Kamal Miller celebrates his goal. (Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports)

CF Montréal defender Kamal Miller was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the week for the ninth week of the 2022 MLS season.

In his second season with Montréal, Miller provided the spark from defense to continue the club’s six-game unbeaten run, registering his first-career game with both a goal and an assist in Montréal’s 2-1 victory over Atlanta United FC. Miller, a Canadian men’s national team staple, scored just his second career goal and registered his fifth career assist in the 64th appearance of his MLS career.

The 24-year-old defender gave Montréal the lead just four minutes into the match when he headed in Djordje Mihailovic’s free kick from just outside the six-yard box (Watch Here ). After Marcelino Moreno scored for Atlanta in the second half, Miller provided the game-winning assist when he swiftly dribbled past two defenders and fired in a cross that was headed into the side netting by Joaquín Torres (Watch Here ). The assist was the second of his 2022 campaign and the first game-winner of his career.

With his performance, Miller became just the fourth defender to post a goal and an assist in a match this season. Additionally, the Canadian helped limit Atlanta’s attack by becoming the only player in Week 9 to tally at least four duels won, five clearances and three interceptions. Of the 810 total minutes in Montréal’s season, Miller has played 801 of those at the back.

Miller is the first Montréal player to win MLS Player of the Week presented by Continental Tire this year and joins Bojan Krkic (Week 19, 2020) as the only Montréal players to win the award in the past three seasons. Miller also becomes the first defender to win MLS Player of the Week since Richie Laryea did so for Toronto FC in Week 14 of 2020.

Montréal will look to extend its six-game unbeaten streak as they host Orlando City SC at Stade Saputo on Saturday, May 7 (4 p.m. ET, MLS LIVE on ESPN+).

The MLS Player of the Week presented by Continental Tire is selected each week of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while a Twitter fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR 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.