Sporting Kansas City forward Gerso Fernandes' superb first-half chip from Saturday's 5-1 demolition of the San Jose Earthquakes is one of five nominees for the AT&T MLS Goal of the Week. Fan can visit MLSsoccer.com to cast their vote until the ballot closes Thursday at 2 a.m. CT.
Fernandes ran riot on the Earthquakes with a two-goal, two-assist performance at Avaya Stadium as Sporting KC leapfrogged FC Dallas for first place in the Western Conference with their sixth win in seven games. The diminutive winger became the third player in Sporting KC history to record two goals and two assists in an MLS match, joining Sporting Legend Preki (1996 and 1998) and longtime forward Josh Wolff (2005).
Five minutes after setting up Felipe Gutierrez's go-ahead goal in the 18th minute, Fernandes doubled Sporting KC's lead with a sublime chip shot from a tight angle. That strike is on the MLS Goal of the Week ballot, but the Bissau-Guinean was far from finished putting San Jose to the sword. In the second half, he assisted Krisztian Nemeth's first goal since returning to Sporting KC last month, then lashed an excellent volley just inside the near post to complete a memorable night in Silicon Valley.
Manager Peter Vermes' men will continue their pursuit of a club-record eighth straight playoff berth on Sunday when the club visits the Philadelphia Union in a nationally televised showdown on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Kickoff is slated for noon CT at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania, with local radio broadcasts airing live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.
