Congratulations to Whitecaps FC midfielder Daigo Kobayashi, whose 35-yard strike has won MLS Goal of the Week honours with 40% of the online vote.
It was Kobayashi’s first MLS goal, after signing with the Whitecaps during the off-season.
Check out the video below, or see our article earlier in the week with all five nominees. And while you’re at it, why don’t you buy a Kobayashi jersey from the Whitecaps store?
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC have scored three goals so far this season, and all of them have been beauties — two, in fact, have been nominated for MLS Goal of the Week. Gershon Koffie got a nod for finishing off a lovely five-way passing play in the opening week, and now Daigo Kobayashi is up for Week 2’s award with a spectacular long-range strike that opened the scoring against the Columbus Crew.
Koffie stole the ball at midfield, and deftly tapped it to Darren Mattocks, who turned to his right and gave it to Kobayashi in the sixth minute of play. The Japanese midfielder dribbled twice, then delivered a high, hard shot up and over the Columbus goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum, who was cheating forward with the play upfield. It was a remarkable strike that set the tone for the remainder of the half; the Whitecaps were unlucky not to be up by three or four at the break.
After the jump, check out video highlights of the nominated goals, and information about the (free!) Whitecaps scrimmages happening this week.
We at Pucked in the Head are proud supporters, not just of sports, but of sports coverage. As such, we’ve arranged to work with some up-and-coming talent out of programs at SFU and BCIT over the next few months. This Whitecaps FC game report comes to you from Jake Hall, a new addition to Pucked in the Head, who took our media seat at BC Place this afternoon. Welcome aboard, Jake!
I may or may not have added a few observations from the comfort of my own couch (hey, I would have been there but my daughter wasn’t feeling well!), but the heavy lifting was definitely done by young Mr Hall. Check out his game writeup after the jump.
Gershon Koffie has had quite a week. He signed a contract extension with Vancouver Whitecaps FC, received his Canadian Permanent Residency papers, and finished off a lovely six-man passing play to score the opening goal of the 2013 season at BC Place. Now he’s been nominated for the MLS Goal of the Week award, to be voted upon by fans across the league.
Koffie pounded home a right footer after Daigo Kobayashi Maru’d him a one-touch pass amid all kinds of red Toronto FC shirts. (That’s not just some lame Star Trek reference. Count them in the video below, you’ll see eight TFC players watching four Whitecaps make pretty passes to each other in the danger area. The Maru thing? Yeah, that’s me geeking out.)
More, including video of the league’s top five goals, after the jump. Hey, while you’re here, why not give a lousy five bucks to my Ride to Conquer Cancer campaign?
