PORTLAND, Ore.
– Portland Timbers forward Byron Alvarez today was named the USL First Division Player of the Week and goalkeeper Bayard Elfvin also collected Team of the Week accolades for Week 18.
Alvarez earned the honor after scoring two goals in Friday’s 3-0 win over the Puerto Rico Islanders. Portland took the early lead in the eighth minute when Alvarez got the ball down the right wing. The forward then dribbled the ball into the Puerto Rico penalty area, forcing goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to come off his line. Alvarez calmly slotted the ball between Kennedy’s legs and into the goal for the 1-0 lead.
Alvarez got his second goal of the evening in the 57th minute when he received the ball at the edge of the penalty area. Alvarez drew Kennedy away from the goal, then lofted the ball over Kennedy’s head before watching it cross the line to seal the 3-0 win.
Alvarez is the Timbers’ career leader in goals with 41 strikes since joining the team in 2003.
Elfvin also earned a spot on the league’s Team of the Week for collecting five saves, including a penalty-kick save, on the way to recording his third shutout of the season in the win over Puerto Rico.
The weekly accolades are the first this season for Alvarez and the second for Elfvin, who was also named to the Team of the Week for Week Nine.
Up next, the Timbers host the league-leading Montreal Impact in the fourth of a series of six home games to close out the regular season. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 31, at PGE Park.
