(May 29, 2007) – Kansas City Wizards forward Eddie Johnson took home his third major MLS award of 2007 as he was named as MLS Player of the Week for Week 8. Johnson scored three goals, including the game-winner in the 82nd minute on the road at New England Revolution as the Wizards defeated the Revs 4-3 to move within a point of first place in the East. Johnson now ranks second in MLS in goals (6), first in game-winning goals (4) and tied for fourth in assists (3).
“We have been able to perform consistently the past couple months, and the results have been encouraging for us as a team and Eddie (Johnson) individually,” Head Coach Curt Onalfo said. “Now the challenge is to maintain that consistency and take our game to an even higher level throughout the rest of the season.”
Johnson scored in the 26th minute off an assist from defender Jack Jewsbury, in the 38th minute from midfielder Davy Arnaud and in the 82nd from midfielder Carlos Marinelli. The hat trick was the first in MLS play this season, the fourth in team history and the first for Johnson in his career in MLS play. He scored an international hat trick for the United States on Oct. 14, 2004 in a World Cup Qualifier against Panama after entering as a substitute at the half.
“I’m really happy to receive this award,” Johnson said. “I grew mentally strong in the off-season. Once you get your mind focused on one thing, great things are going to happen. My teammates and I have all worked hard so far this season, and going up against Jimmy (Conrad), Nick (Garcia), Jose (Burciaga Jr.), Jack (Jewsbury), Tyson (Wahl), and Aaron (Hohlbein) at practice every day makes me a better player. None of this would have been accomplished without everyone’s hard work.”
Johnson becomes the first player to win Player of the Week honors more than once in 2007. He was tabbed in Week 2 after scoring a goal and assisting on two other’s in the Wizards season-opening 4-2 victory on the road at D.C. United. Alos, no teams have had more than one winner so far in 2007 besides the Wizards.
Johnson was then named MLS Player of the Month for April after he led the Wizards to a 3-1-0 record, scoring three game-winning goals while adding two assists. Johnson had never won an MLS Player of the Week or Player of the Month award until this season.
Johnson’s Week 8 award is the 25th awarded to a Wizards player in club history. Thirteen different players have won Player of the Week awards for the Wizards. Johnson becomes the sixth player to win the award more than once and the fourth player to win the award more than once in a season.
2007 MLS Player of the Week Winners
Week 1: Jeff Cunningham (Real Salt Lake)
Week 2: Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards)
Week 3: Maykel Galindo (Chivas USA)
Week 4: Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 5: Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo)
Week 6: Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
Week 7: Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls)
Week 8: Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards)
Kansas City Wizards All-Time Player of the Week Winners (25)
1996- Preki (Week 8), Mark Chung (Week 12)
1997- Preki (Weeks 12 & 14)
1998- Vitalis Takawira (Week 10)
1999- Chris Klein (Week 19)
2000- Peter Vermes (Week 10), Tony Meola (Week 15)
2001- Chris Klein (Week 2), Chris Brown (Week 3)
2002- Chris Klein (Week 4), Tony Meola (Week 21)
2003- Chris Klein (Weeks 2 & 27), Preki (Week 9), Igor Simutenkov (Week 15)
2004- Davy Arnaud (Week 14)
2005- Josh Wolff (Weeks 7 & 20)
2006- Sealy (Week 12), Arnaud (Week 24), Wolff (Week 27), Burciaga Jr. (Week 28)
2007- Eddie Johnson (Weeks 2 & 8)
