(October 26, 2007) – Three Kansas City Wizards goals are up for Sierra Mist Goal of the Year honors. Forward Eddie Johnson is nominated for a side volley against Real Salt Lake that was named Sierra Mist Goal of the Week in week 22. Forward Scott Sealy is up for a perfectly struck free kick that captured Goal of the Week honors in week 24, and holding midfielder Kerry Zavagnin is eligible after his long-range bomb won goal of the week in week 17 with over 50 percent of the votes.
Zavagnin scored his career-high third goal of the season after collecting a back pass from midfielder Sasha Victorine in the 38th minute July 29 vs. Chivas USA. Zavagnin took a touch to his left and let fly a left-footed laser beam that tucked in the extreme upper-right corner past a diving Brad Guzan to level the match 1-1.
Johnson’s goal also came off a pass from Victorine, as the U.S. international recorded his 13th goal of the season in the 69th minute of a August 29 match at Real Salt Lake. Victorine back-heeled the ball to Johnson on the right side of the penalty area. Johnson then brought the ball down off his chest and drilled a right-footed side volley past goalkeeper Nick Rimando into the far side netting to pull back a goal for the Wizards.
Sealy notched his first career free kick goal to open the scoring in a 3-2 victory vs. Columbus Crew on September 15. Sealy drew a foul just outside the penalty area, then stood over the ensuing free kick with defender Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. Burciaga began his approach, then stopped as Sealy curled the ball up and over a five-man wall and into the upper-left corner of the net past the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Will Hesmer. Sealy later added a second goal to tie the match in second-half stoppage time and won MLS Player of the Week honors.
Fan voting is now open at MLSnet.com (http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/awards/2007/goal_of_the_year/), and will include three rounds of eliminations:
Week 1: Oct. 25-31 – Voting to select top 10 goals from original 34 nominees
Week 2: Nov. 1-7 – Voting to select top five goals
Week 3: Nov. 8-14 – Voting to select the 2007 Sierra Mist Goal of the Year from the top five goals
The Sierra Mist Goal of the Year will be announced on Nov. 16, 2007. The Wizards have never claimed a Sierra Mist Goal of the Year winner.
All-Time Goal of the Year Winners
2006: Brian Ching – Houston Dynamo vs. D.C. United – September 30.
2005: Dwayne De Rosario – San Jose Earthquakes at Los Angeles Galaxy – October 15.
2004: Dwayne De Rosario – San Jose Earthquakes vs. D.C. United – August 2.
2003: Damani Ralph – Chicago Fire at Columbus Crew – August 13.
2002: Carlos Ruiz – Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Columbus Crew – July 27.
2001: Clint Mathis – MetroStars vs. Dallas Burn – April 28.
2000: Marcelo Balboa – Colorado Rapids at Columbus Crew – April 22.
1999: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United at Miami Fusion – May 22.
1998: Brian McBride – Columbus Crew vs. Chicago Fire – July 9.
1997: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United vs. New England Revolution – August 27.
1996: Eric Wynalda – San Jose Earthquakes vs. D.C. United – April 6.
