Debut Delights In MLS For NASL Award Winners

Heading into the 2017 season, two NASL award winners from last year – Christian Ramirez and Matt VanOekel – moved to MLS rosters. Ramirez is still plying his trade with Minnesota United, while VanOekel joined Real Salt Lake after a successful stint with FC Edmonton.

Both players claimed NASL honors after the 2016 season with Ramirez taking home the league’s Golden Boot award for a second time, scoring 18 goals last year. VanOekel set a league record with a 0.55 goals against average to claim the Golden Glove award.

In recent weeks, both players made their MLS debuts and both had success right from the start.

Just this past weekend, VanOekel stepped in between the goalposts while goalkeeper Nick Rimando was away on national-team duty with the U.S. VanOekel made three saves to keep a clean sheet and was named to the MLS Team of the Week.

During the first week of the MLS campaign, Ramirez came on as a second-half substitute and, 10 minutes into his time on the field, scored the Loons’ first goal.

“It’s been a life-long dream to score in MLS and to be able to play in MLS, so fulfilling that dream was an amazing feeling,” Ramirez told NASL.com.

Ramirez has two goals so far this year and as NASL defenders over the past three years can attest, the forward is tough to stop when he gets rolling. Ramirez scored 50 goals during his time in the league.

VanOekel, who started his career in Minnesota before spending the past two years with FC Edmonton, helped the Canadian side return to the postseason for the first time since 2011. He spent six years in the NASL.

“The NASL prepared me for this level because of the competition and the 60-plus games that I was able to play at a high level and continue to develop my game,” Ramirez said.