If you have watched RSL play the last few weeks you knew it was only a matter of time before others started taking notice of Alvaro Saborio, well they have:
SANDY, Utah (Monday, May 17, 2010) - Real Salt Lake forward Álvaro Saborío was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 8 for the 2010 MLS season. Saborío supplied two goals in Real Salt Lake's 3-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Thursday, May 13 at home at Rio Tinto Stadium.
With Real Salt Lake leading 1-0, Saborío added to the score in the 24th minute. Defender Robbie Russell brought the ball up the right side of the field and played the ball just inside the penalty box to Javier Morales, who fought for control of the ball before poking it into space. Saborío picked up the loose ball at the top of the area and unleashed a shot just inside the goalpost past an outstretched Pat Onstad.
In the 60th minute, Saborío added his second goal of the game, the play starting when Morales delivered a free kick from 30 yards out on the left side. Saborío made a darting near-post run to lose his defender and, from six yards out, nodded home his fourth goal of the season past a helpless Onstad.
Saborío has contributed a total of four goals and two assists for Real Salt Lake in 2010, which holds a 4-3-1 record - its best-ever start after eight games - and sits tied for second place in the Western Conference. The 28-year-old Costa Rican international officially joined Real Salt Lake this past March in the run-up to the 2010 MLS season and is already pacing his new squad's attack, hitting his team-high four goals in just 520 minutes of action and carrying a three-game point-scoring streak into RSL's contest this Saturday, May 22 at Chivas USA.
This marks the 14th Player of the Week honor awarded to a Real Salt Lake player in the club's six seasons of play, and the second distinction this season, following on the heels of Morales' opening week award. Jeff Cunningham has earned the honor a franchise-high five times while Morales and Robbie Findley have been pegged twice, followed by Saborío, Pablo Campos, Fabian Espíndola, Chris Klein, and Yura Movsisyan all collecting the award once.
The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com.
Well deserved after a great match against Houston.
OFF MY SOAPBOX