New York Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 4 of the 2012 MLS season. Henry contributed three goals and an assist in New York’s 5-2 victory over Montreal to earn the honor for the second consecutive week.
After falling behind 1-0 in the 18th minute, Henry headed in his first goal of the day just 10 minutes later. Henry took advantage of an arching cross from teammate Rafa Marquez and placed a header past Impact goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.
The game was locked in a 2-2 tie in the 56th minute when Henry tallied his second goal. The Red Bull forward received a pass from Dax McCarty at the top of the box, took two touches to create space, then turned and fired a low shot into the back of the net.
Henry added an assist to his total with a well-timed flick to a Mehdi Ballouchy inside the six-yard box. Ballouchy redirected the flick with his left foot to put the Red Bulls up 4-2 in the 72nd minute.
Henry completed his hat trick at the 89th minute mark by putting away a rebound off of a Kenny Cooper blast that Ricketts was unable to control. Henry set up Cooper’s shot just outside the area, and continued his run into the box where the deflected shot fell right to his feet.
The three-goal performance brings Henry’s total to a league-leading five goals this season. Saturday’s assist, his third, also boosted him into second place among assists leaders league-wide for the season.
With the honor, Henry becomes only the third player born outside the United States and Canada to be named Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks. He joins the company of Andy Herron (Costa Rica) in 2004 and Jeff Cunningham (Jamaica) in 2006.