November 2, 2021 – Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK – Columbus Crew midfielder Lucas Zelarayán has been voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Week for Week 34 of the 2021 MLS season.
Zelarayán scored two goals as the Crew kept alive their hopes of defending their MLS Cup title with a crucial 3-1 win against D.C. United at Audi Field on Saturday evening.
Zelarayán pulled the Crew level just before halftime, converting a penalty kick. Then in the 76th minute, Zelarayán put the game away, curling home a drive from all of 25 yards out from goal inside the right post.
The brace gave Zelarayán 11 goals for the season, his second two-goal game of the season, the first coming when he was named MLS Player of the Week for Week 6 after scoring two goals both from direct free kicks in a win vs. New York City FC. It is the second time in his two MLS seasons Zelarayán has been named Player of the Week, and earlier this year he made his full international debut for Armenia in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The Crew return to action on Decision Day, when they face Chicago Fire FC at Lower.com Field in Columbus at 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+) in a match that will determine their playoff future.
The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week 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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