LA Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez has been selected as the MLS Defender of the Year, making him the first Galaxy player to win the award since Robin Fraser in 1999. Announced as a finalist for the second consecutive season, he becomes the youngest player in MLS history to be named the league’s Defender of the Year.
Although his more famous teammates David Beckham and Landon Donovan received much of the ink for the Galaxy's success, Gonzalez was the team's unsung hero this year because of his ability to anchor the Galaxy defense.
One of the most physically imposing central defenders in MLS, the 23-year-old Gonzalez enjoyed his finest season in a Galaxy uniform, helping the team limit opponents to an MLS-low 28 goals in 34 regular season contests.
With Gonzalez starting 29 of the club’s 34 games, the Galaxy equaled a league record by recording 17 clean sheets and setting a club record by allowing just 0.82 goals per game -- the third lowest goals allowed per game average in MLS history.
Gonzalez also contributed to the Galaxy’s success on attacking set pieces, tying a career-high with two goals while also adding an assist.
Including the postseason, the Galaxy are 25-5-9 in the 39 games that the Dallas-native has played in all competitions, compared to 2-3-1 in the six games that he has missed.
Gonzalez and the rest of the Galaxy will look to win their third MLS Cup in club history and first since 2005 on Sunday, November 20, when they take on the Houston Dynamo in MLS Cup 2011.
By Staff of The Daily Sports Herald
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