Out of 78 goals between the regular season and postseason, we are down to the final two in the Goal of the Year bracket. 16 goals went head to head in round 1, and only the best eight faced off in the quarterfinals last week. The semifinals was a close race, but it leaves us with only two goals left.
It may come as no surprise that last year's MLS Goal of the Year winner, Tito Villalba, is in the finals of the vote. But it may come as a surprise that after all the record-breaking numbers from the team this year, Tito actually faces himself in the final vote.
Without further ado, here are your choices:
The Matchup
Tito's long-range stunner vs San Jose
Tito Villalba's long-distance special against San Jose has cruised through every round of the competition so far. It took 83% of the vote in round one and 79% in round two, before beating out Josef's record-breaking goal in Orlando on a 57% to 43% vote. And it's not hard to see why. Perhaps the snub of the year in the MLS Goal of the Year vote, Tito's vicious curling first-time effort against San Jose sparked one of the best comebacks the league has ever seen.
Tito ices the victory over Red Bulls
One of the most emotional moments of the season, the goal that all but clinched Atlanta United's MLS Cup berth. Tito Villalba's swerving effort left the Red Bulls goalkeeper with absolutely no chance. It faced a tough challenge in the first round with Josef Martinez's volley versus NYCFC, but showed how strong a candidate it is with 75% of the vote. Then it edged out another serious contender in Miggy's postseason free kick against NYCFC by a 53% to 47% vote, before beating out Miguel again, sending the Paraguayan's stunning solo run against Orlando City out with a 58% to 42% vote.
Click here to see the round 1 results, click here to see the quarterfinals, or here to see the semifinals. Stay tuned for results of the final vote!
