Sporting Kansas City midfielder Felipe Gutierrez has been named MLS Player of the Month presented by EA SPORTS™ for the month of March, becoming the 13th player in club history to win the award and the first since May 2015.

Arriving in February from Spanish side Real Betis, Gutierrez enjoyed a phenomenal first month in MLS with a League-leading five goals to help Sporting Kansas City post a 3-1-1 record and ascend to first place in the Western Conference. The 27-year-old is the second Kansas City player all-time to notch five goals in the first five games of a regular season, having scored in all four matches of Sporting KC’s current unbeaten streak.

FELIPE GUTIERREZ: MARCH HIGHLIGHT REEL

In addition to sitting atop the MLS scoring charts, Gutierrez leads the League with three game-winning goals while ranking second in shots on target (10), second in tackles won (16) and 11th in duels won (37). The Chilean international has been a driving force for a Sporting KC outfit that has scored 10 goals, tied for most in MLS.

Gutierrez caught fire in Week 2, bagging a brace — including a game-winning AT&T MLS Goal of the Week nominee — to propel Sporting KC to a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Chicago Fire. A week later, he tallied another excellent strike to seal a 3-2 home win against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Sporting KC took an early 2-0 deficit at the Colorado Rapids on March 24, but Gutierrez ignited the fightback with a 57th-minute goal before Diego Rubio found a stoppage-time equalizer to rescue the 2-2 draw. Gutierrez recorded his fifth goal of the campaign last Saturday, slotting home in the 3rd minute of a 1-0 triumph over D.C. United.

MLS Player of the Month presented by EA SPORTS™ is voted upon by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.

Sporting KC returns to the pitch Sunday night at StubHub Center in Carson, California, facing the LA Galaxy (2-1-1, 7 points) in a nationally televised showdown on FS1. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. CT with local radio calls available on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM (Spanish). All Sporting KC fans are welcome to attend the official watch party for the match at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District, featuring $5 Corona cans and an all-you-can-eat buffet with bottomless domestic draft beer ($30) or bottomless soda ($20).

Sporting KC All-Time MLS Players of the Month

April 2000: Miklos Molnar

May 2000: Tony Meola

May 2003: Preki

June 2004: Chris Klein

August 2005: Scott Sealy

June 2006: Jose Burciaga, Jr.

April 2007: Eddie Johnson

June 2011: Graham Zusi

May 2014: Dom Dwyer

June 2014: Eric Kronberg

July 2014: Benny Feilhaber

April 2015: Benny Feilhaber

May 2015: Krisztian Nemeth

March 2018: Felipe Gutierrez