Fire's Blanco named Player of Month

Chicago Fire midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco was voted MLS Player of the Month for May after registering two goals and four assists in four matches. He led the Fire to a 3-1-0 record in May with all three wins coming on the road. His performance in a 5-1 victory over the Red Bulls on May 25 earned Blanco his first Player of the Week honor since joining the League in July 2007.

The Fire sit in second place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 6-2-1 record and 19 points, just one point behind conference leaders New England Revolution (6-3-2, 20 pts). This is the first career Player of the Month award for Blanco.

Blanco provided his share of highlights in the month of May. He opened the campaign playing 90 minutes in a 3-0 victory at New England on May 3. In the Fire's second game of the month, May 8, he scored a spectacular goal in a 2-0 road victory over D.C. United that was voted Sierra Mist Goal of the Week for Week 7, which is sure to earn consideration for Goal of the Year honors, an award he captured last season. Blanco deftly dribbled through the midfield and blasted a left-footed shot from 30 yards out that swerved into the top right corner of the goal, past the outstretched hands of United goalkeeper Zach Wells.

He provided an assist in the Fire's only loss of the month, a 2-1 defeat at home to the Houston Dynamo on May 17, but capped the month for Chicago on May 25 with his most impressive performance of the season. Blanco played a part in all five goals when the Fire defeated the Red Bulls on the road Saturday, May 25. He scored one goal, tallied three assists and his corner kick led to the Fire's fifth goal, earning him Player of the Week honors for Week 9.

Blanco joined the Fire in July, 2007 as the team's first Designated Player. He was a finalist for the League's Most Valuable Player last year after only playing half a season, and helped his team to the Eastern Conference Championship. He is off to a great start this season; his four goals are tied for third most in the League and five assists are tied for second.

The Major League Soccer Player of the Month is selected following the last regular season game of each month 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 guidelines can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.