In a week that saw Sporting Kansas City jump to the top of the Western Conference, two players stood out among the rest.
Hat-trick hero Gerso and goalkeeper Tim Melia received MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week honors on Monday for their stellar contributions during Sporting Kansas City’s double-game week.
Gerso erupted for a second-half hat-trick in Wednesday’s 3-0 dismantling of Seattle Sounders FC — recording the seventh MLS hat-trick in club history and the first since 2010 — while Melia made 10 total saves against Seattle and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, including a penalty kick stop in Saturday’s 2-0 loss at BC Place that is up for MLS Save of the Week.
Goal.com also saved a Team of the Week spot for Gerso, who is now tied for the team lead with five goals alongside Dom Dwyer. The 26-year-old Designated Player has consistently been a menace for opposing defenses, ranking second in MLS with 29 dribbles completed and third with 74 touches in the opponent’s box.
While Wednesday was dubbed Gerso’s coming-out party among national pundits, Melia’s performances merely extended his stellar start to the 2017 campaign. The goalkeeper leads MLS with seven shutouts and an 82.0 save percentage (per Opta), while his 0.69 goals against average ranks second across the league.
Sporting Kansas City will return to action Saturday against the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. The Western Conference clash will kick off at 7 p.m. CT with three hours of live television coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. on FOX Sports Kansas City and FOX Sports Midwest Plus.
