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 17 of the 2015 MLS season, it was announced today.
Adi, 24, netted a brace with two goals in quick succession for the Timbers in a 4-1 win over Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday night at Providence Park, recording his third brace of the season. The win marked Portland’s second straight victory over Seattle in all competitions, including a 3-1 win in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 16.
With the score tied 1-1 in the 74th minute, Adi hit a bending, one-time shot around Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei following a pinpoint pass from midfielder Darlington Nagbe for what would stand as the game-winning goal. Less than two minutes later, Adi added a second goal with a powerful right-footed strike from the top of the box after a pass from midfielder Rodney Wallace. The brace marked his seventh 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. Adi has scored a team-high eight goals in 18 games this season.
Adi also received Player of the Week recognition for his 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 travel to face Real Salt Lake in the Round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah; kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. (Pacific). Following Wednesday’s match, Portland plays host to the San Jose Earthquakes in a nationally televised game on Sunday at Providence Park; kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. (Pacific). Sunday’s match will be broadcast on ESPN2 with a local radio broadcast on 750/102.9 The Game and in Spanish on 93.5 FM.
