Atlanta United’s Almiron earns MLS award

Miguel Almiron.

Miguel Almiron.

Atlanta United midfielder Miguel Almiron was named the MLS player of the week Tuesday after he scored three goals in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Houston at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Almiron scored two goals in the first half and a penalty kick in the second half to complete his first hat trick for the MLS expansion team. It was the second hat trick in franchise history. The first was completed by Josef Martinez against Minnesota United in the second game of the season.

Almiron and Martinez are tied for the team lead with five goals each.

Almiron, 23, is a native of Paraguay and one of the team’s three Designated Players.

The player of the week is voted on by journalists in the group, North American Soccer Reporters. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution doesn’t participate in the voting.