Canadian Akindele voted MLS rookie of the year

FC Dallas' Tesho Akindele, right. (Darryl Dyck/CP)

FC Dallas forward Tesho Akindele was named Major League Soccer’s rookie of the year on Monday.

Akindele, who was born in Calgary and grew up in Colorado, finished the 2014 MLS regular season with season seven goals and three assists in 26 appearances (18 as a starter). He also scored a goal in a playoff game against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Chicago Fire midfielder Harry Shipp (seven goals, six assists) and D.C. United defender Steve Birnbaum (21 starts) were the other two finalists for the award.

Akindele, 22, was the sixth overall pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft after playing four years at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. Akindele is the second MLS rookie of the year winner to have played at an NCAA Division II school. He is also the first FC Dallas player to win the honor.

The Dallas forward has drawn interest from the Canadian national team but declined a call-up for the Reds’ friendly against Panama last week. He said he’s still deciding who he’ll pledge his international allegiance to: Canada or the U.S.

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