Estrada named MLS Player of the Week

David Estrada scores third hat trick in Sounders FC history.

NEW YORK – Seattle Sounders FC forward David Estrada was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 2 of the 2012 MLS season. Estrada became the third player in club history to score a hat trick as he lead Seattle to a 3-1 season-opening victory over Toronto FC on Saturday on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

The Player of the Week award is the first of Estrada’s three-year MLS career. It is the 14th time that a Seattle player has won the award.

Estrada helped Seattle to its third season-opening victory in four years with his first three goals in MLS play. He opened his account in the 17th minute when he poked in a loose ball following a scramble in the box. He added a second tally in the 51st minute and completed the hat trick just moments after Toronto’s lone goal in the 63rd minute.

Estrada has scored four of Seattle’s six goals across all competitions this season.

The match marked the first home MLS start for Estrada. He joins Lamar Neagle (8/27/11) and Blaise Nkufo (9/18/10) as the only Sounders FC players to net a hat trick. He became just the third player in league history to score three or more goals in the team’s season opener (Brian Ching on April 2, 2006 and Jason Kreis on March 20, 1999).

Sounders FC continues a three-game home stand on Friday night when MLS Cup runners-up Houston Dynamo visit the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT.