Kelsy receives starting XI nod, Velde selected to TOTM bench
PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Timbers forwards Kevin Kelsy and Kristoffer Velde have been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 12, the league announced today. Kelsy (starting XI) recorded two goals and two assists and Kristoffer Velde (bench) registered a goal and an assist in Saturday night’s 6-0 win over Sporting Kansas City at Providence Park.
Kelsy, 21, registered his third and fourth goals of the season in Matchday 12, placing him in a tie for club-high on the season. It marked the club’s 65th brace in MLS. Notably, Kelsy also delivered two assists in the game, the first time he’s provided multiple assists in a match in his career. Additionally, the Venezuelan international is also tied for the club lead in assists this year with three. The 21-year-old’s six point individual performance in the match tied an MLS club record last achieved by Sebastián Blanco on May 14, 2022.
Velde, 26, struck the game’s opening goal and provided an assist against SKC, bringing his season totals to four goals (tied for club-high) and two assists. Velde is one of two field players this season to start every single game (11) and has amassed over 950 minutes of play in his second season in Portland. In total, the Norwegian international has amassed six goals and four assists in MLS play.
The Timbers hit the road for a two-games-in-five-days stretch, starting at CF Montréal on Wednesday, May 13, before heading to Florida for an encounter with Inter Miami CF on Sunday, May 17. Wednesday’s kickoff from Stade Saputo is set for 4:30pm PT and will feature a broadcast on Apple TV in English and Spanish with local radio broadcasts on 105.1 FM/1080 AM The Fan (English) and La GranD 93.5 FM/1150AM (Spanish).
