NEW YORK (Tuesday, September 5, 2023) – Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 30 of the 2023 MLS season.
Hernández scored his first career hat trick in the Crew’s 4-2 victory over CF Montréal at Stade Saputo on Saturday, September 2. The Colombian international became the ninth player in club history to score a regular season hat trick and the first to do so since Gyasi Zardes on October 28, 2018, against Minnesota United FC. Since making his MLS debut on July 9, 2022, Hernández has produced 31 goal contributions (18 goals, 13 assists), which is tied for the fifth most in MLS during that time. With nine goals and 10 assists in 2023, Hernández needs one goal to become just the fourth player in club history with at least double-digit goals and assists in a single season.
After the Crew jumped out to a 1-0 lead, Hernández doubled the advantage in the 22nd minute when he raced on to Diego Rossi’s cross and scored with a diving header (Watch Here). The Colombian made it 3-0 in the 43rd minute as he calmly poked home Yaw Yeboah’s pass from just outside the six-yard-box (Watch Here). Montréal managed to add a goal in the second half, but Hernández wrapped up all three points when he earned a penalty kick on the edge of the box. The Crew forward completed his hat trick in the 65th minute from the penalty spot by sending the Montréal goalkeeper the wrong way and placing his finish in the open net (Watch Here).
This is the first time Hernández has been named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire in his career and he is the second Crew player to do so this season (Lucas Zelarayán on Matchday 2). Hernández is the first Colombian player to win the award since Jhon Durán (Chicago Fire FC) took home the honor on Matchday 20 of 2022.
Columbus will return to action after the FIFA international window when they travel to face Orlando City SC at Exploria Stadium on Matchday 31 on Saturday, September 16 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire is selected each matchday 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.
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