Camilo named the MLS Player of the Month

Camilo’s free kick led to Omar Gonzalez’s consolation goal on Wednesday, as the MLS All-Stars lost to AS Roma 3-1 in Kansas City. On Thursday, the Whitecaps forward and current leader of the MLS goal scoring chart was named the league’s player of the month for July. The Brazilian, who has said he wants to get his Canadian citizenship down the road, got the most first-place votes from the members of the North American Soccer Reporters. Camilo scored four times in five July matches. The four goals gave him 13 on the season, a total that leads the league at the moment. His rise up the scoring charts allowed him to force his way onto the All-Star team. Of the four goals, the most memorable came in a 3-1 win over Chicago — the Brazilian turned a 0-0 game upside down after he controlled a long punt up the field, danced through the Fire defence, and slotted the goal home. How The 11 voted: Camilo. Let’s go back to that goal against Chicago. In past seasons, or even in April, had Camilo had a chance like the one he converted against Chicago, he likely would have hit the deck after contact with the first defender was made. He would have looked for contact. But Camilo, as good as he could be in previous years, has clearly adjusted his game. He’s staying on his feet more. The guy who couldn’t buy a call from a referee not named Silviu Petrescu was now looking to finish chances rather than settling for drawing free kicks. It’s almost as if he’s realized just how good a player he can be. He certainly has made himself a much easier player to like. There is no denying the change in his game came after he drew a contentious penalty on the road in Edmonton in an Amway Canadian Championship match.(CLICK HERE) After that match, there was consternation not only from FCE supporters, but Whitecaps supporters, about how easily Camilo went down. And the topic of Camilo and diving went from elephant-in-the-room status to being something that even Whitecaps supporters were calling out. To Camilo’s credit, that might have been a watershed moment for him.