Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen and Columbus Crew forward-midfielder Federico Higuain were announced as winners of the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, respectively, on Wednesday morning.
Nielsen, a 35-year-old native of Denmark, led the league with 15 shutouts and a 0.79 goals-against average per game as SKC earned the best record in the Eastern Conference. He was also named to the league’s Best XI.
Nielsen finished ahead of Dan Kennedy of Chivas USA, Michael Gspurning of the Seattle Sounders and Nick Rimando of Real Salt Lake.
Higuain, from Argentina, was only with the Crew for three months, but he made a major impact. The 33-year-old designated player scored five goals to go with seven assists.
Higuain edged out center back Victor Bernardez of San Jose for the award. Gspurning, Y.P. Lee of Vancouver and Houston’s Boniek Garcia rounded out the top five in voting.
What do you think of the two award winners? Were they most deserving, ahead of the other finalists? Share your thoughts below.
Higuain is just a bad pick. First one the voters have really botched this year.
What the heck?!?
Higuain played like 8 games total.
+1, even though I think he had 12 or 13 games.
Madness. Higuain played less minutes and didn’t even get his team to the playoffs.
“Cool scarf. What’s that word mean, though?”
-Kevin Hartman
*Danish league
Good for Jimmy. From second division Austrian league to top MLS keeper. I think it would have been a lot closer with Gspurning having a full season.
sucks kennedy is part of a crappy team, otherwise he was awesome. i believe bernardez best newvomer @ 1 and higuain as 2