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Earthquakes Forward Cristian Espinoza Named MLS Player of the Month for April 2023

May 4, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose Earthquakes forward Cristian Espinoza was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Month for April 2023. Espinoza led San Jose to a 2-1-2 record in the month of April, tallying five goals and one assist in that span. He became the only MLS player to score or assist in five matches during the month, led the league in goals (5), and scored in four consecutive matches from April 1-22, including game-winning goals against Houston Dynamo FC (April 1) and Sporting Kansas City (April 15).

In his fifth MLS season, Espinoza (six goals) sits just one goal off his career-high of seven, set in 2022, and the Argentine is the lone player in the league to produce at least six goals and three assists in 2023. His six goals are the third-most in MLS through Matchday 10 trailing only Seattle's Jordan Morris (eight) and LAFC's Dénis Bouanga (seven), and his nine goal contributions are tied for the third-most in MLS, behind only Atlanta's Thiago Almada (11) and Philadelphia's Dániel Gazdag (10). Additionally, Espinoza's playmaking ability has been critical to San Jose's resurgence under head coach Luchi Gonzalez in 2023, as he leads the league in key passes with 26 and is one of only two players in MLS with at least 20 key passes and five goals, joining Almada (22, five).

Since the start of the 2022 season, the 28-year-old forward (13 goals, 17 assists) is one of only seven players in MLS with at least 30 goal contributions. He continues to cement his place in Earthquakes lore, as his three assists in 2023 have moved him into a tie for second in club history with 47, trailing only Shea Salinas (50).

Espinoza is the first Earthquakes player to win MLS Player of the Month since Chofis in September 2021 and the 10th different player in club history to receive the honor.

MLS PLAYER OF THE MONTH RECIPIENTS, QUAKES HISTORY

PLAYER YEAR MONTH

Cristian Espinoza 2023 April

Chofis 2021 September

Chris Wondolowski 2019 May

Chris Wondolowski 2012 October

Chris Wondolowski 2012 September

Chris Wondolowski 2012 June

Chris Wondolowski 2012 April

Chris Wondolowski 2011 October

Chris Wondolowski 2010 October

Darren Huckerby 2008 September

Dwayne De Rosario 2005 October

Ricardo Clark 2005 July

Pat Onstad 2004 August

Landon Donovan 2003 September

Landon Donovan 2003 April

Ariel Graziani 2002 June

Ronald Cerritos 1999 September

Espinoza and the Earthquakes put their five-match home unbeaten streak on the line as they welcome undefeated LAFC to Levi's Stadium on Saturday, May 6 (4:30 p.m. PT, MLS Season Pass). The Quakes last played a regular season match at Levi's Stadium on Aug. 2, 2014, a 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC in the first sporting event in the stadium's history. Saturday's game against the 2022 MLS Cup champions will feature one of the club's best crowds in the past decade with over 40,000 people expected in attendance.

MLS Player of the Month is voted upon by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.

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