Major League Soccer on Monday named Seattle Sounders midfielder João Paulo to the Week 27 Team of the Week following his stellar display in the 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Sunday night.
In a match that would see the winner claim top spot in the Western Conference, João Paulo put in another classy, two-way performance in the heart of Seattle's midfield. The Brazilian box-to-box player completed 84.1 percent of passes, posted a couple of tackles and a key pass, all while providing his usual blend of relentless defending and link play in possession.
As Sporting pushed for an equalizer late in the match, João Paulo was in the right place at the right time to deny Khiry Shelton a tap-in from just in front of goal. With the win, the Rave Green reclaimed their spot atop the Western Conference standings, two points ahead of SKC with a game in hand.
João Paulo and the Sounders return to action on Wednesday as they visit the San Jose Earthquakes (7:30 p.m. PT; FOX 13+, Prime Video, 1090 KJR AM, El Rey 1360AM) at PayPal Park.