D.C. United forward Patrick Mullins has been voted the Alcatel MLS Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for the 29th week of the MLS season, thanks to his record-breaking four-goal outburst in the Black-and-Red’s 4-0 thrashing of San Jose at RFK Stadium on Saturday.
Mullins become the 11th player in MLS history to score four goals in one game, and did so in 31 minutes, the shortest span in league history. The quadruple marks the first scoring of the season for the New Orleans native, who has struggled with injuries in 2017 that have limited him to nine starts in league play.
Mullins opened the scoring in the 57th minute with a one-touch finish from close range, then doubled D.C.’s advantage just three minutes later with a back-post header. Both goals came from deliveries by Paul Arriola.
In the 68th minute, Mullins bagged his hat trick when he latched on to the rebound from a save by Earthquakes goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell and buried it. He capped his banner night with a bending free kick hit from just outside the Quakes box in the 88th minute.
United return to action on Wednesday with a visit to their Atlantic Cup rivals the New York Red Bulls (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE).
The Alcatel MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.
