LA Galaxy Forward Billy Sharp Voted MLS Player of the Matchday Presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 33
September 21, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK - LA Galaxy forward Billy Sharp was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 33 of the 2023 MLS season.
Sharp recorded his first career hat trick in the LA Galaxy's dramatic 4-3 comeback victory over Minnesota United FC at Dignity Health Sports Park on Wednesday, September 20. Sharp scored his hat trick in his second career start with the Galaxy, becoming just the fourth player in league history to score three goals in one of their first two starts, along with Josef Martínez, Didier Drogba, and Musa Shannon. The former Sheffield United legend also became the fastest player in club history to six career goals, doing so in just 230 minutes over a span of six appearances. Sharp is the first Galaxy player to score a hat trick since Javier 'Chicharito' Hernández on April 25, 2021.
Sharp opened the scoring in the 16th minute of the match as he pounced on Riqui Puig's blocked shot and volleyed home a finish from close range to give the Galaxy a 1-0 lead. After the Galaxy conceded the next three goals in the match, Sharp cut the deficit to 3-2 in the 63rd minute when he poked home a header from Maya Yoshida off a corner kick. The Englishman completed his hat trick in the 71st minute as a bouncing ball fell to him in the box, which he then passed into the open netting to make it 3-3. Just eight minutes from time, the Galaxy completed their comeback as Diego Fagúndez scored his first goal for the club to wrap up all three points.
Sharp becomes the second LA Galaxy player to be named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire in 2023, joining Riqui Puig (Matchday 23). Sharp is the first English player to earn Player of the Matchday honors since Jonathan Bond also did so for the Galaxy on Matchday 7 of 2021.
The Galaxy will look to record consecutive wins when they travel to face Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on Matchday 34 on Sunday, September 24 (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass / FS1).
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.
2023 MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire Winners
Matchday Player Club
Matchday 1 Thiago Almada Atlanta United
Matchday 2 Lucas Zelarayán Columbus Crew
Matchday 3 Caleb Wiley Atlanta United
Matchday 4 Thiago Almada Atlanta United
Matchday 5 Jordan Morris Seattle Sounders FC
Matchday 6 Simon Becher Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Matchday 7 Dénis Bouanga Los Angeles Football Club
Matchday 8 Carlos Vela Los Angeles Football Club
Matchday 9 Mikael Uhre Philadelphia Union
Matchday 10 Leonardo Campana Inter Miami CF
Matchday 11 Hany Mukhtar Nashville SC
Matchday 12 Evander Portland Timbers
Matchday 13 Brandon Cambridge Charlotte FC
Matchday 14 Luciano Acosta FC Cincinnati
Matchday 15 Julián Carranza Philadelphia Union
Matchday 16 Carles Gil New England Revolution
Matchday 17 Julián Carranza Philadelphia Union
Matchday 18 Alan Pulido Sporting Kansas City
Matchday 19 Hany Mukhtar Nashville SC
Matchday 20 Damir Kreilach Real Salt Lake
Matchday 21 Ryan Gauld Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Matchday 22 Randall Leal Nashville SC
Matchday 23 Riqui Puig LA Galaxy
Matchday 24 Léo Chú Seattle Sounders FC
Matchday 25 Dániel Gazdag Philadelphia Union
Matchday 26 Diego Luna Real Salt Lake
Matchday 27 Giorgos Giakoumakis Atlanta United
Matchday 28 Thiago Almada Atlanta United
Matchday 29 Emanuel Reynoso Minnesota United FC
Matchday 30 Cucho Hernández Columbus Crew
Matchday 31 Leonardo Campana Inter Miami CF
Matchday 32 Ramiro Enrique Orlando City SC
Matchday 33 Billy Sharp LA Galaxy
Major League Soccer Stories from September 21, 2023
- LA Galaxy Forward Billy Sharp Voted MLS Player of the Matchday Presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 33 - LA Galaxy
- LA Galaxy Forward Billy Sharp Voted MLS Player of the Matchday Presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 33 - MLS
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- Minnesota United Drop Points Away to LA Galaxy - Minnesota United FC
- Sounders FC Earns Three Road Points with 2-1 Win at Colorado - Seattle Sounders FC
- FC Dallas Rallies to Defeat Real Salt Lake 3-1 - FC Dallas
- Real Salt Lake Drops 3-1 Decision to FC Dallas - Real Salt Lake
- St. Louis CITY SC Draws 0-0 with LAFC at CITYPARK - St. Louis City SC
- Houston Dynamo FC Continue Unbeaten Streak with 4-1 Victory Over Vancouver Whitecaps FC - Houston Dynamo FC
- LA Galaxy Earn 4-3 Come-From-Behind Win Over Minnesota United FC at Dignity Health Sports Park on Wednesday Night - LA Galaxy
- Nashville SC Secures Important 3-0 Victory at Sporting KC in First of Two Road Matches - Nashville SC
- LAFC Earn Point on the Road with 0-0 Tie in St. Louis - Los Angeles FC
- Sporting KC Falls to Nashville SC - Sporting Kansas City
- Inter Miami CF Claims 4-0 Home Win Over Toronto FC - Inter Miami CF
- FC Cincinnati Take 1-1 Draw at CF Montréal with Acosta's Stoppage-Time Penalty - FC Cincinnati
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