The Portland Timbers had a busy Thursday. Fresh from announcing with MLS that reigning UEFA Champions League winners FC Bayern Munich would be coming to Portland for the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game on Aug. 6, they then proceeded to announce two quick transactions.
First, the Timbers acquired midfielder/defender Jorge Villafaña from Chivas USA. Villafaña, who played under Timbers head coach Caleb Porter while a member of the U.S. U-23s, has been known to score a few opportunistic goals.
Watch this first example that sees him lurking back post for a timely header against Real Salt Lake.
The second is also result of clever positioning as he finds an equalizer against FC Dallas back in 2012:
Also part of the Villafaña trade came the No. 2 spot in the 2013 Re-Entry Draft, Stage 1. The Timbers traded up to snatch midfielder Steve Zakuani who was placed on the list by the Seattle Sounders. Zakuani, the 2009 MLS SuperDraft No. 1 overall pick by Seattle and one-time charge of then-University of Akron head coach Caleb Porter, blazed through MLS in his rookie campaign and came out flying in 2010. This strike against Toronto was won the Week 27 MLS Goal of the Week in 2010:
And this one against Chivas USA was the Week 29 winner in 2010:
Overcoming a leg fracture that kept him out for much of the 2011 season, Zakuani heroically made his return to the pitch in 2012 and notched this memorable strike against San Jose in September of that year.
