NEW YORK (Monday, July 3, 2023) – Nashville SC midfielder Randall Leal was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 22 of the 2023 MLS season.
Leal scored both goals in the club’s 2-0 home victory over D.C. United at GEODIS Park on Saturday, July 1. Leal’s brace was the second of his career after also scoring twice against FC Cincinnati on October 27, 2021. With his performance, he joined Hany Mukhtar (14) and CJ Sapong (three) as the only players in club history with at least two multi-goal games. Leal has now produced 16 goals and 20 assists in his Nashville SC career. Nashville has now won six consecutive games at home for the first time in club history, and it is currently the longest active home winning streak in MLS.
Nashville opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Mukhtar played a lofted pass to Leal, who darted behind the D.C. defense, poked the ball around the oncoming goalkeeper, and passed the ball into the open net (Watch Here). The Costa Rican added his second goal of the match in the 37th minute after evading two D.C. defenders and firing a thunderous effort past the goalkeeper to give the home side a 2-0 advantage (Watch Here).
Leal becomes the second player in club history to be named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire, joining Hany Mukhtar (eight times). Leal is also the first Costa Rican player to win the award since Real Salt Lake’s Álvaro Saborío in 2013 (Matchday 22).
MLS action continues with Matchday 23, which includes six games on Tuesday and Wednesday. Nashville returns to MLS action when they travel to face Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field on Matchday 24 this Saturday, July 8 (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while a Twitter fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.
