Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando captured Major League Soccer's first Player of the Month honor for 2011, beating teammate Javier Morales in balloting by the North American Soccer Reporters.
The UCLA product from Montclair made 10 saves to lead RSL past San Jose, 1-0, in a wet, wild opener in Northern California, then held the Galaxy scoreless until late in a 4-1 triumph in difficult conditions last weekend in Sandy, Utah. He received 11 first-place votes and five for second place.
Morales, who was MLS's Player of the Week after scoring twice and setting up a third in the victory over L.A., received seven first-place votes (five for second), and D.C. United forward Charlie Davies picked up five (and six). New England's Shalrie Joseph and New York's Rafa Marquez also received first-place votes. Nobody from the Galaxy nor Chivas USA received a mention.
I voted Morales first and Joseph second.