The Audi Player Index ratings have been released for Week 6 of the 2016 MLS season, and four Black-and-Red players have made the top 20. Fabián Espíndola, who was also named the Major League Soccer Player of the Week after scoring twice against the Vancouver Whitecaps, topped the list with 2000 points. Álvaro Saborío, who made MLS Team of the Week with Espíndola, ranked number five, while MLS newcomer Luciano Acosta came in at number seven.
Acosta recorded his first two career MLS assists, both to Saborío (who scored a brace for the first time since March 29, 2014), in the second half of United's match on Saturday, April 9. Steven Birnbaum rounded out the list, ranking 11th in the league, according to the carmaker's player performance system. It was Birnbaum's header off a corner that caromed off the crossbar and landed at Espíndola's feet in the second half, leading to the Argentine's second goal of the day.
The Audi Player Index is an innovative system that uses a data-based model to record nearly every performance-relevant action on the field. Data is collected from OPTA, one of the world's leading live, detailed sports data providers. To learn more, click here.
