After latest golazo, Portland Timbers’ Caleb Porter says Darlington Nagbe has joined elite of MLS
It makes sense that Darlington Nagbe would score his ninth goal of the year in spectacular way, breaking the Portland Timbers record for most goals in a season.
After all, Nagbe made his debut in 2011 with the MLS Goal of the Year-winning juggling volley that marked the beginning of his career. In Portland’s 2-2 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday, he scored his most recent submission, a 30-yard right-footed curling goal that broke Kenny Cooper’s record of eight goals in Portland’s first season.
Following Sunday’s game in Vancouver, Timbers head coach Caleb Porter spoke with MLSsoccer.com over the phone, saying, “Nothing surprises me with Darlington because I’ve seen him do it all.” “I simply believe that he keeps proving that he’s among the league’s best players.”
In many respects, this season has been a breakthrough for the University of Akron third-year pro.
Nagbe, who is currently playing under Porter, his former college coach, has broken his previous record of six goals in a single season. He has also set career highs in assists (four), shots (56), and shots on goal (23). In addition, he started 45 games in a row for Portland, all of which occurred during the season he finished first on MLS’ 24 Under 24 list.
The truth is that you earn your credit by achieving your goals, therefore Porter claimed that “he probably doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves.” Furthermore, he hadn’t produced enough until this year. And he’s proving this season that not only can he score goals but also be a really special player when it comes to touches and control of the ball.
“He’s demonstrating that he’s not just a possession player, but also a final-third player.”