Editor's Note: In a year celebrating the club's fifth in Major League Soccer and 40th since its founding, 2015 had a number of memorable moments not the least of which was the raising of the MLS Cup. As the calendar year comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the key plays, games and exciting points in time that made 2015 special.
After suffering an agonizing ACL injury in the Portland Timbers' final match of the 2014 season, midfield talisman Diego Valeri
Diego Valeri made his triumphant return against Vancouver Whitecaps FC in May.
Coming on as a second-half substitute, the Argentine received an enormous roar as the Providence Park crowd rose to its feet to cheer on the playmaker.
While that match ended in a scoreless draw, it wasn't long before Valeri began getting back into the type of goal-scoring form that saw him become one of the league's MVP candidates in each of his previous two seasons.
In the very next match, a tough road game in Montreal, Valeri earned his first start of the season. With just 20 minutes to go in the game and the Timbers holding a slim 1-0 lead, Valeri pulled off some of his typical magic, bending a hard strike around the outstretched fingertips of Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush.
The goal doubled the Timbers' lead and ultimately became the game-winner, earning the Timbers a critical three points.
Valeri, though, was typically understated when pressed about the goal.
“I’m happy about the goal and the win,” he told the media at training the next week. “We wanted to get three points, and we did it.”
Valeri finished the regular season with a team-high eight assists and earned himself 2015 MLS Cup MVP honors after scoring that match's opening goal 27 seconds into the game—a new MLS Cup record.
