NEW YORK - Real Salt Lake forward Jeff Cunningham was selected as the Major League Soccer's Player of the Week for his two goal performance in his team's opening game of the season on Saturday, April 7 versus FC Dallas.
Cunningham, last season's Budweiser Golden Boot winner, notched goals in the 29th and 51st minutes of Real Salt Lake's 2-2 tie versus FC Dallas. His second goal gave Real Salt Lake a 2-1 lead, but FC Dallas was able to grab a late equalizer in second-half stoppage time.
Now in his tenth MLS season, Cunningham ranks fourth on the all-time goals scored list. Saturday's two-goal performance raised his career goal total to 92. Jason Kreis (108), Jaime Moreno (105) and Ante Razov (99) are the only three players currently ahead of Cunningham.
Cunningham is coming off of a stellar 2006 season in which he scored 16 goals to win the Golden Boot award, and a place among the three finalists for Honda MVP. He was named MLS Player of the Week four times in 2006 and has won the award nine times in his 10-year career. Cunningham and Cobi Jones (Los Angeles Galaxy) hold the record for most MLS Player of the Week awards with nine each. Cunningham and Real Salt Lake are back in action at home on Saturday, April 14 versus the Columbus Crew at 6 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 Professional Soccer Reporters Association (PSRA).
2007 Player of the Week Winners
Week 1: Jeff Cunningham (Real Salt Lake)
