Chivas keeper Dan Kennedy wins POTW award for his work against Toronto FC

Toronto FC coach Aron Winter blamed “bad luck” for his team’s 1-0 loss to Chivas USA on Saturday. Well, that “bad luck” had a name. It was Dan Kennedy. The Goats’ keeper showed why he is one of the best in MLS. After a sluggish first half, the Reds came to life when they got the notorious BMO Field wind at their backs. But Kennedy stood up to several point-blank chances — and TFC striker Danny Koevermans is likely still talking to himself after the Chivas keeper robbed him not once, but twice. And Kennedy’s outstanding play earned him the MLS Player of the Week award, as he took the most votes from the membership of the North American Soccer Reporters. Kennedy finished ahead of the lynchpin of Sporting Kansas City’s defence, Aurelien Collin, in the voting. Collin was key in allowing SKC to shut out Real Salt Lake in a battle between the league’s two top teams. How The 11 voted: Kennedy. In six weeks, two of the POTW winners have come from games where Toronto FC provided the opposition. In week two, Seattle’s David Estrada got the nod for notching a hat trick against TFC’s lamentable back line. The POTW award often goes to the highest or most-high-profile goal scorer of the week; but Kennedy deserves it for preserving a 1-0 win, even though his team was under siege for most of the second half. It was nice to see voters go for Kennedy and Collin, to show that we’re not always dazzled by the top goal-scorers. The second-place vote went to super rookie Nick DeLeon, who got assists on both goals as D.C. United beat the New England Revolution 2-1. DeLeon has established himself as an everyday starter for DCU and, if a vote for rookie of the year was held today, it would be a safe bet that the University of Louisville product would get a unanimous collection of first-place votes. RELATED: Henry makes MLS history with third POTW award in a row (CLICK) Estrada’s dominant performance against TFC earns him Player of the Week nod (CLICK)