NEW YORK - Chivas USA forward Maykel Galindo was selected as Major League Soccer's Player of the Week for his two-goal performance in his team's 4-0 win over Real Salt Lake on Saturday, April 21, 2007.
Galindo, a first-year MLS player, scored his first and second career goals in Saturday's win propelling his team to a 4-0 victory, their second of the season (2-1-0). His first goal came only 28 seconds into the game, as he rounded Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando and fired from a tough angle on the right side of the penalty area. It was the sixth fastest goal in MLS history. Galindo's second goal came only eight minutes later as he used his pace to beat defenders down the right wing, cut into the box and fire home another goal from a tough angle.
The 26-year old Cuban signed with Chivas USA during the 2007 preseason. Previously, he played one and a half seasons for the USL's Seattle Sounders and scored five goals. In 2005, Galindo sought political asylum from Cuba, when as a member of the Cuban national team he left the team hotel in Seattle and was taken in by a Seattle family. He is currently in the process of applying for a U.S. Green Card.
This is Galindo's first MLS Player of the Week award. He and Chivas USA are back in action on Saturday, April 28 versus Western Conference rivals Los Angeles Galaxy at 10:30 p.m. ET in a game broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español.
The Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected each week of the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from the Professional Soccer Reporters Association (PSRA).
2007 Player of the Week Winners
Week 1: Jeff Cunningham (Real Salt Lake)
Week 2: Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards)
Week 3: Maykel Galindo (Chivas USA)
