Columbus Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers was voted Major League Soccer's Player of the Week for Week 7 of the 2008 season. With two goals on Saturday, Rogers sparked a Columbus Crew come-from-behind victory over the San Jose Earthquakes, which vaulted the Crew into first place in the Eastern Conference.
Down 1-0 in the 73rd minute, Rogers started the Crew's comeback. After receiving a long pass through the defense from Emmanuel Ekpo, Rogers took one touch and buried a left-footed shot under Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon. He would put the Crew ahead only eight minutes later when he broke through the defense again and gathered a pass from Alejandro Moreno. Rogers took one touch around Cannon, and shot into the net for his second goal of the game and fifth of the season.
Both teams would go on to score one more goal each, as the match finished 3-2 in favor of Columbus. Rogers leads the Crew in scoring with five goals and is tied for second in the Budweiser Golden Boot race for the League's top goal scorer. Rogers has already surpassed his 2007 goal scoring totals by two goals. Last year he notched three goals and one assist in 10 games.
The Crew were the first team in 2008 to come from behind and win a game after being scored upon first. Teams that have scored first in 2008 have a combined record of 37-1-7.
This marks the first Player of the Week award for Rogers, and the second awarded to a Crew player in 2008. Guillermo Barros Schelotto received the honor in Week 3. The Crew sits in the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 6-1-0 and 18 points. The Crew has won five straight, their only loss coming in the second week of the season. They travel to face Eastern Conference foes Toronto FC on Saturday, May 17 at 4 p.m. ET.
The Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected each week of the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from The North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.
2008 Player of the Week Winners
Week 1: Terry Cooke (Colorado Rapids)
Week 2: David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 3: Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew)
Week 4: Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 5: Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 6: David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 7: Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)
