Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week

Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 31 of the 2014 MLS regular season.

Diego Valeri scored two goals in the Timbers’ crucial 3-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday night to keep them in the playoff hunt.

Valeri’s first goal came in the 51st minute of the game after a penalty was called for a foul on Rodney Wallace. The Argentinean midfielder stepped up and curled the ball into the upper right side of the net as Earthquakes goalie Jon Busch went the other way.

In the 73rd minute, Valeri scored his second of the night and sealed the win for the Timbers. Valeri started a counter attack down the right wing then played a pass for fellow midfielder Darlington Nagbe who found Rodney Wallace making a run on the left side of the box. Wallace’s shot was blocked by Busch, but spilled out to the feet of Valeri who tapped it into the back of the net.

The Timbers will host Real Salt Lake on Friday, October 17 at 10:00 p.m. ET on NBCSN.