Diego Valeri’s two goals last Wednesday were enough to lead the Portland Timbers to a crucial win over the San Jose Earthquakes, and to add another award to the Argentine playmaker’s already impressive haul since joining MLS.
On Monday Valeri was named the MLS Player of the Week for Week 31 by the by the North American Soccer Reporters, easily topping a field that also included Vancouver Whitecaps defender Kendall Waston and Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum.
Valeri scored from the penalty spot in the 51st minute and added a second goal in the 73rd to cap the Timbers’ win 3-0 over the Quakes, which kept Portland in the hunt for their second consecutive playoff berth.
The award is Valeri’s first of the season, and he joins Fandeno Adi (Week 14) as Timbers players who have won the award in 2014.
2014 MLS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
- Week 31: Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers)
- Week 30: Sebastian Fernandez (Vancouver Whitecaps)
- Week 29: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
- Week 28: Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)
- Week 27: Blas Perez (FC Dallas)
- Week 26: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
- Week 25: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
- Week 24: Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders)
- Week 23: Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas)
- Week 22: Chris Schuler (Real Salt Lake)
- Week 21: Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
- Week 20: Yannick Djalo (San Jose Earthquakes)
- Week 19: Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City)
- Week 18: Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)
- Week 17: Erick Torres (Chivas USA)
- Week 16: Jack McInerney (Montreal Impact)
- Week 15: Luis Silva (D.C. United)
- Week 14: Fanendo Adi (Portland Timbers)
- Week 13: Deshorn Brown (Colorado Rapids)
- Week 12: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
- Week 11: Federico Higuaín (Columbus Crew)
- Week 10: Harry Shipp (Chicago Fire)
- Week 9: Joao Plata (Real Salt Lake)
- Week 8: Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)
- Week 7: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
- Week 6: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders)
- Week 5: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders)
- Week 4: Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
- Week 3: Bernardo Añor (Columbus Crew)
- Week 2: Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC)
- Week 1: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
