Goal.com's MLS Player Of Week 14: Colorado Rapids' Omar Cummings

Omar Cummings handily won Goal.com's Major League player of the week honors for matchday 14. The Colorado Rapids striker collected all but one vote to nab the award.

Hosting the cream of the East, D.C. United, the Rapids were without striker Conor Casey, who is second on the league's goalscoring charts with eight on the season. Jamaican Cummings made sure that Casey was not missed. A first half brace and an assist in the second stanza condemned United to a 3-0 loss.

“His two goals against D.C. United were both quality and the result of his hard work, and his assist on the third goal was icing on the cake,” said Salt Lake correspondent Randy Davis. “He is a hard-working player with pace, who seems to be finding his finishing form.”

The absence of Casey may have meant Cummings had more space in front of him to exploit with his pace. Both goals came as a result of searing runs from deep past slower defenders, and the assist saw Cummings burst past his marker to whip the ball around to Colin Clark.

“Like more than a few teams this season, United simply couldn't deal with Cummings' pace all night long,” said MLS columnist Kyle McCarthy.

The only other player to garnish a vote this week was the Houston Dynamo's Brian Ching. Injury meant the forward remained Stateside while Casey traveled to South Africa with the national team, but Ching recovered to play the second half against Real Salt Lake. First, he helped Jamison Olave get sent off, and then he scored the last-minute equalizer with a powerful header to earn his club a point.

“Houston's Mr. Clutch came through again,” said associate editor Allen Ramsey. “Returning from injury to enter the match at the half, Ching did what he always does. Cross comes in, Ching finds a bit of space, Houston grabs a late draw.”

The goal meant Houston preserved its unbeaten streak, now up to 11 games.

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