HARRISON, NJ (119318685" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0; " tabindex="0">August 5, 2013) – New York Red Bulls midfielder Lloyd Sam was named Major League Soccer’s Player of the Week for Week 23. Sam came off the bench and had an assist and the eventual game-winning goal in the Red Bulls’ 3-2 win over Sporting Kansas City last Saturday at Sporting Park, pushing the Red Bulls (11-7-5, 38 pts.) to first place in the Eastern Conference.
The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR).
Making his 15th appearance of the season, Sam entered the game, tied at 1-1 at the time, in the 60th minute for Eric Alexander. Sam was instrumental in putting the Red Bulls up, 2-1, in the 63rd minute, sliding a well-weighted through ball to an onside Fabian Espindola, who found the back of the net on the play. Six minutes later, Sam got his name on the scoresheet. The Englishman was able to collect a Jonny Steele cross on a counterattack, cut to his left foot and put it past goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen. Sam was forced to leave the game with a left quadriceps injury in the 87th minute.
Sam has made three starts for New York and tallied two goals and one assist in his first full season in MLS. The 28-year-old was signed by New York on Aug. 17, 2012 from England’s Leeds United and recorded five appearances, two starts and one assist last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury in October 2012.
This is the second time a Red Bull has earned the MLS Player of the Week award in 2013. Midfielder Tim Cahill was the Player of the Week in Week 9.
New York hits the road to take on the Columbus Crew on 119318686" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0; " tabindex="0">Saturday, Aug. 10 at Crew Stadium at 119318687" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0; " tabindex="0">7:30 PM ET (TV: MSG; Radio: ESPN Deportes Radio Nueva York 1050 AM). The Red Bulls’ next home contest is on 119318688" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0; " tabindex="0">Aug. 17, when it battles the Philadelphia Union at 8:00 PM at Red Bull Arena. Tickets are available by calling 1.877.RBSOCCER or logging onto www.newyorkredbulls.com.
