxy’s only goal in a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Wednesday night. In the 21st minute, after being fouled by Julian Baudet inside the Galaxy’s attacking third, Donovan floated a freekick to the left corner of the six-yard box for forward Alan Gordon to head home, giving LA a 1-0 lead. That turned out to be all the offense the Galaxy would need as they held on for the 1-0 victory, their first regular season win in Colorado since July 13, 2002.

On Saturday, Donovan and the Galaxy remained unbeaten on the season and picked up their second road win four days, handing Seattle a 4-0 defeat at Qwest Field. Donovan set up each of the first three goals in that game as Jovan Kirovski, Omar Gonzalez and Todd Dunivant put LA up 3-0 before Donovan rounded out the scoring with his first goal of the season.

The Galaxy captain has assisted on five of teammate Edson Buddle’s nine goals in 2010 and Buddle returned the favor Saturday by setting up Donovan for his first goal of the season. In the 67th minute, Buddle carried the ball along the right sideline, cut inside toward the 18-yard box, and sent a pass through the box for Donovan running into the area. Donovan redirected the cross just inside the right post from less than six yards out to score the Galaxy’s fourth and final goal of the match.

Donovan has consistently contributed to the LA attack throughout the 2010 season with an assist in all but two of the Galaxy’s eight matches. He currently leads the league in assists with nine, which are four shy of his career-high of 13 that he set in 2007.

The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.

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)

Donovan and the Galaxy are back home this week to take on Toronto FC at The Home Depot Center. That game, which will be played on Saturday, May 15, kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and is the club’s final game before players depart for training camp ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup. The first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a special commemorative poster featuring any players that the Galaxy have included in the U.S. National Team and there will be a ceremony held after the game as the Galaxy and their fans official send their heroes off to training camp ahead of the World Cup. For more information about this game, or to purchase tickets to it, please visit www.lagalaxy.com or call 1-877-3GALAXY (342-5299).