Kansas City Wizards Forward Eddie Johnson has been named MLS Player of the Month for April thanks to his hot start for the Kansas City Wizards in which he scored three goals (all game-winners) and recorded two primary assists in just four games. The Wizards have gone 3-1-0 thus far in MLS play and stand third in the Eastern Conference, only one point behind league leaders Red Bull New York and the Chicago Fire. Johnson becomes the seventh player in Wizards history to win a Player of the Month award and second to win the award for April.
"This is very exciting," Johnson said. "It's always an honor to win this award and to achieve great things this early in a season. I couldn't have done this without my teammates. They gave me the confidence to get out there and perform."
Head Coach Curt Onalfo feels Johnson deserves the recognition, but that the forward is not the only one behind an honor of this nature.
"This was well deserved for Eddie," Onalfo said. "He has played well throughout the past month, and he is off to a great start. His play has been facilitated because of great team effort. It is very fitting to top off a very good month, not only for Eddie but for the whole team."
Johnson became only the fifth player in team history to score three goals in the team's first four games. Unlike the four players before him, however, all of Johnson's goals have been game-winners. The Wizards are 3-1-0 in MLS play and 3-0-0 when Johnson scores. He has contributed two primary assists to go with his three goals and has taken two other shots that were later converted for goals off the rebound. In all, Johnson has played a part in seven of the Wizards league-leading nine goals so far in 2007.
"You are only as good as your last game, but this first month has been something great to build off," Johnson said. "It certainly provides great motivation for continuing to get better and to let everyone know I am back, I am ready to play and I am enjoying myself."
Johnson has tied Preki's team record for points through four games with eight. Johnson ranks second in MLS with three goals scored and first with three game-winning goals. He credits the new feeling within the organization for helping him and the team begin the season in such a strong manner.
"This year, everyone's mentality from the ownership to the front office to the coaching staff is completely different," Johnson said. "We're all on the same page. Our one goal is to be the most professional club in the United States. Our ownership has provided everything we have needed to be successful in the off-season and into the regular season."
KEY STATS:
Goals: 3 (2nd in MLS)
Game-winning goals: 3 (MLS leader)
Assists: 2 (t-5th in MLS)
Points: 8 (t-1st in MLS)
Shots: 14 (t-6th in MLS)
Shots on goal: 9 (t-2nd in MLS)
Wizards record: 3-1-0 (9 points - 3rd overall)
2007 GOALS
PLAYER - TEAM GP G A
Taylor Twellman - NE 4 4 0
Eddie Johnson - KC 4 3 2
Chris Rolfe - CHI 4 2 3
Jozy Altidore - NY 4 2 2
Maykel Galindo - CHV 4 2 2
Kenny Cooper - DAL 6 2 1
Ramon Nunez - DAL 6 2 1
Carlos Ruiz - DAL 6 2 1
Chad Barrett - CHI 4 2 0
Roberto Brown - COL 3 2 0
2007 GAME-WINNING GOALS
PLAYER - TEAM GP GWG
Eddie Johnson - KC 4 3
Jozy Altidore - NY 4 2
Roberto Brown - COL 3 2
Chris Rolfe - CHI 4 2
Taylor Twellman - NE 4 2
9 players tied with 1
Wizards all-time with 3 goals in 4 games
1997 - Preki (3 goals, 2 assists)
2000 - Miklos Molnar (3 goals, 1 assist)
2001 - Chris Brown (3 goals, 1 assist)
2005 - Chris Klein (3 goals, 0 assists)
2007 - Eddie Johnson (3 goals, 2 assists)
Wizards Players of the Month
April 2000 - Forward Miklos Molnar
5 goals, 1 assist in 7 games
May 2000 - Goalkeeper Tony Meola
4 shutouts, 4-0-1 record in 5 games
May 2003 - Midfielder Preki
5 goals, 1 assist in 6 games
June 2004 - Midfielder Chris Klein
6 assists in 6 games
August 2005 - Forward Scott Sealy
4 goals, 1 assist in 5 games
June 2006 - Defender Jose Luis Burciaga Jr.
4 goals, 1 assist in 5 games
April 2007 - Forward Eddie Johnson
3 goals (all game-winners), 2 assists in 4 games
