TFC's Bradley named MLS player of the week

NEW YORK — Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley has been named the Major League Soccer's player of the week for his two-goal performance in a 4-0 win over Charlotte FC on Saturday.

Bradley scored the second brace of his career in the first half of the win, becoming the first Toronto midfielder to score twice in one game since Alejandro Pozuelo on April 19, 2019 against Minnesota United.

With Toronto up 1-0 in the 10th minute, Bradley scored his first goal of the match when Federico Bernardeschi curled in a cross from a corner kick, which Bradley flicked with a header and into the net.

After Bernardeschi added a goal on his MLS debut to make it 3-0, Bradley scored the club’s fourth goal and his second of the match in first half stoppage time.

Newcomer Lorenzo Insigne, another high-profile Italian making his MLS debut, played a no-look flick into the path of Bradley. The TFC captain dribbled past one defender and chipped the ball over Charlotte's goalkeeper.

Bradley has started all 22 games for Toronto this season and played in 1,970 of the club’s 1,980 minutes.

It's his first time being named MLS player of the week, and he is the first Toronto player to win the award since Richie Laryea in Week 14 of 2020.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2022.