After starring in Saturday’s emphatic 4-0 win over the Colorado Rapids at Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting Kansas City striker Alan Pulido was unveiled today as a member of the MLS Team of the Week presented by Audi.
Making his first appearance for Sporting since Oct. 3 after missing four MLS matches while on international duty with Mexico, Pulido continued his brilliant debut campaign in Kansas City by scoring the game-winner of what became a runaway victory for Manager Peter Vermes’ men.
Pulido’s impressive finish in the 54th minute gave Sporting a 1-0 advantage and moved him into a tie for the team lead with six regular season goals alongside Johnny Russell and Gadi Kinda. The strike was one of six shots on target for the 29-year-old on Saturday, which tied Sporting’s single-game regular season record. Additionally, Pulido finished with a game-high eight touches in the opponent’s box and won nine duels, second-most among all field players.
While Pulido was showcased among the league’s best XI for Week 20, Sporting Kansas City defender Andreu Fontas was selected to the MLS Team of the Week bench. In the 67th minute, Fontas opened his MLS scoring account and notched his first professional goal since finding the net for Spanish side Celta Vigo in January 2017. He was a late addition to Sporting's lineup on Saturday after Winston Reid was a late scratch due to hamstring tightness.
Fontas made the most of his last-minute opportunity against the Rapids, becoming the first MLS player since the dawn of the Opta era in 2010 to record a goal, two clearances, two interceptions, two tackles, 10 recoveries and 65 successful passes in a shutout victory.
Team of the Week (4-3-3, right to left): Andre Blake (PHI) - Russell Canouse (DC), Walker Zimmerman (NSH), Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (MIA), Kai Wagner (PHI) - Diego Chara (POR), Maxi Moralez (NYC), Randall Leal (NSH) - Danny Musovski (LAFC), Alan Pulido (SKC), Sergio Santos (PHI)
Coach: Jim Curtin (PHI)
Bench: Jimmy Maurer (DAL) - Ali Adnan (VAN), Andreu Fontas (SKC), Lewis Morgan (MIA), Jose Andres Martinez (PHI), Kacper Przybylko (PHI), Aaron Schoenfeld (MIN)
Occupying first place in the Western Conference with three matches left on the regular season schedule, Sporting (10-6-3, 33 points) will look to continue their winning ways Wednesday with a visit to FC Cincinnati (4-12-4, 16 points) at Nippert Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT with live coverage on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM.
