NEW YORK — Atlanta United forward Ronaldo Cisneros was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Week presented by Continental Tire for his Week 10 performance against Chicago Fire FC on Saturday.Cisneros recorded the fastest hat trick from the start of kickoff in the club’s history against Chicago, needing only 36 minutes to complete the second three-goal match of his professional career.
Cisneros’ first goal came in the third minute, the fastest goal for the club this season. Quick buildup opened up the Chicago back line for Cisneros, who took two touches into the Chicago box before firing a shot off the crossbar and in. The Chivas Guadalajara loanee swept up a rebound in the 27th minute for his second goal after a Matheus Rossetto shot was saved by Gabriel Slonina into the path of Cisneros. In the 36th minute, the striker was sent through on goal by Thiago Almada before rounding the goalkeeper for the easy finish.
The Mexican was the only player to score three goals in Week 10, becoming the seventh player in the 2022 campaign to score a hat trick.
The last Atlanta United player to win MLS Player of the Week was Josef MartÃnez on Sept. 23, 2019. After becoming the third player in club history to record a hat trick after MartÃnez and Almirón, Cisneros is now the fourth player in club history to be voted MLS Player of the Week, joining MartÃnez, Almirón and Ezequiel Barco.
The MLS Player of the Week presented by Continental Tire is selected each week 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.
Cisneros and Atlanta United (4-4-2, 14 points) return to action Wednesday, May 11, visiting Nashville SC for the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 at GEODIS Park (8 p.m., ESPN+). League play resumes for Atlanta Sunday, May 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the team looks to extend its 12-game unbeaten streak at home against New England Revolution (1:30 p.m., ESPN, ESPN Deportes, 92-9 The Game, La Mejor).
