Cohen finishes second in USL Goalkeeper of the Year vote

Yesterday, the United Soccer League (USL) announced that Ottawa Fury FC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau (15 clean sheets, 82 saves, 1.00 goals-against average) was voted the 2018 USL Goalkeeper of the Year. Crepeau received 39 percent of the vote, edging out Sacramento Republic FC keeper Josh Cohen who earned 32 percent of the vote respectively. Votes were cast by club management and a league-wide media panel that represented every USL market.

As stated in previous posts, Cohen was sensational for the Quails this season and was in many ways the club’s Most Valuable Player. He was second in the league in saves with 117, fifth in the league with 12 clean sheets, and posted a 0.94 percent goals-against average. On numerous occasions, Cohen either kept his side in the game or saved a win late to preserve three points.

It’s too bad that the Western and Eastern Conference teams don’t play in the regular season, because if they did, I think the results of this vote would look different. I also think Crepeau benefited from the fact that he was on loan to Fury FC from the Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer and that he is a member of the Canadian National Team.

This is not to take anything away from Crepeau at all, because clearly he is deserving of the award. But the Western Conference was a much stronger conference from top to bottom in my humble opinion with its attack-oriented style of play. The fact that Cohen was facing that type of competition each and every night is why he firmly had my vote.

Irrespective of yesterday’s news, for all of us that watched Cohen play all season, we know just how incredible he was. Congratulations once again to him on a great season and for finishing as the runner up in the USL Goalkeeper of the Year voting.

Let us know what your thoughts in the comments section. Do you think the panel of league and media voters got it right?