PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Timbers forward Fanendo Adi was named Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 33 of the 2015 MLS season, it was announced today.
Adi, 24, netted a brace in a three-minute span during the second half of a 5-2 win for the Timbers on Sunday against the LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The two goals in the 65th and 68th minutes marked Adi’s fifth multi-goal performance this season and increased his team-high total to 15 goals.
Trailing 1-0 the 65th minute, midfielder Diego Valeri and forward Lucas Melano combined to find Adi in the penalty box as the striker took a touch to set up a left-footed effort that beat Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts for the game-tying goal. Shortly after, Adi was pulled down in the box by defender Dan Gargan, earning a penalty kick and converting underneath Ricketts as the goalkeeper dove to his left in the 68th minute. The brace marked his ninth multi-goal game for the Timbers since joining the club in May 2014, which ranks as the most multi-goal games in MLS over that span. After registering his brace, Adi helped set up Portland’s third goal, holding up the ball deep in the box before delivering a pass to midfielder Rodney Wallace, who found midfielder Diego Chara streaking into the box for a 3-1 lead in the 74th minute.
Earlier in the week, Adi registered the game-winning goal on a 54th-minute penalty kick for the Timbers in a 1-0 road win against Real Salt Lake on Oct. 14 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.
Adi also received Player of the Week recognition for his brace in a 4-1 win against Seattle Sounders FC in Week 17 this season, as well as for another brace in a 3-1 win against Real Salt Lake in Week 14 during the 2014 regular season.
The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.
The Timbers close out their 2015 regular-season schedule on Sunday, Oct. 25, against the Colorado Rapids at Providence Park; kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. (Pacific). The regular-season finale against the Rapids will be broadcast live on ROOT SPORTS with a local radio broadcast on 750/102.9 The Game and in Spanish on La GranD 93.5 FM. As part of MLS “Decision Day,” all five Western Conference matches will kick off concurrently at 4 p.m. (Pacific) on Oct. 25.
