Justin Morrow celebrates one of his two goals. (Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports)

NEW YORK – Toronto FC defender Justin Morrow was voted the Major League Soccer player of the week by the North American Soccer Reporters Tuesday.

Morrow scored his first MLS brace to lead Toronto FC to a 4-1 victory over the Portland Timbers at BMO Field Saturday.

This season, the U.S. international defender has tied a career best with five goals scored, a mark he set last season in 31 matches. Morrow has had a hand in eight clean sheets over 18 starts this season, helping lead Toronto to first place in the Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield standings (47 points, 13-3-8 record).

With a scoreless match in the second half, Morrow broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when he picked up a loose ball at the top of the opponent’s box and smashed it into the roof of the goal to give Toronto a 1-0 lead.
After teammate Victor Vasquez added another goal to make it 2-0, Morrow again found the ball at his feet inside the box and buried it past helpless Timbers goalkeeper Jake Gleeson in the 78th minute. Both teams added a goal each to cap the game off at 4-1.

Toronto FC returns visits the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park Saturday (8 p.m. ET, TSN1/4).

The MLS player of the week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.