New York City FC forward David Villa was voted the Alcatel MLS Player of the Month by members of the media for the month of June of the 2017 Major League Soccer season.
The Spanish National Team player scored three goals in June, leading NYCFC to a perfect 4-0-0 record to match a club best set in 2016.
Villa sits tied for third in the Golden Boot race, finding the back of the net 11 times this season while ranking second in MLS with 17 combined goals and assists. In the midst of a five-game unbeaten streak, New York City FC is third in the Eastern Conference standings (10-5-3, 33 points), one of four clubs in the league to possess a .500 record or better on the road this season.
After putting a season-high five shots on goal in a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union in the first game of June, Villa powered NYCFC to its second consecutive victory with a brace in a 2-1 win against Seattle Sounders FC on June 17 at Yankee Stadium. The performance was the 13th multi-goal game for Villa in MLS, the most of any player since he entered the league in 2015.
Villa pulled NYCFC even with Seattle at 1-1 with a penalty kick goal in the 52nd minute (Watch Goal). The goal was the 50th in Villa’s time with the club, making him the fifth-fastest player in league history to accomplish the feat. A powerful Villa volley goal from the left side of the box off a Jack Harrison cross gave NYCFC a 2-1 lead in the 77th minute and proved to be the game-winning goal (Watch Goal).
Following a strong performance in NYCFC’s 2-0 victory over rival New York Red Bulls, the team’s first ever at Red Bull Arena, Villa scored his third goal of the month in a 3-1 victory over Minnesota United FC at Yankee Stadium on June 29. Villa capped a strong day for NYCFC, making a run into the box and shaking off a defender before firing a left-footed shot from the right side of the box into the back of net (Watch Goal).
New York City FC next travels to take on Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place on Wednesday, July 5 (10 p.m. ET, TSN1/3/4/MLS LIVE).
The Alcatel MLS Player of the Month is voted upon by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.
