DeRo is the hero of week no. 20 in MLS

Dwayne De Rosario PHOTO: PAUL FREDERIKSEN

The former face of Toronto FC is the MLS Player of the Week.

The North American Soccer Reporters voted Dwayne De Rosario as the top performer of week 20. The Scarborough native notched both goals — each of them a highlight-reel finish — as D.C. United went on the road and defeated the San Jose Earthquakes by a 2-0 score.

Not only did he score twice on the road, he did it in San Jose, the city where he established his MLS credentials and won his first two MLS Cups.

“Those memories can never be erased,” said DeRo of his emotional return. “I have some great memories and good friends and it’s nice to see the Bay Area get a team back here. Hopefully in the near future they’ll have their own stadium. It’s always nice to come here and play. I’m just happy first and foremost that we came out here and played the way we did and were able to come out with a positive result.”

He also created two fantastic scoring chances in the first half, but was denied both times by Quakes keeper Jon Busch.

He got the first goal after Nana Attakora, his former TFC teammate, fell down. When Attakora, who started the game for the Quakes at centre back, slipped, De Rosario had time to move onto a ball played forward, but he still had a lot to do — and roofed the shot.

His second goal saw him perfectly one-time a pass from Chris Pontius into the top corner of the goal.

De Rosario is TFC’s all-time leading scorer. He was dealt to the New York Red Bulls early this season. The Red Bulls, looking to make salary room for Designated Player Frank Rost, later traded De Rosario to D.C. United.

How The 11 voted: DeRo. No doubt about it. D.C. United was the worst team in the East last season. With some shrewd additions, including DeRo, striker Charlie Davies and defender Brandon McDonald, DCU is well ahead of Toronto FC when it comes to a rebuilding schedule. D.C. United is a mid-table team in the East and showing steady signs of improvement. Again, more proof (as if the Philadelphia Union’s run to the top of the East this season wasn’t proof enough) that in MLS, because of the very low salary cap that acts as a great equalizer and a global talent pool from which to choose players, rebuilding plans should take months, not years.

Landon Donovan of the Los Angeles Galaxy got the second-place vote. He had two goals and set up another in a rout of the Whitecaps. But he did score one on a gift of a penalty and, well, scoring two in Vancouver isn’t nearly as impressive a feat as scoring two in San Jose.