He scored the opener in the third minute and then got the second assist on Lamar Neagle’s insurance goal. The win allowed Seattle to seize top spot in the MLS Western Conference, and first-place overall in the league. If MLS regular-season play ended today, Seattle would now be guaranteed home field advantage all the way to the Dec. 7 MLS Cup, if the Sounders make it that far.

When one of the poster boys of U.S. soccer scores a hat trick, the player-of-the-week vote loses most of its intrigue.

“It always feels good to score, especially with my first professional goal,” Manneh told reporters after the match. “It was a tough situation. We were down two goals and we needed a goal.”