MONTREAL -- After a difficult season that ended with a third exclusion of the playoffs in as many seasons, the Montreal Impact has no representative for the individual MLS honours.
This is the fourth year in a row that no Impact player is nominated for an individual title. In 2015, Laurent Ciman was elected as the best defender while Didier Drogba was one of three finalists for the title of best newcomer.
Of the other two Canadian teams, only midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo of Toronto FC is among the finalists for an individual title, MLS Newcomer of the Year.
This trophy is awarded to a player with professional soccer experience who played in his MLS debut this season.
Carles Gil of the New England Revolution and Heber of New York City FC are the other finalists.
Pozuelo joined Toronto FC on March 4 as a designated player. He took part in 30 league games in 2019 and led the team with 12 goals and 12 assists.
The 28-year-old was also named to the MLS All-Star team this season and was a starter against Atletico Madrid.
Pozuelo made his MLS debut on March 29 against New York City FC. He then scored two goals and added an assist in a 4-0 win.
Toronto FC host D.C. United on Saturday in their first playoff game.
After dominating the league in 2019 with 21 wins and only four losses, the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) saw four of its representatives rank among the finalists.
They are Carlos Vela (team most valuable player), Walker Zimmerman (defender of the year), Bob Bradley (coach of the year) and Mark-Anthony Kaye (best return).
Vela will fight with Zlatan Ibrahimovic of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Josef Martinez of Atlanta United for the title of most valuable player to his team, named in honour of Landon Donovan.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2019.
