The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) announced today that forward Carlos Vela was voted the Alcatel Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for the 33rd week of the 2018 MLS season.
Vela registered two goals and two assists in LAFC’s 4-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo at Banc of California Stadium on Friday night. The Mexican National Team star has produced a team-high 13 goals and 12 assists this season, one of six players league wide to register double digits in each category.
With two games remaining, LAFC sits second in the Western Conference with 56 points (16-8-8 overall record), matching the MLS record for most points ever by an expansion team in its inaugural season.
Moments before halftime, Vela converted a penalty kick to bring LAFC even with Houston at 1-1 in the 44th minute (GOAL). LAFC took a 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute when Vela crossed the ball from the left flank to a waiting Adama Diomande directly in front of goal, who easily finished with a close-range strike (ASSIST).
Vela notched his second assist to give LAFC a 3-1 lead in the 58th minute when sending a corner kick into the center of the box. Walker Zimmerman volleyed home a left-footed strike from near the penalty spot to the right side of goal (ASSIST). The forward capped a tremendous night with a chip over goalkeeper Tyler Deric from the top of the box to give LAFC a 4-1 advantage in the 78th minute (GOAL). The performance was Vela’s third multi-goal game and first multi-assist game in his first season in Major League Soccer.
