NEW YORK - Los Angeles Galaxy forward Jovan Kirovski's dramatic half-field strike in the 79th minute in a 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire on Sunday night was voted by the fans as the Sierra Mist Goal of the Week for the week ending June 27, 2004 (Week 13). Kirovski's goal was his sixth of the season.
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 - Watch the goal here.
Kirvoski's goal (43 percent) was chosen ahead of MetroStars midfielder Eddie Gaven's (19 percent) curling strike against the Galaxy earlier in the week and that of Clint Dempsey (17 percent) of the New England Revolution. For the third consecutive week Dempsey scored in dramatic fashion, each time nominated for the award and each time coming up just short in the balloting. Also nominated were Dallas Burn forward Jason Kreis' 89th career goal, which made him the MLS career goal-scoring leader and Kansas City Wizards defender Jose Burciaga's left-footed strike from the top of the penalty area into the upper corner of the net.
With little more than 11 minutes to go in the scoreless game, Galaxy midfielder Andreas Herzog played a hopeful long ball forward in Carlos Ruiz's direction, and Fire goalkeeper Henry Ring alertly left the confines of his box coming well out of his penalty area to beat the Guatemalan international to the ball. But the 'keeper's clearance was poor and went directly to Kirovski in the center circle, and the Galaxy striker sent a first-time shot high over the retreating Ring and floating into the unguarded goal.
"The ball was played to the 'keeper and I anticipated that hopefully he'd play a bad ball and he did," said Kirovski after the game. "Fortunately he played it right to me. There's nothing else on my mind but to shoot and fortunately it went in."
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 presented at the annual Gala Awards ceremony 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)
