Seattle's Zakuani voted Player of the Week

Simon Borg

NEW YORK – The Seattle Sounders are arguably the hottest club entering the MLS Cup Playoffs and one of the reasons they are so feared is left winger Steve Zakuani.

The 22-year-old was voted MLS Player of the Week for the second time this year by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) after registering a goal and an assist in the Sounders’ 2-1 victory against Chivas USA last Friday night.

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Zakuani opened the scoring with a tally worthy of a Goal of the Week nomination. In the ninth minute he went on a slalom run, bypassing four defenders and the goalkeeper for his 10^th goal of the season which ties him for the team lead.

The Congo native and former Akron University star then turned provider 16 minutes later when he made an overlapping run down the left side of the box and crossed the ball back toward teammate Osvaldo Alonso, who applied the finish.

Zakuani, the No. 1 pick of the 2009 SuperDraft now has 10 goals and six assists on the year, which surpass his rookie totals of four goals and four assists from last year.

He joins Sebastien Le Toux (PHI), Chris Wondolowski (SJ), Javier Morales (RSL), Edson Buddle (LA) and Dwayne De Rosario (TFC) as the sixth player to win the Player of the Week award twice in 2010.

2010 MLS Player of the Week Winners

Week 1: Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake)

Week 2: Kenny Mansally (New England Revolution)

Week 3: Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)

Week 4: Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy)

Week 5: Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC )

Week 6: Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy)

Week 7: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)

Week 8: Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake)

Week 9: Emilio Renteria (Columbus Crew)

Week 10: Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC)

Week 11: Brek Shea (FC Dallas)