NEW YORK - Only five goals remain in the running for the 2007 Sierra Mist Goal of the Year. More than 500 goals were scored during the 2007 regular season, and fans have narrowed down the choices via online voting at MLSnet.com to determine the most remarkable goal of the 2007 regular season.
Voting started with fans able to select from 34 regular-season goals, which included the 29 winners of the Sierra Mist Goal of the Week and five additional nominees. The count starts over for each round, and fans have one week to determine the winner of this season's top strike, as voting ends on Nov. 14, 2007.
The Sierra Mist Goal of the Year will be announced on Nov. 16, 2007.
Click here to vote: http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/awards/2007/goal_of_the_year/
Top Five Sierra Mist Goal of the Year Candidates:
Joseph Ngwenya, Houston Dynamo (Week 15 vs. Chicago Fire)
In one of the most remarkable individual efforts of the season, Ngwenya collects a pass and touches it around a Fire defender. He rounds the defender, then dribbles past the goalkeeper and shoots into the net from a tight angle.
Kerry Zavagnin, Kansas City Wizards (Week 17 vs. Chivas USA)
The Wizards midfielder lines up a shot from 30 yards out and sends a left-footed rocket into the upper right corner of the goal past a helpless Brad Guzan.
Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Week 20 vs. Real Salt Lake)
The mercurial Mexican forward collects a pass 25 yards out from goal on the left wing and strikes a left-footed volley that dips over Nick Rimando and into the upper left corner of the goal.
Danny Dichio, Toronto FC (Week 29 vs. New England Revolution)
In Toronto FC's final game of the regular season, Dichio sends the home crowd home happy with a well-placed volley over Matt Reis. Dichio pounces on a loose ball, spins and volleys the ball into in net in stoppage time of the second half to level the score 2-2.
Michael Parkhurst, New England Revolution (Week 29 vs. Toronto FC)
The Revolution defender, who had never attempted a shot in his three MLS seasons, stole the ball in his own defensive end and launched a shot more than 60 yards over the head of Kenny Stamatopoulos to give the Revolution a lead in first-half stoppage time.
Goal of the Year Winners
2006: Brian Ching - Houston Dynamo vs. D.C. United - September 30, 2006
2005: Dwayne De Rosario - San Jose Earthquakes at Los Angeles Galaxy - October 15, 2005
2004: Dwayne De Rosario - San Jose Earthquakes vs. D.C. United - August 2, 2004
2003: Damani Ralph - Chicago Fire at Columbus Crew - August 13, 2003
2002: Carlos Ruiz - Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Columbus Crew - July 27, 2002
2001: Clint Mathis - MetroStars vs. Dallas Burn - April 28, 2001
2000: Marcelo Balboa - Colorado Rapids at Columbus Crew - April 22, 2000
1999: Marco Etcheverry - D.C. United at Miami Fusion - May 22, 1999
1998: Brian McBride - Columbus Crew vs. Chicago Fire - July 9, 1998
1997: Marco Etcheverry - D.C. United vs. New England Revolution - August 27, 1997
1996: Eric Wynalda - San Jose Earthquakes vs. D.C. United - April 6, 1996
