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Atlanta United’s forward, Giorgos Giakoumakis, has been designated as the MLS Player of the Matchday, presented by Continental Tire, for Matchday 27 in the ongoing 2023 season. Giakoumakis’s remarkable display on the field led to this recognition as he scored both goals in Atlanta’s impressive victory of 2-0 against Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday.
In a captivating performance, the 28-year-old Greek striker’s two goals have propelled him into a tie for the second position in the Golden Boot race, which is presented by Audi. He has achieved a total of 12 goals this season. Giakoumakis, who joined as a Designated Player from the Scottish club Celtic FC during the offseason, made his mark early in the 11th minute by skillfully converting a corner kick provided by Brooks Lennon. He continued to shine in the 65th minute, heading in a delivery from Thiago Almada to secure his brace and secure a convincing victory.
Significantly, Giakoumakis now shares the distinction of having scored the second-highest number of goals by an Atlanta United player in their first 18 career games, with only club legend Josef Martínez ahead of him, who recorded an impressive 18 goals in his initial 18 MLS matches. Giakoumakis and St. Louis CITY SC’s Nicholas Gioacchini have stood out as the only players in the current MLS season to achieve a double-digit goal tally with fewer than 40 shots attempted.
This acknowledgment marks Giakoumakis as the third Atlanta player to earn the title of MLS Player of the Matchday this season, joining the ranks of Almada (Matchdays 1 and 4) and Caleb Wiley (Matchday 3).
Looking ahead, Atlanta United is focused on maintaining their winning momentum as they gear up to host Nashville SC on Saturday. Their current standing at the seventh place in the Eastern Conference table (with 38 points) positions them well to secure a spot in the upcoming Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The MLS Player of the Matchday award, presented by Continental Tire, is determined through a combined process of media and fan voting. The voting process involves a panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR), contributing 75 percent of the vote, while a fan vote on Twitter contributes the remaining 25 percent. NASR consists of media professionals across diverse platforms, including print, television, radio, and online media.