MetroStars forward Youri Djorkaeff today was selected as the Honda MLS Player of the Week for Week 25 which ended on Sunday, September 18. Djorkaeff scored twice, including the 86th minute game-winner as the MetroStars defeated the New England Revolution 5-4 on Saturday night at Giants Stadium to keep their playoff chances alive. This is Djorkaeff's second Player of the Month honor of the 2005 season.
Djorkaeff's long pass in the game's seventh minute started off the scoring on the night. Taking a quick pass from Michael Bradley just past midfield on the right side, Djorkaeff turned and sent a long ball across the field in to the area where Mike Magee chest trapped and fired in the first goal of the night.
Coming out of the half-time break tied at 1-1, Djorkaeff gave the Metros the lead again in minute 51. Amado Guevara provide the pass into the Revs area where Djorkaeff took one touch around Revs goalkeeper Matt Reis to his left and fired in on the empty net.
The teams would score five more time from that point, with the Metros tying the game in the 76th minute at 4-4.
Djorkaeff provided the final heroics to the night, scoring the game-winner with four minutes to play. Moving forward through the defense from the right side, Djorkaeff saw Reis cheating from his line and from a tight angle near the endline, was able to sneak a shot past the keeper on the near post for his ninth goal of the year.
The win brought the MetroStars to within three points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with five games to go.
In a weekend that saw four players score twice in their respective games, Djorkaeff was the clear choice over Chicago Fire rookie forward Chris Rolfe and FC Dallas forward Roberto Mina for the weekly award. The Honda Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected every week throughout the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from the Professional Soccer Reporters Association (PSRA).
2005 PLAYER OF THE WEEK WINNERS
Week 1: Edson Buddle (Columbus Crew)
Week 2: Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 3: Jon Busch (Columbus Crew)
Week 4: Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution)
Week 5: Amado Guevara (MetroStars)
Week 6: Freddy Adu (D.C. United)
Week 7: Josh Wolff (Kansas City Wizards)
Week 8: Ronnie O'Brien (FC Dallas)
Week 9: Carlos Ruiz (FC Dallas)
Week 10: Nate Jaqua (Chicago Fire)
Week 11: Zach Wells (MetroStars)
Week 12: Jeff Cunningham (Colorado Rapids)
Week 13: Pat Noonan (New England Revolution)
Week 14: Joe Cannon (Colorado Rapids)
Week 15: Matt Taylor (Chivas USA)
Week 16: Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
Week 17: Mark Chung (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 18: no winner (All-Star break)
Week 19: Youri Djorkaeff (MetroStars)
Week 20: Josh Wolff (Kansas City Wizards)
Week 21: Amado Guevara (MetroStars)
Week 22: Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
Week 23: Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire)
Week 24: Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
Week 25: Youri Djorkaeff (MetroStars)
