RENTON, WASH.
- Major League Soccer announced today Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper
Michael Gspurning and forward Eddie Johnson as finalists for its 2012
year-end awards. Winners for each award will be announced prior to MLS
Cup on December 1.
Gspurning
is a finalist for the Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year award. He
finished first in goals against average (0.73), first in goals allowed
(15), second in wins percentage (.690), fourth in saves percentage
(74.6) and fifth in shutouts (8). He also posted two of the longest
shutout streaks this season at 370 minutes (7th) and 335 minutes (10th).
An
offseason signing from Greek's Super League, Gspurning is also a
finalist for Newcomer of the Year. The former Austrian international
became the first goalkeeper from outside the CONCACAF region to lead the
league in goals against average, and his GAA ranked third all-time in
MLS history.
Johnson
is a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year. He set a club record
with 14 goals and led MLS with nine goals from headers. He previously
won the award in 2007 with Kansas City.
The finalists, listed in alphabetical order below for each award, earned the most votes in polling of three voting groups:
- Current MLS players
- MLS Clubs (Coaches, Technical Directors, Presidents, and PR/Community Relations)
- Media members who covered MLS regularly in 2012
Voting was based on performance in the 2012 MLS Regular Season.
The
Comeback Player of the Year award will be announced on November 27 and
the Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards will
be announced on November 27. Voting
for the AT&T Goal of the Year and the MLS Save of the Year is
conducted on the league's official website MLSsoccer.com.
The 2012 awards announcements conclude November 29 with the unveiling of the 2012 Volkswagen MLS MVP and Commissioner's Award.
2012 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
Rookie of the Year Finalists
Austin Berry (Chicago Fire)
Nick DeLeon (D.C. United)
Darren Mattocks (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
Xbox Individual Fair Play Finalists*
Ante Jazic (Chivas USA)
Logan Pause (Chicago Fire)
Heath Pearce (New York Red Bulls)
*Selected
by MLS based on objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards
received, games & minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation
of sportsmanlike behavior.
Xbox Team Fair Play Finalists*
Chicago Fire
Houston Dynamo
New England Revolution
*Selected
by MLS based on objective criteria such as fewest fouls committed,
cards received, and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
Defender of the Year Finalists
Victor Bernardez (San Jose Earthquakes)
Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City)
Aurelien Collin (Sporting Kansas City)
MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year Finalists
Kei Kamara (Sporting Kansas City)
Michael Lahoud (Philadelphia Union)
Chris Seitz (FC Dallas)
Referee of the Year Finalists
Silviu Petrescu
Baldomero Toledo
Armando Villarreal
Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists
Ian Anderson
Gregory Barkey
Corey Parker
Coach of the Year Finalists
Ben Olsen (D.C. United)
Peter Vermes (Sporting Kansas City)
Frank Yallop (San Jose Earthquakes)
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Alan Gordon (San Jose Earthquakes)
Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC)
Chris Pontius (D.C. United)
Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Michael Gspurning (Seattle Sounders FC)
Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA)
Jimmy Nielsen (Sporting Kansas City)
Newcomer of the Year Finalists
Victor Bernardez (San Jose Earthquakes)
Michael Gspurning (Seattle Sounders FC)
Federico Higuain (Columbus Crew)
Volkswagen Most Valuable Player Finalists
Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)
Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Awards Announcements Schedule:
Schedule subject to change
November 19: MLS Rookie of the Year, Xbox Fair Play Individual & Team of the Year
November 20: MLS Defender of the Year, MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year, and Referee/Assistant Referee of the Year
November 26: 2012 MLS Best XI
November 27: MLSCoach of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year
November 28: Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year
November 29: AT&T Goal of the Year, MLS Save of the Year and Volkswagen MLS MVP
