PORTLAND, Ore.
– T2 midfielder
Villyan Bijev
has been named the USL Player of the Week for Week 26 of the 2016 season after recording a goal and two assists to lead Portland to a pair of victories last week to help the team extend a club-record four-game winning streak. Through 29 games played, Bijev ranks second on the team in goals scored (6), while he leads the team and ranks tied for first in the USL in assists (9).
Bijev, who previously earned a spot on the USL Team of the Week for Week 20 and Week 24, registered an assist on the game-winning goal scored by
Neco Brett
in stoppage time in a 2-1 victory over Arizona United SC at Peoria Sports Complex on Sept. 13. The midfielder then tallied a goal and an assist in Portland’s 2-0 shutout victory over Cascadia-rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 at Thunderbird Stadium on Sept. 18. T2 opened the scoring after Bijev slipped Brett behind the Vancouver defense, and Brett’s low-driven shot beat the goalkeeper at his near post in the 13th minute. Bijev gave Portland a 2-0 lead just before halftime after a long ball into the penalty box was poorly handled by Whitecaps FC 2. Bijev was first to the ball and chipped the goalkeeper, who initially made a fingertip save on the shot, but Bijev pounced on the rebound and slotted home from inside the six-yard box.
During T2’s current four-game winning streak, which dates back to Sept. 4, Bijev has tallied three goals and two assists.
Just one point out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, T2 return home to close out the 2016 USL regular season when they play host to Arizona United SC at Merlo Field on Saturday, Sept. 24; kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (Pacific). Single-game tickets for T2 matches are available at the Providence Park box office, online at
www.timbers2.com
, and on game day at the venue box office. The Sept. 24 match will also be available via a live, high-definition web stream at
www.timbers2.com
.
