Seattle's Keller is Week 2 Player of Week

Major League Soccer Communications

Kasey Keller has yet to allow a goal or suffer a loss in Seattle. (Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK -- Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper Kasey Keller was voted Major League Soccer's Player of the Week for Week 2 of the 2009 season. Keller recorded his second consecutive shutout victory backstopping the expansion Seattle Sounders FC to a 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake.

The 39-year-old American and MLS newcomer had five saves, including two where he came off the goal line to negate scoring opportunities by Real Salt Lake forward Yura Movsisyan. The imposing Real Salt Lake forward, Movsisyan, was a threat throughout the game. In the first half, he skipped around Sounders FC defender Tyrone Marshall and unleashed a right-footed blast from the corner of the 18-yard box. Keller made the difficult save look easy, calmly palming the ball away to preserve the opponent's scoreless streak to begin the season.

Keller was tested again in the early moments of the second half, as Movsisyan bullied through the Seattle defense to bring down a weighted pass from Clint Mathis. Keller reacted, getting off his line early to quell the excellent scoring chance.

Keller's effort proved useful as Seattle capitalized on an early Nate Jaqua goal and the game was put out of reach when Week 1 Player of the Week Fredy Montero buried a 30-yard dipping shot past Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

Keller has captained the Sounders FC to consecutive shutout victories and a perfect 2-0-0 start. The Sounders FC are the first expansion team since Chicago in 1998 to start the season with two victories. This is Keller's first MLS Player of the Week award and this is the first time a goalkeeper has been honored with the award since San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon in Week 25 of the 2006 season as a member of the Colorado Rapids.

Keller, a native of Olympia, Washington, is an MLS newcomer. He has returned to his hometown team after an illustrious career abroad. Keller has played in the English Premier League, Spain's La Liga, and Germany's Bundesliga. He has appeared in four World Cups and holds the U.S. National Team goalkeeping record with 103 appearances and 53 wins.

The Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected each week of the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from The North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.