HARRISON, NJ– New York Red Bulls midfielder Joel Lindpere was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters for Week 16 of the 2011 Major League Soccer season. Lindpere notched his first MLS multi-goal game, scoring both of the Red Bulls’ goals in the team’s come-from-behind 2-2 tie with the San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday at Stanford Stadium. This is first-ever MLS Player of the Week award for the second-year midfielder.
Lindpere’s opening goal of the game came in the seventh minute. The Estonian midfielder got on the end of a Roy Miller cross near the penalty spot, collected the ball and slotted in a left-footed shot inside the right post. Then, with five minutes left in the contest with New York trailing 2-1, Lindpere tallied the game-tying goal, taking a deflected feed from Mehdi Ballouchy at the top of the box and firing a shot towards on frame that was deflected in off Earthquakes defender Bobby Burling. Lindpere also scored in the Red Bulls’ 1-1 tie at Chicago on June 26, giving the midfielder three goals in his past two games.
Lindpere, who was named the Red Bulls’ Most Valuable Player by members of the local media for the 2010 season, has four goals and three assists this season, while starting in every one of the Red Bulls’ 18 matches. He was also a finalist for the 2010 MLS Newcomer of the Year. This is the second time this season that a Red Bull has won the MLS Player of the Week award, with forward Luke Rodgers capturing the honor in Week 5.
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. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.
