The awards keep coming in for Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gianluca Busio.
Already named to the MLS Team of the Week presented by Audi after scoring a world-class free kick and providing the game-winning assist in a 3-2 victory over Houston Dynamo FC last weekend, today Major League Soccer added AT&T Goal of the Week honors to Busio's list of accolades for Week 7 of the 2021 season.
Busio delivered a career performance as Children’s Mercy Park welcomed its first full capacity crowd since March 7, 2020. One day after turning 19 years old, the Sporting KC Academy product had a goal and an assist for the first time in his 56-game regular season career while also completing 72 of 79 passes at a clip of 91.1%. The all-action midfielder also hit game-highs in chances created (three), tackles (three), duels (13), possessions won (11) and recoveries (11).
With Sporting down 1-0 in the 51st minute, Busio ignited euphoric celebrations among the 20,086 fans in attendance with one of the greatest goals in Children’s Mercy Park history. Unleashing a 27-yard free kick that bent over the Houston wall and caromed into the net off the left post at 60 miles per hour, Busio drew Sporting level and set the stage for a thrilling comeback win.
In doing so, Busio became the youngest MLS player, and the first teenager, to score from a direct free kick since Opta began tracking the statistic in 2010.
Major League Soccer followers - and fans across the globe -- took notice as Busio convincingly won AT&T MLS Goal of the Week with 55.7 percent of all votes cast in the online poll, garnering more votes than the other three finalists combined.
Busio's free kick is one of three nominees for Sporting Kansas City's Helpful Moment of the Month, presented by Westlake Ace Hardware. Fans can submit their choice online at SportingKC.com for a chance to win a $250 gift card to Westlake Ace Hardware and two tickets to a future Sporting Kansas City home match.
