Portland Timbers Goalkeeper Jake Gleeson Voted MLS Player of the Week
Published on May 3, 2016 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK - Portland Timbers Goalkeeper Jake Gleeson was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for the ninth week of the 2016 MLS season.
In his second start for the Timbers this season, Gleeson - who has been with Portland since the club's inaugural MLS season - produced a stunning performance in net, stonewalling an aggressive Toronto FC attack and securing a 2-1 victory in MLS Soccer Sunday action. A New Zealand national team member, the 25-year-old Gleeson held strong against Toronto's repeated attempts at goal with four highlight-worthy saves, helping Portland extend its unbeaten streak to three matches.
After the Timbers took a 2-1 lead through Diego Valeri's incredible 74th minute free kick goal, Toronto upped the ante with waves of attack in the final minutes of the game. Gleeson amazed the home crowd with a Save of the Week contender in the 77th minute, as U.S. Men's National Team captain Michael Bradley fired a shot from outside the box that he denied with an incredible diving stop.
Toronto continued its blitz and seemed poised to equalize the match in stoppage time. In the 92nd minute, reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco sent a cross into the box to a wide open Will Johnson, only to have Gleeson deny Johnson's header from point blank range and ultimately secure a Portland win.
The Portland Timbers next travel to BC Place where they will face Cascadia Cup rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, May 7 (5 p.m. ET, TSN, MLS Live).
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.
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