New York City FC midfielder Jack Harrison was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for the 17th week of the 2016 MLS season.
Harrison continued a strong start to his rookie season in New York City’s first ever victory over rival New York Red Bulls on Sunday, as his goal and assist led NYC to a 2-0 win. The No. 1 overall pick at the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, Harrison has excelled since missing the early part of the season due to injury, producing two goals and two assists in his four starts for the club. An England native who moved to the U.S. at the age of 14, Harrison has been a major component of NYCFC’s recent hot streak as the team now sits first in the Eastern Conference standings (27 points, 7-5-6) after winning its last three matches.
Early in the game, NYCFC midfielder Andrea Pirlo sent a corner kick to a trailing Harrison, who easily avoided two defenders with a slick flick-on before firing a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Luis Robles for a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute. The goal is one of the four semi-finalists nominated for AT&T Goal of the Week.
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After showcasing his scoring prowess, the 19-year-old displayed his ability to distribute in the 66thminute when he ran down the right side and sent a perfect ball into the box setting up an easy tap-in for David Villa to put NYCFC up 2-0. Harrison is the first rookie to win MLS Player of the Week since Orlando City SC forward Cyle Larin in Week 21 of the 2015 season.
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New York City FC will next face New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium tonight (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Live), before wrapping up the week at Children’s Mercy Park vs. Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, July 10 (8 p.m. ET, FS1/FOX Deportes).
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.
