Of the 561 passes the Portland Timbers had on Saturday night in their 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo--the third highest game total across MLS in 2013 so far--there were a few that stood out for their sheer beauty.
Midfielder Diego Chara's final cross into forward Ryan Johnson for his first goal was pinpoint in its perfection and came via a great sequence of Timbers passes. Johnson's second goal--nominated for MLS Goal of the Week--was also the result of a great ball, this time from midfielder Darlington Nagbe.
While kudos must be given to Johnson's authoritative and confident finish, the play is created by Nagbe in the middle of the pitch with a simple steal, pass, and move. Greg Lalas of MLSsoccer.com explains that Nagbe's final pass is "one of those things people like to say, you can't teach."
See how how the goal came to be in the latest Anatomy of a Goal:
Be sure to vote for this goal for MLS Goal of the Week here or via texting "G3" to 22442.
