NEW YORK (Monday, June 26, 2023) – Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Ryan Gauld was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 21 of the 2023 MLS season.
Gauld contributed to all three goals (one goal, two assists) in the club’s 3-2 road win over LAFC at BMO Stadium on Saturday, June 24. The Scottish midfielder became the eighth player this season with at least one goal and two assists in a match, and the first Vancouver player to do so since Yordy Reyna on July 28, 2018. With his two assists, Gauld (19) passed Reyna (17) for the third-most assists in Whitecaps history. Gauld has now produced at least four goals and four assists in each of the last three seasons, joining only seven other players in the league to accomplish the feat.
Vancouver opened the scoring in the second minute when Gauld’s corner kick was headed home by defender Ranko Veselinović (Watch Here). The Whitecaps doubled their advantage in the 23rd minute as Gauld picked the ball up on the left wing and played a lofted cross to Brian White, whose header floated into the back of the net (Watch Here). LAFC scored just before halftime to cut Vancouver’s advantage, but Gauld scored the game-winning goal in the 63rd minute after the ball caromed to him in the box and his driven shot went through the goalkeeper’s legs for the third and decisive goal (Watch Here).
Gauld becomes the second Vancouver player to be named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental this season, joining Simon Becher (Matchday 6). This is the first time that multiple Vancouver players have been named MLS Player of the Matchday in the same season since 2018, when Alphonso Davies (Matchday 15) and Cristian Techera (Matchday 13) did so.
Vancouver returns to MLS action when they travel to face Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park on Matchday 22 this Saturday, July 1 (8:30 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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