Luciano Acosta voted MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 34

FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday, presented by Continental Tire, for Matchday 34 of the 2023 MLS season.

For the second time this season, and for the fourth time in his career, Acosta was named MLS Player of the Matchday (Matchday 14). With the honor, Acosta becomes the fifth FC Cincinnati player to be recognized as Player of the Matchday (Acosta: 2023 MD 14, 34; Brenner: 2022 MD 17, 30, 34).

The All-Star was named Major League Soccer’s best player of Matchday 34 following his MLS-best ninth game of the season of multiple goal contributions, capped by his world-class goal scored in the 78th minute – which is up for voting for Goal of the Matchday.

Acosta becomes the fifth player in 2023 to earn multiple MLS Player of the Matchday honors, joining Thiago Almada (three), Leonardo Campana, Julián Carranza, and Hany Mukhtar. Since the start of 2018, Acosta has won the award four different times, which is tied for the fifth-most among active MLS players.

The Argentine has scored 15 goals this season, tied atop the MLS Golden Boot race with Atlanta United’s Giorgos Giakoumakis and Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar. Acosta’s 27 goal contributions (15 goals, 12 assists) are currently the most in MLS this season and are two shy of the single-season club record of 29 that he set last season. Acosta’s performance helped Cincinnati to their 13th home victory of the year, which is tied for third-most home wins in a single regular season in MLS history.

Acosta and the Orange and Blue return to action Saturday, September 30 at Toronto FC. Kickoff from BMO Field is set for 7:30 p.m., and the match will stream exclusively on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Fans can also listen to the match locally on ESPN 1530.

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.