Yamil Asad has earned his first MLS Team of the Week honors in the Black-and-Red thanks to his brace in Toronto, while Paul Arriola has been named to the Team of the Week's bench for the second time this season.
In a scoring fest that saw United's offense explode in the first half and Toronto's offense explode in the second, the Black-and-Red drew Toronto 4-4 at BMO Field on Wednesday night largely in part due to the standout play of midfielders Asad and Arriola.
Asad opened the scoring for the visitors in the 12th minute following a sequence of impressive movement and build-up play in the final third. United patiently worked Toronto's back line, until Arriola found space to send a through ball to Luciano Acosta, who was making a run into the box. Acosta showed his selflessness and left a ball for a trailing, unmarked Asad, who calmly one-timed his shot to the bottom right corner for his fourth goal in the Black-and-Red.
The Argentine wasn't done for the night, though. Asad went on to record his fifth of the season and his first brace for United in the 90th minute. As the match opened up into a flurry of box-to-box action, Patrick Mullins and Ian Harkes combined for a give-and-go at the top of the box, and Mullins dished a final pass across to Asad, who again made a late run toward goal and was left unmarked to score his second of the night.
Paul Arriola also got on the scoresheet Wednesday night, and continued his recent streak of outstanding play in the midfield since shifting from a wing role to a central role. The 23-year-old struck in the 17th minute, scoring arguably the Black-and-Red's top goal of 2018 thus far. Zoltán Stieber carried the ball up the left wing and sent a perfectly-weighted cross into Arriola, and the midfielder flung his body forward to connect on the header, beating goalkeeper Alex Bono to the bottom right corner.
Arriola also notched a secondary assist on Asad's first goal, bringing the Californian's scoresheet total to two goals and four assists in his last six appearances.
See the full Week 16 MLS Team of the Week below.
F: Piatti (MTL), Hoesen (SJ)
M: Fagundez (NE), Katai (CHI), Larentowicz (ATL), Asad (D.C.)
D: Kutler (RBNY), Parkhurst (ATL) Hagglund (TOR), Smith (COL)
GK: Bush (MTL)
Bench: Frei (SEA), Parker (RBNY), Fanni (MTL), Muyl (RBNY), Arriola (D.C.), Penilla (NE), Martinez (ATL)
Coach: Gerardo Martino (ATL)
