NEW YORK - FC Dallas midfielder Ronnie O'Brien was selected as the Honda MLS Player of the Week for Week 8 which ended on May 23, 2005. In two games, O'Brien scored two goals and added two assists helping FC Dallas first defeat the Colorado Rapids 2-1 at home on Wednesday, May 25 and then take three points on the road in the team's 5-2 win over Chivas USA on Sunday evening. This is O'Brien's second Player of the Week honor after having won his first for Week 22 in 2004.
With Colorado leading 1-0 on Wednesday at the Cotton Bowl, O'Brien knocked in his third goal of the year six minutes into the second half to begin the Dallas comeback. Going into the game, FC Dallas were winless in their previous 40 matches (0-34-6) when trailing after 45 minutes. Prior to May 18, 2005, the last time the club had come back to win when trailing at the half was on Apr. 21, 2001 vs. Chicago. The match also snapped a 15-game winless streak when not scoring the first goal.
O'Brien continued his stellar play controlling the field in Dallas' road win on Sunday night at The Home Depot Center. Before a minute had passed, O'Brien had assisted on the game's first goal with a cross from the right into the area that was eventually directed into the back of the net by Aaron Pitchkolan. Three minutes after setting up Carlos Ruiz for his goal in the 48th minute, O'Brien collected a pass from 35 yards out, eluded a Chivas USA defender and blasted a 23-yard shot past Martin Zuniga, giving the Irishman his fourth goal of the campaign.
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)
