Lucas Zelarayán (left) was a step ahead of defenders in March. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)
NEW YORK – Columbus Crew midfielder Lucas Zelarayán was voted the Major League Soccer player of the month for March, the league announced on Wednesday.
Tied for the league lead with four goals through the end of March, Zelarayán leads MLS with six goals created and has helped lead Columbus to an unbeaten 2-0-2 start to the season.
He ranks second in MLS with 15 total attacking assists and is one of only three players this season with multiple goals and double-digit attacking assists, joining New England’s Carlos Gil (2 goals, 13 total attacking assists) and Portland’s Yimmi Chara (2, 13). Strengthened by Zelarayán, Columbus leads the Eastern Conference with 10 goals scored and is tied with Philadelphia atop the conference with a +5 goal differential.
Zelarayán has been named to the MLS team of the week three times this season, the most of any player in 2022, and scored in each of the club’s first three matches this season, extending a career-best scoring streak to six games dating back to Oct. 27, 2021. Over that span, Zelarayán tallied eight goals and three assists.
Zelarayán is the 16th Crew player to receive player of the month honors and the first since Zack Steffen in May 2018.
The Crew is back in action this week as they welcome Nashville SC to Lower.com Field on Saturday (6 p.m. ET, MLS LIVE on ESPN+).
MLS player of the month is voted upon by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.
