San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Mark Chung was selected as the Honda MLS Player of the Week for Week 17 which ended on Sunday, July 24. Chung scored the winning goal against his former team on Wednesday as the Quakes defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-1 on the road and then scored a goal and an assist on Saturday, July 23 in San Jose's 2-1 home win over the MetroStars. Chung, who captured his sixth career Player of the Week honor, is the only player to win the award with four different teams (Kansas City -- Week 12, 1996; MetroStars -- Week 9, 1999; Colorado -- Week 10 and 11, 2002, Week 14, 2003).
Chung began the week with a goal against his former team on Wednesday in INVESCO Field at Mile High. In the 73rd minute Earthquakes' midfielder Dwayne De Rosario made a long dribbling run toward goal which attracted three Rapids defenders. Chung, unmarked at the top of the box, received the ball from De Rosario and fired a first-time shot into the far corner of the net for his third goal of the year.
On Saturday at Spartan Stadium, Chung and the Quakes continued their winning ways with a victory over the MetroStars. Less then a minute after the Metros got on the board courtesy of a San Jose own goal in the 32nd minute, Chung evened the scored by connecting on a diving-header from a first-time pass from De Rosario at the back post to make it 1-1.
Chung returned the favor in the second half, combining with De Rosario for the winning goal. In the 53rd minute, Chung sprung the Canadian international down the center of the field and he was able to beat MetroStars keeper Tony Meola for the goal.
The Honda Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected every week throughout the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from the Professional Soccer Reporters Association (PSRA).
2005 PLAYER OF THE WEEK WINNERS
Week 1: Edson Buddle (Columbus Crew)
Week 2: Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 3: Jon Busch (Columbus Crew)
Week 4: Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution)
Week 5: Amado Guevara (MetroStars)
Week 6: Freddy Adu (D.C. United)
Week 7: Josh Wolff (Kansas City Wizards)
Week 8: Ronnie O'Brien (FC Dallas)
Week 9: Carlos Ruiz (FC Dallas)
Week 10: Nate Jaqua (Chicago Fire)
Week 11: Zach Wells (MetroStars)
Week 12: Jeff Cunningham (Colorado Rapids)
Week 13: Pat Noonan (New England Revolution)
Week 14: Joe Cannon (Colorado Rapids)
Week 15: Matt Taylor (Chivas USA)
Week 16: Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
Week 17: Mark Chung (San Jose Earthquakes)
