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Best of MLS Week 8: Sounders, Giovinco, Nagbe and more

Photo by John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Week eight of the MLS season produced a spectacular goal in Portland, but the Timbers’ Cascadian rival put on the performance of the week down south in California.

The Seattle Sounders put together a comprehensive performance to take down the LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center. The standout individual highlight of the weekend came from Darlington Nagbe, who sent a rocket strike from the top of the box past David Ousted against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday. The spotlight was firmly on Toronto FC star forward Sebastian Giovinco as well as he put on a spectacular show in his team’s win.

Here’s who our editors chose for Week 8 honors:

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Sebastian Giovinco had a field day in Toronto FC’s 3-1 victory over the Chicago Fire, recording his first multi-goal performance since August 6 to secure the Reds’ first home victory of the year. While TFC have started slow this season, Giovinco appears ready to pull his team up by the bootstraps and into contention once again.

Oh, and he also sealed the victory with this ridiculous free kick for his second goal of the night.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

While Giovinco and TFC were impressive in their victory, the Seattle Sounders put on the most comprehensive performance of the week in their 3-0 beatdown of the LA Galaxy. Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris each recorded a goal for the Sounders, with the third coming from an Ashley Cole own goal as the Galaxy were buried at home.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Nick Lima continues to play a vital part in the San Jose Earthquakes young season. The University of California product played all 180 minutes of the Quakes’ two matches this week, and while this weekend’s 2-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo didn’t go his team’s way, his defense was a big part of the Quakes scoreless midweek draw against the New England Revolution.

GOAL OF THE WEEK

Darlington Nagbe did the Vancouver Whitecaps defense dirty on this brilliant run and finish from long-range, and then mean-mugged to cap it off. After picking up the ball in the center of the field, Nagbe danced around three or four Whitecaps defenders before uncorking a cross-body blast that deflected off the underside of the crossbar and stunned the home crowd early.

Comments

  1. I only watch Atlanta and then sometimes the other good teams when I happen to catch them, but I’ve been pleased by the quality so far this season. MLS seems to be much better overall than it was like 5 years ago.

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    • I concur with this train of thought…. I too have been pleasantly surprised at the mls level especially this early in the season and it definitely bodes well for the future of the league.

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    • Also agree, even though you can still see some deficiencies in the overall technical ability and precision in general. The progression seems to be there every year and it is good to see. I try not to compare it to the big leagues when I assess it, until that kind of money is available for player salaries MLS wont touch the BPL, La Liga, Serie A.. etc. I find it more and more enjoyable every year. I don’t see the league regressing at any point in the future. Hopefully future generations will have the opportunity to watch some very high quality soccer down the line.

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