SANDY, UT – Real Salt Lake DF Chris Schuler has been named MLS Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 22 of the 2014 MLS season.
Schuler put in in a fantastic performance in Real Salt Lake’s resounding 3-0 win over D.C. United at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday. The Claret-and-Cobalt center back notched a brace, scoring in the 13th and 24th minutes for his first goals of 2014. RSL took an early lead through RSL FW Joao Plata in the 11th minute to put the home side up 1-0. Two minutes later, Schuler recorded his first of the night, connecting with a low ball into the six yard box from MF Javier Morales that he redirected into the back of the net. Schuler went on to complete the brace in the 24th minute, heading home a Morales corner kick to put the Claret-and-Cobalt up 3-0 before halftime.
The win on Saturday was a memorable one for Real Salt Lake as veteran GK Nick Rimando broke the MLS all-time shutout record with his 113th career clean sheet.
This is Schuler’s first MLS Player of the Week honor and fourth for RSL in 2014. Rimando previously took home the award in Week One and Week Seven, while RSL’s Plata took the honor in Week Nine. Schuler’s win marks the 25th time in RSL history that a Claret-and-Cobalt player has won the award.
The MLS Player of the Week award 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 www.soccerreporters.com.
RSL will return to MLS action this Saturday, when it hosts Seattle Sounders FC in a nationally televised match at 12:30 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network, ESPN 700 AM and 102.3 La Gran D FM.
