August 5, 2021 – Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK – Austin FC midfielder Tomás Pochettino has been voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Week for Week 17 of the 2021 MLS season.
Pochettino scored two goals in Austin FC’s 3-2 win over Houston Dynamo FC at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday evening.
He scored his first goal in the seventh minute, running onto a Julio Cascante pass to fire a shot from close range. The shot hit the far post and deflected off a defender as it found its way into the back of the net for Pochettino’s first goal for Austin FC.
His second came on the stroke of halftime with the teams tied at 1-1. Diego Fagúndez had an initial volley saved by Dynamo goalkeeper Marko Maric, but Pochettino was alert to the loose ball and calmly placed it into the bottom corner of the net to regain Austin’s lead.
Pochettino is the first player in Austin FC history to be named MLS Player of the Week and is tied for third among his teammates for goals scored after his brace on Wednesday. He is the second player in the club’s inaugural season in the league to score two goals in a game.
Austin FC and Pochettino return to action on Saturday, Aug. 7 for their first-ever game against FC Dallas (8:30 p.m. ET / ESPN+).
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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