Everyone knows that three goals in a game is a hat trick. What do you call three assists in a game? A shoe trick? I don’t know. Anyways, Diego Valeri notched three assists on Sunday against San Jose. Only three other MLS players have managed that feat this year, and Valeri is the only one to do so twice. The fact that the Timbers didn’t win in either match says a lot about their frustrating year, but that shouldn’t diminish Valeri’s contribution. He leads MLS with 83 chances created, and his 12 assists are behind only Landon Donovan. He is the biggest reason why the Timbers have one of the league’s most exciting attacks.
Words don’t quite do justice to Valeri’s ability, so I’ll step side and let these GIFs speak:
Clever Through Balls 