NEW YORK (Thursday, August 31, 2023) – Minnesota United FC midfielder Emanuel Reynoso was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 29 of the 2023 MLS season.
Reynoso scored two goals in Minnesota’s 3-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids at Allianz Field on Wednesday, August 30. Reynoso’s brace marked the sixth multi-goal game of his Minnesota career, the most by a single player in club history. He surpassed the previous record of five multi-goal games held by Kevin Molino. Additionally, the Argentine’s two goals moved him into a tie with Robin Lod (22) for the most regular season goals scored by a Loons player. Minnesota is now unbeaten in their last five games with a 3-0-2 record.
Minnesota opened the scoring in the 18th minute when the Loons earned a penalty kick and Reynoso sent the Rapids goalkeeper the wrong way and slotted his effort into the open net (Watch Here). Reynoso scored his second goal of the evening when Ismael Tajouri-Shradi’s shot was saved into the path of the oncoming No. 10, who easily slotted home his one-timed finish (Watch Here). The Loons secured all three points before halftime when summer signing Teemu Pukki added his second MLS goal in the 43rd minute (Watch Here).
After winning the award last season (Matchday 21), Reynoso joins Kevin Molino (Matchday 31 of 2017 and Matchday 23 of 2020) as the only players in Minnesota history to earn multiple MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire honors. Reynoso is the fifth different player born in Argentina to be named Player of the Matchday in 2023, along with Luciano Acosta, Thiago Almada, Julián Carranza, and Lucas Zelarayán.
Minnesota will look to extend their unbeaten run to six games when they travel to face the San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park on Matchday 30 this Saturday, September 2 (10:30 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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