Philadelphia's Andre Blake and Jakob Glesnes, who led a stingy Union defence that conceded a league-low 26 goals this season, have been named MLS goalkeeper and defender of the year, respectively.
The 26 goals conceded are a league record for a 34-game season. At the other end of the spectrum, D.C. United gave up 71 goals, San Jose 69 and Toronto FC 66 this season.
Philadelphia was unbeaten at home (12-0-5) during the regular season.
The individual player awards are voted on by MLS club technical staff, media, and current MLS players.
Blake was a runaway winner with 64.17 per cent of the ballots. New England's Djordje Petrovic was second (4.97 per cent) and Inter Miami's Drake Callender third (2.95 per cent).
Blake becomes the first MLS player to earn the top 'keeper award three times, following selection in 2016 and 2020.
Canadian Pat Onstad, now GM of the Houston Dynamo, won the award in 2003 and '05 with the San Jose Earthquakes.
Glesnes received 26.1 per cent of the ballots, ahead of Union teammate Kai Wagner (14.57 per cent) and New York City FC's Alexander Callens (13.2 per cent).
Like Glesnes, Blake played every single minute of their 2022 regular season. The 31-year-old Jamaican international led the league in shutouts with 15 and saved 79.4 per cent of the shots he faced.
Blake was also named an MLS all-star for the fourth time in his career and won the 2022 John Wanamaker Athletic Award, which is presented to the athlete, team or organization which has done the most to reflect credit upon Philadelphia and the team or sport in which they excel.
The MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award is sponsored by Allstate.
Glesnes made Union history this season, becoming the club's first player in consecutive years to start all 34 matches and play all 3,060 regulation minutes of the regular season.
The 28-year-old Norwegian centre back is the first Philadelphia player to be named MLS Defender of the Year and the first European to win the award since Belgian defender Laurent Ciman in 2015 with Montreal.
Glesnes, also named to MLS all-star team, led the Union in interceptions (57), contributed three assists and committed just 18 fouls, down from 33 last season. He reduced his yellow card total to two from seven in 2021.
---
Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2022
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
