NEW YORK (Wednesday, October 13, 2004) - Columbus Crew forward Edson Buddle's blast off a free kick in a midweek 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, October 6 was voted the Sierra Mist MLS Goal of the Week for the week ending October 10, 2004 (Week 28). The goal was Buddle's 11th of the season, establishing a new career high.
The Goal of the Week winner is determined from a selection of finalists through a fan vote conducted on the Sierra Mist Goal of the Week section of Major League Soccer's official web site: www.MLSnet.com.
The game opened up in the second half, with the Crew hitting for the game's only goal in the 59th minute. After Chicago defender Evan Whitfield pulled down Crew forward Jeff Cunningham in front of the area on the left side, Simon Elliott put the free kick into motion with a quick touch to his right. Buddle came on to hit a beautiful first-time curling strike from 25-yards out that bent away from goalkeeper Henry Ring as it settled inside his left-hand post over his outstretched arms. It was Buddle's 11th strike of the year, pulling him into a six-way tie for the Golden Boot as the League's leading goalscorer.
Buddle's goal (66 percent of the fan vote) easily took the majority of the votes, with D.C. United's Christian Gomez's volley taking second place (18 percent). Rounding out the voting were two goals by the Galaxy's Jovan Kirovski and the Crew's Jeff Cunningham.
Streaming video highlights and goals from MLS games are available for viewing every weekend on MLSnet.com just hours after the conclusion of the final match of the weekend. The Sierra Mist Goal of the Week winner is announced the following Wednesday.
At the end of the regular season, each of the 29 Goal of the Week winners selected throughout the season will be featured in voting for the Sierra Mist MLS Goal of the Year, an award presented annually to the author of the season's most spectacular scoring play. The Sierra Mist Goal of the Year award will be announced in the days leading up to MLS Cup 2004.
2004 SIERRA MIST GOAL OF THE WEEK WINNERS:
Week 1: Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United)
Week 2: Ronald Cerritos (D.C. United)
Week 3: Dwayne De Rosario (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 4: Carlos Ruiz (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 5: Joe Franchino (New England Revolution)
Week 6: Cornell Glen (MetroStars)
Week 7: Jaime Moreno (D.C. United)
Week 8: Freddy Adu (D.C. United)
Week 9: John Wolyniec (MetroStars)
Week 10: Damani Ralph (Chicago Fire)
Week 11: Jeff Agoos (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 12: Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United)
Week 13: Jovan Kirovski (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 14: Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United)
Week 15: Steve Ralston (New England Revolution)
Week 16: Brian Ching (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 17: Jack Jewsbury (Kansas City Wizards)
Week 18: Amado Guevara (MetroStars)
Week 19: Dwayne De Rosario (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 20: Matt Crawford (Colorado Rapids)
Week 21: Ross Paule (Columbus Crew)
Week 22: Ronnie O'Brien (Dallas Burn)
Week 23: Josh Wolff (Kansas City Wizards)
Week 24: Tony Sanneh (Columbus Crew)
Week 25: Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United)
Week 26: Cornell Glen (MetroStars)
Week 27: Andy Herron (Chicago Fire)
Week 28: Edson Buddle (Columbus Crew)
