After scoring three goals in the final six games of the 2017 season, San Jose Earthquakes forward Danny Hoesen picked up right where he left off in 2018, scoring two goals to lead the Quakes to a season-opening 3-2 win over Minnesota United FC on Saturday.

It was enough to earn him the first Alcatel MLS Player of the Week award of the year, as voted on by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR).

The brace was the first in MLS for the 27-year-old Hoesen, who finished with five goals and five assists in his debut season in San Jose last year.

The Netherlands native got the Quakes on the board with a tremendous long-distance strike in the 27th minute. His second goal came in the 59th minute after a dazzling give-and-go with Vako.

After an idle week, Hoesen and the Quakes will look to win their second straight when they hit the road to face Sporting Kansas City on March 17 (8:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE in US | MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada).

The Alcatel 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.