Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter had his side firing on all cylinders in a comprehensive 2-0 victory over FC Dallas this past weekend. Porter's performance earned him a spot as the coach for the MLS Team of the Week (Wk 33) plus two more of his squad made the team as well.
After setting a personal career high with assists this season (7), Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe opened his 2014 scoring account against FC Dallas with a clutch strike. Helping hold the lead, defender Alvas Powell shutdown the speedy FCD attacker Fabian Castillo with aplomb all evening.
Who else earned a spot on the latest Team of the Week? Read on to find out.
GK: Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire) While his Chicago teammates were struggling to tread water early vs. Houston, Johnson made several key saves which ultimately paid off when the Fire grabbed a late victory.
D: Alvas Powell (Portland Timbers) – Excellent showing at right back, completely shutting down Dallas danger men Fabian Castillo and Andres Escobar to help Portland keep their playoff hopes alive.
D: Jose Goncalves (New England Revolution) – Showed again why he won DOTY last season, serving as the rock along the Revs backline as they beat Toronto 1-0.
D: Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps) – Another busy but ruthlessly effective night at the back for the Costa Rican, who also grabbed the goal that sent Vancouver to the playoffs.
D: Waylon Francis (Columbus Crew) – His attacking verve is what sets him apart from most left backs in MLS, and he showed that again as the Crew won 2-1.
M: Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers) – Finally scored his first goal of the season and was consistently dangerous against Dallas as the Timbers won 2-0.
M: Matias Laba (Vancouver Whitecaps) – A mauler in the center of the park, Laba dominated the midfield as the 'Caps clinched their playoff spot.
M: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake) – Scored the insurance goal against Chivas USA to help RSL capture the No. 3 seed in a 2-0 win on Wednesday.
M: Marco Pappa (Seattle Sounders) – Came on as a sub and was a nightmare for the LA Galaxy for the second game in a row. His two goals ensured the Sounders won the Supporters' Shield.
F: Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls) – Moved into the history books, netting a brace to tie Roy Lassiter and Chris Wondolowski for the single season scoring mark at 27 goals as the Red Bulls beat SKC 2-0.
F: Marco Di Vaio (Montreal Impact) – Said goodbye to the Montreal faithful with a goal against D.C. United.
Coach: Caleb Porter (Portland Timbers) – Had his team ready for their matchup against FC Dallas, securing the much needed win, but didn't get any help from the Rapids.
Bench:David Ousted (Vancouver Whitecaps), Richard Eckersley (New York Red Bulls), Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders), Nigel Reo-Coker (Chivas USA), Tony Tchani (Columbus Crew), Joao Plata (Real Salt Lake), Florent Sinama-Pongolle (Chicago Fire)
