PLAYER OF THE MONTH | Miami Forward Dario Cvitanich

Miami FC is in the midst of a tight battle to clinch a postseason berth, and Dario Cvitanich is leading the charge. The Argentine forward has put forth some key performances down the stretch for the first-year side, making him the media’s vote for NASL Player of the Month for September.

Cvitanich scored in each of the first three September games for Miami FC, helping the club gather nine points over that stretch and shoot up the NASL table. In fact, the 32-year-old forward was Miami FC’s good luck charm last month, featuring in all four of its wins and sitting out its pair of losses.

“This is an honor not only for myself but for the whole team,” Cvitanich said. “This couldn’t be possible without them and it truly demonstrates how far we’ve come as a team since the start. I’m happy that I can continue playing the sport I love, all while helping my teammates along the way. I want to thank our fans for their support, game in and game out – they’re my motivation.”

Miami FC started off the month of September in emphatic fashion, claiming a dominant 3-0 win at Puerto Rico FC in Week 10 of the Fall Season. Cvitanich tallied the club’s second goal in the win. On September 11, he found the back of the net for the opening goal in Miami’s 2-0 road win over FC Edmonton. Three days later, less than a minute after coming on as a substitute, the 5-foot-8 forward scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over the Carolina RailHawks.

“I’m very happy for Dario,” Miami FC head coach Alessandro Nesta said. “He has accomplished a lot in his career, and it’s nice to see him continuing to achieve more. He’s a key player for us, both on and off the field, and it’s a pleasure to coach him every day.”

After a productive month, Cvitanich now has nine goals in his first NASL season. Perhaps more importantly, his efforts have helped vault Miami FC up the table and into contention for a spot in The Championship, the league’s four-team postseason tournament.

As it stands, Nesta’s side is one of three clubs with 36 points, and only one will end up getting a spot in The Championship. With the race heating up, Miami’s home game against Rayo OKC this Saturday is shaping up to be an important one.

Cvitanich, a native of Baradero, Argentina, signed with Miami prior to the season after most recently playing with CF Pachuca in Liga MX. The veteran forward has played with the likes of Ajax, Boca Juniors, and Nice over the course of his career.

Miami FC and Rayo OKC kick off at 8 p.m. ET at Ocean Bank Field on Saturday, and the game can be seen live on ESPN3 (U.S.) and Canada (NASL.com).