Chris Wondolowski didn't just cement his place in MLS history in Week 12, he also put in one of the best performances of the 2019 regular season in the process.
The San Jose Earthquakes forward was voted MLS Player of the Week for Week 12 of the 2019 MLS regular season, after scoring four goals in a 4-1 win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
The day was particularly special because Wondolowski entered the match with 144 career goals, one behind all-time scoring leader Landon Donovan. The veteran tied the record with his first goal, in the 21st minute — also his first of the season — before taking the lead with 146 goals in the 48th minute, capitalizing on a mistake by David Ousted to slam the ball in the net and take the scoring crown.
Wondolowski wasn't done, however, as he added two more tallies, in the 76th and 83rd minutes, to take his career goals total to 148.
The four-goal haul is the first by any player in MLS this season and the first of Wondolowski's career. The striker, in his 15th professional season, wins MLS Player of the Week for the first time since Week 33 of the 2017 season.
The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while a Twitter fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.
