Defender Pa-Modou Kah had yet to score a goal for Vancouver Whitecaps FC before this weekend.
He then tallied two in a single game to lead the Whitecaps to a huge 3-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday, more than enough to be voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 22 of the MLS season.
Kah’s first two goals of the year were also the first two goals of Satuday’s match. And both proved to be pivotal as Vancouver recorded their league-leading seventh road win and retook the top spot in the Western Conference.
Kah, who had scored just one goal in his first two seasons in MLS while with the Portland Timbers, opened the scoring in the sixth minute after Nicolas Mezquida whipped in a free kick from the right flank that glanced off of Kendall Waston and bounced out to Kah. The Gambia native then fired a beautiful side volley past Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei to give Vancouver the early lead.
The Norwegian international doubled the score in the 49th minute with a slick finish from another set-piece play. Cristian Techera took a corner kick and played a little give-and-go with Kekuta Manneh. Techera then drove a low shot into the box that Kah masterfully back-heeled into the far corner to secure the win.
- For more Vancouver news, go to WhitecapsFC.com
Vancouver Whitecaps FC face the Seattle Sounders again Wednesday in a CONCACAF Champions League game at BC Place (10 pm ET, Fox Sports 1). They return to MLS action on Saturday when they host Real Salt Lake at BC Place (10 pm ET, MLS LIVE).
The 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.
