Crew’s Higuain edges out Montero for MLS POTW

It was a week that was filled with goals and massive performances. Alan Gordon scored twice for San Jose. Fredy Montero notched a hat trick for the six-goal Seattle Sounders. And Patrice Bernier had yet another dominant midfield performance for the Impact, scoring twice and assisting on another in a 3-0 win over D.C. United. In any normal week, these would be hands-down winners of the Player of the Week. But, this week, it was Argentine striker Federico Higuain, who scored three times and added and assist in two Columbus Crew wins. Higuain got 10 of the 22 first-place votes cast by the membership of the North American Soccer Reporters. Montero got nine. So, it was a razor-thin margin for Higuain, the brother of Real Madrid star, Gonzalo. But Higuain’s goals were vital for the Crew: He got the assist on Eddie Gaven’s deflected opener and then scored the eventual winner in the Crew’s 2-1 victory over Toronto FC. And, he scored twice in a 4-3 win over New England. Without Higuain’s goals, the Crew don’t get six points. How The 11 voted: Considering that the margin was just one vote, we can boast that it was our ballot for Higuain that gave the Argentine the nod over Montero. As mentioned above, all of Higuain’s goals were vital to help the Crew earn two wins. Without him, the points aren’t there for Columbus. Meanwhile, Montero had three for Seattle, but the Sounders got six on the night. Even without Montero, the Sounders likely win. So, in the “most valuable” context, Higuain gets the nod. And The 11’s second-place vote didn’t even go to Montero; it went to Bernier, who was front and centre once again as the Impact got a huge playoff-hope-boosting win over D.C. United. Again, the question is of value, and Bernier trumped Montero in that regard. RELATED: TFC listless for 60 minutes in loss to the Crew (CLICK) No contest: Ferreira the hands-down choice as MLS POTW (CLICK)