Tim Howard voted U.S. player of year for 2nd time

Goalkeeper Tim Howard has been voted the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Male Athlete of the Year. Howard, who had 15 saves in the Americans’ 2-1 overtime loss to Belgium in Salvador, Brazil, in the second round of the World Cup, also won the award in 2008. He is the fifth multiple winner, joining Landon Donovan (’03-04, ’09-10), Kasey Keller (’97, ’99, ’05), Clint Dempsey (’07, ’11-12) and Marcelo Balboa (’92, ’94). Howard increased his career total to 55 international wins, two more than Keller’s previous American record. Votes were cast by, among others, the 50 players who appeared for the U.S. this year, senior and youth U.S. national team coaches, and Major League Soccer and North American Soccer League head coaches. The result was announced Thursday. – AP