Giorgos Giakoumakis, the talented forward who has been making waves in Major League Soccer (MLS) with Atlanta United, has added another feather to his cap. Yesterday, in a match against New England, Giakoumakis scored for his team, bringing his total to eight goals for the season. The match ended in a 3-3 draw, with Giakoumakis playing a crucial role​.

Giakoumakis has proven himself to be a standout player this season. Despite suffering a mild hamstring strain and a delayed start due to visa issues following his transfer from Glasgow Celtic in the Scottish Premier League, he’s managed to maintain a strong scoring streak. This is even more impressive considering he’s been coming off the bench again as Atlanta manager Gonzalo Pineda opts for caution with players returning from injury​.

His performance has been so impressive, in fact, that he’s one of the leading contenders for the 2023 MLS Golden Boot. Giakoumakis is already fourth this season in total expected goals generated, which measures how many goals a player would be expected to score based on the position and circumstances of the shots he takes. Even more remarkable is that he’s achieved this despite playing fewer than half the minutes of the two legitimate Golden Boot contenders above him on that list​​.

On a per 90-minute basis, Giakoumakis is leading the pack, averaging above 1.0 xG per 90. His current rate of 1.36 goals per 90 minutes may not be sustainable as he becomes a more regular fixture of Pineda’s starting XI, but he has consistently scored close to a goal per 90 since 2020. This includes his time at VVV-Venlo in the Dutch Eredivise and at Celtic, where he averaged 0.91 and 0.97 goals per 90 minutes respectively​​.

There is a lot of speculation and excitement around Giakoumakis’ potential in the MLS. As long as he avoids further injury setbacks, there’s a good chance he will continue to impress in the Golden Boot race and contribute significantly to Atlanta United’s success.

Please note that this article is based on the information available as of June 1, 2023. For the most up-to-date information on Giakoumakis and his performance in the MLS, I recommend checking the latest sports news and Atlanta United’s official website.