No side in Major League Soccer had a bigger Week 33 than FC Dallas, who knocked off the Vancouver Whitecaps, 2-0 on Wednesday, and Real Salt Lake, 1-0 on Saturday, to finish top of the Western Conference and secure home-field advantage during the upcoming 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs through, at least, the Western Conference finals.
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At the center of everything that went right for FCD last week — and is typically the case — was their midfield magician, Mauro Diaz. The Argentine playmaker notched a goal and two assists to account for all three of FCD’s goals on the week.
[ MORE: Week 33 Team of the Week — Who joins Mauro this week? ]
What the above video (ignore the fact that David Ousted should have made the save), and marvel at Diaz’s 1) intelligent pressing, 2) nutmeg on Pa Modou Kah, and 3) inside-out move on Jordan Harvey. That’s beautiful attacking soccer from one of MLS’s very best no. 10s. Watch the below video, and marvel at the close control, the quick reading of the game and that exquisite first-time ball across the box to Michael Barrios. His game-winning assist against RSL was nothing to scoff at, either.
MLS Players of the Week
Week 1: Tyler Deric, Houston Dynamo
Week 2: Chris Wondolowski, San Jose Earthquakes
Week 3: Bradley Wright-Phillips, New York Red Bulls
Week 4: Kaka, Orlando City SC
Week 5: Harrison Shipp, Chicago Fire
Week 6: Jaime Penedo, LA Galaxy
Week 7: Fabian Castillo, FC Dallas
Week 8: Ethan Finlay, Columbus Crew SC
Week 9: Fabian Castillo, FC Dallas
Week 10: Mauro Diaz, FC Dallas
Week 11: Chad Barrett, Seattle Sounders
Week 12: Kei Kamara, Columbus Crew SC
Week 13: Krisztian Nemeth, Sporting Kansas City
Week 14: Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC
Week 15: David Villa, New York City FC
Week 16: Matias Perez Garcia, San Jose Earthquakes
Week 17: Darlington Nagbe, Portland Timbers
Week 18: Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC
Week 21: Cyle Larin, Orlando City SC
Week 23: Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC
Week 24: Robbie Keane, LA Galaxy
Week 25: Robbie Keane, LA Galaxy
Week 26: Bradley Wright-Phillips, New York Red Bulls
Week 27: Didier Drogba, Montreal Impact
Week 28: Kei Kamara, Columbus Crew SC
Week 29: Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC
Week 30: Cyle Larin, Orlando City SC
Week 31: Tim Melia, Sporting Kansas City