Portland Timbers' Diego Valeri named MLS Player of the Week

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri was named Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 31 of the 2014 MLS season, it was announced today.

Valeri, 28, netted a brace for the Timbers in a 3-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday night at Providence Park, setting a new individual Timbers MLS single-season record for goals (11) in the process. The win marked Portland’s second straight victory over San Jose and third overall in the last four regular-season matches to remain in the playoff hunt.

Following the opening goal by midfielder Rodney Wallace, Valeri converted a penalty kick in the 51st minute, sending San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch the wrong way for a two-goal lead.

Valeri, who became the first Timbers MLS player to tally double-digit goals in consecutive seasons with his brace on Wednesday, closed out the scoring for Portland in the 73rd minute. Following a save from Busch on Wallace’s initial shot, Valeri calmly slotted the rebound into the back of the net to put the game away.

The midfielder, who ranks second among league leaders with 14 assists in 2014, becomes the second Timbers player to garner Player of the Week honors this season after forward Fanendo Adi received the recognition for his brace in a 3-1 win against Real Salt Lake in Week 14.

The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.

The Timbers play host to Real Salt Lake in the regular-season home finale on Friday at Providence Park at 7 p.m. (Pacific) on NBC Sports Network with a local radio broadcast on 750 The Game.