NEW YORK (Monday, September 11, 2023) – Inter Miami CF forward Leonardo Campana was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 31 of the 2023 MLS season.
Campana scored two goals in Inter Miami’s 3-2 victory over Sporting Kansas City at DRV PNK Stadium on Saturday, September 9. The Ecuadorian international produced the fourth multi-goal game of his career, which ranks as the second most in club history, behind Gonzalo HiguaĂn (five). In 2023, Campana has produced a team-high seven goals and nine goal contributions in just 1,191 minutes played. With the victory, Miami is now unbeaten in their last four MLS matches (3-0-1) and 12 matches in all competitions (8-0-4), dating back to July 21.
Sporting Kansas City opened the scoring nine minutes into the match, but Campana led the comeback by earning a penalty kick in the 25th minute when he drew a foul in the box. The Ecuadorian then took the ensuing spot kick and slotted his finish past the diving goalkeeper to even the score (Watch Here). Just before halftime, Campana produced the go-ahead goal when he met DeAndre Yedlin’s cross at the back post and headed home a finish across goal to give Miami a 2-1 lead (Watch Here). The Herons would wrap up all three points after Facundo FarĂas scored his second MLS goal in the 60th minute (Watch Here).
This is the second time Campana has been named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire this season (Matchday 10), joining Thiago Almada (three times), Julián Carranza, and Hany Mukhtar as the only players to do so. The forward has also become the first player in Inter Miami history to earn three different MLS Player of the Matchday honors in his career.
Miami will look to continue their Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs push when they travel to face Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Matchday 32 on Saturday, September 16 (5:00 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.
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