Kalif Alhassan

A former Ghanaian youth international, Alhassan signed with the Timbers on Dec. 15, 2010, after playing in eight games with Portland’s second-division club in 2010.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2012: Played in 16 matches during the regular season, recording one goal and two assists ... Hampered by multiple injuries during the season ... Assisted the game-winning goal and scored his first MLS goal in a 3-1 win over Philadelphia in the Timbers’ season opener March 12 at JELD-WEN Field; it was the first three-point performance of his MLS career ... Led the Timbers to their first comeback win as an MLS side ... Was named the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) Player of the Week for Week 1, becoming the first MLS Timbers player to earn NASR Player of the Week honors ... Assisted the go-ahead goal by Kris Boyd in the third minute of a 5-3 loss to the LA Galaxy on July 14; it was the quickest goal scored by the Timbers in 2012 ... Recorded two assists in three appearance for the Timbers Reserves during the MLS Reserve League season, contributing to wins over the Chivas USA Reserves July 29 and Seattle Sounders FC Reserves Sept. 16.

2011: Received a red card on Sept. 24 against New York for a hand ball in the box. Misses Oct. 2 match at Vancouver. Earned his sixth assist on a cross to Darlington Nagbe in a 3-0 win over New England on Sept. 16. Has started the last five league matches for Portland. Started 18 consecutive matches April 2-July 30 before coming off the bench in the last two. Logged five assists in his first five home games but has not earned a point since May 21. As of Aug. 22, is tied for ninth in MLS with five assists and tied for second with three game-winning assists. Is only the third player in MLS history to record an assist in each of his first three career home games, joining LA Galaxy's Carlos Hermosillo (1998) and the New York Red Bulls' Jorge Rojas (2008). Forced an own goal by Seattle's Jeff Parke with a 46th-minute cross July 10. His 46th-minute cross in to Eric Brunner set up the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Columbus May 21; also recorded a season-high four shots. Was named to MLSSoccer.com’s Week 5 Team of the Week after contributing three assists in wins over Chicago and FC Dallas. Became the first Timbers player to earn two assists in a match and earn assists in consecutive matches when he helped on goals by Jack Jewsbury and Rodney Wallace in a 3-2 win over FC Dallas April 17. Collected his first career MLS assist in Portland’s 4-2 win over Chicago April 14. Made his MLS debut March 19 at Colorado.

2010: Was signed by the Timbers on Aug. 19 and played in six regular-season matches (3 starts) during the USSF Division-2 Pro League season ... Scored the game-winning goal – his first goal with the club – in a 1-0 victory over the Puerto Rico Islanders on Sept. 18 ... Tallied in the regular-season finale Oct. 2 against the Vancouver Whitecaps, which ended in a 2-2 draw ... Started both of the Timbers’ first-round playoff matches against Vancouver.

2007-10: Began his professional career with Liberty Professionals in Ghana’s GLO Premier League in 2007 ... Helped Liberty Professionals reach the semifinals of the 2009 West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Club Champion¬ship ... Played with the club through the 2010 campaign before arriving in Portland.

INTERNATIONAL

Has been a member of Ghana’s National Team system since 2007 ... Played for both the U-17 and U-20 National Teams ... Was first named to the Ghana U-20 National Team pool in 2008, and has participated in several camps with the U-20s, including ones for the 2009 Youth African Championship and the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup ... Called into camp with the senior national team for the 2009 African Cup of Nations Championship.

PERSONAL
Pronounced “KA-leaf AL-hass-on”.