D.C. United midfielder Luciano Acosta was voted the Alcatel Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for the 31st week of the 2018 MLS season.
Acosta registered one goal and three assists in D.C.’s dominant 5-0 victory over the Montreal Impact at Audi Field on Saturday. The Argentine leads the league with 16 assists to go along with nine goals scored this season, both MLS career-highs. D.C. United currently maintain a five-game unbeaten streak over which Acosta registered four goals and six assists. With the victory over Montreal, D.C. improved their playoff positioning and now sit seventh in the Eastern Conference standings with 38 points (10-11-8 overall record), two points behind the Impact for the final playoff spot with two games in hand.
D.C. got off to a strong start when Acosta scored in the 17th minute to give the club an early 1-0 advantage. Acosta linked with Yamil Asad on a beautiful give-and-go before finishing with a low shot past the keeper off the left post. Moments into the second half, Acosta placed a pass into open space, freeing up Wayne Rooney to give D.C. a 2-0 lead in the 48th minute with the Englishman sending a curling shot from the top of the box to the left corner of the net.
Acosta linked with Paul Arriola in the 61st minute to give D.C. a 3-0 lead, setting up the midfielder with a precise pass in the box for an easy tap-in directly in front of goal. Arriola and Acosta connected again in the 78th minute to give D.C. a 4-0 advantage when Acosta played a ball into the box, freeing up Arriola to chip the keeper. The Black-and-Red improved to 9-2-5 on the season in matches where Acosta scores a goal or records an assist including 12 straight unbeaten in such games.
D.C. United return to action on Sunday, October 7 when hosting the Chicago Fire at Audi Field (1 p.m. ET, ESPN / WatchESPN / ESPN Deportes / TSN2).
The Alcatel MLS Player of the Week is chosen each week of the regular season by members of the North American Soccer Reporters. The organization includes print, television, radio and online journalists who cover domestic men's soccer in the United States and Canada.
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