Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum is one of five finalists for MLS Save of the Week, Major League Soccer announced on Monday. The Overland Park, Kansas native earned the nomination for his superb stop in the 28th minute of a 0-0 draw at Eastern Conference leaders D.C. United on Friday.
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Starting his 10th match of the year and fifth consecutive road game, Gruenebaum extended the club's road shutout streak to 217 minutes with his 20th career MLS clean sheet. Voted Man of the Match on SportingKC.com, Gruenebaum tied his career high with seven saves at RFK Stadium. Four of the stops came on Argentine forward Fabian Espindola, highlighted by his block on an attempt from the top of the 18-yard box that was laced between Lawrence Olum and Seth Sinovic.
"It’s a good result for us. We would have liked to have taken away three points and start getting in a winning habit, but I think we played well and I think we’ve been playing well, so I think we need to keep on with the form we’re in," Gruenebaum said. "To play in these environments, especially on the road, and not give up a goal is critical."
Gruenebaum - who at age 31 is the oldest player to appear for Sporting KC this season -- has a 5-3-2 record as a starter in 2014 with 28 saves and a 1.26 goals against average in MLS play. The ninth-year professional was acquired from Columbus prior to the 2014 season and started each of Sporting Kansas City's two matches in the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, as well as a 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League group stage victory over Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa.
Other MLS Save of the Week nominees for Week 21 are Tyler Deric (HOU), Bobby Shuttleworth (NE), Evan Bush (MTL) and Clint Irwin (COL). Voting runs until 11:59 p.m. PT on Thursday.
Gruenebaum was a Save of the Week finalist in Weeks 21 and 26. He could become the third different Sporting KC goalkeeper to win the weekly award in 2014 after Eric Kronberg took home the honor in Week 9, while homegrown goalkeeper Jon Kempin earned the recognition in back-to-back weeks (22 and 23).
