PORTLAND TIMBERS AT REAL SALT LAKE SATURDAY, OCT. 22, 2011
30
LOVEL PALMER - D/M
33
KENNY COOPER - F
Height: 5-10 Weight: 160 DOB: 08/30/84 Hometown: Mandeville, Jamaica Acquired: Trade with Houston Dynamo, 07/21/11 Pronunciation: luh-VELL Last season: Scored two goals and one assist in 26 games (24 starts) for the Dynamo in his first season in MLS. Last MLS goal: 05/07/11 - HOU @ TOR Last MLS assist: 09/16/11 - POR vs. NE
Height: 6-3 Weight: 210 DOB: 10/21/84 Hometown: Dallas, Texas Acquired: Signed, 01/17/11 Last season: Limited to 14 games (9 starts) across two 2.Bundesliga seasons due to injury. He scored two goals over his stint with 1860 Munich. Last MLS goal: 10/19/11 - POR @ DCU Last MLS assist: 08/03/11 - POR vs. LA
2011: Recorded his first assist in a Timbers uniform with a cross to Diego Chara on Sept. 16. The assist was his first since Sept. 25, 2010. Has started the last eight matches. Was an unused substitute for Jamaica during an international friendly with Colombia on Sept. 6. Missed Aug. 17 match at Sporting Kansas City while serving a one-game, league-imposed suspension for caution accumulation. Has started each of his twelve appearances with Portland, playing both right back and defensive midfield. Acquired in a trade from Houston, July 21. Appeared in 19 of Houston's 20 matches, missing one only due to suspension, and made 16 starts in midfield, scoring one goal. Set up Houston's first goal of the season with a long-range shot off the crossbar in a 1-1 draw at Seattle on March 25. Scored a late consolation goal in a 2-1 loss at Toronto on May 7. Ejected in a 2-0 loss vs. Columbus on June 18 and missed the June 25 match at D.C. United as a result. CAREER: Palmer was acquired from the Houston Dynamo along with defender Mike Chabala and an international roster slot in exchange for midfielder Adam Moffat and allocation money, July 21, 2011. Joined the Dynamo in March 2010 after seven seasons with Harbour View FC of the Jamaican National Premier League. Made his professional debut at the age of 19 and was named Harbour View's captain at the age of 21. Played in all 26 matches (24 starts) for the Dynamo after his arrival. Made his international debut for the Jamaica National Team in 2005 and has a total of 19 caps with The Reggae Boyz.
2011: Scored his team-leading eighth goal in the 24th minute of a 1-1 draw with D.C. United on Oct. 19. Has scored in four of the last six matches. Netted his seventh goal of the season on Oct. 2 against Vancouver. Scored his sixth goal of the year in the ninth minute against San Jose on Sept. 21. Scored his fifth goal of the season in a 3-0 win on Sept. 16 against New England. Ended a career-long, 14-game goalless drought Aug. 6 at San Jose, finishing a cross from Jorge Perlaza in the 23rd minute. Logged his second assist of the season, helping to set up Jorge Perlaza's goal in a 3-0 win over LA, Aug. 3. Recorded at least one shot in the season's first 16 games. Has started the last 11 league matches. Suffered at least one foul in the first 11 games of the season. Recorded his first game-winning goal and third goal of the season in the 22nd minute April 30 against Real Salt Lake, knocking in a right-footed shot from five yards out following a Kalif Alhassan cross. Scored his second goal of the season in the 35th minute April 17 against former club FC Dallas, heading a Jack Jewsbury corner kick into the upper-left corner from six yards out. Scored the first goal in MLS Timbers history in the season opener at Colorado, drilling a free kick from 30 yards out in the 80th minute. Earned the second assist on Jewsbury’s 38th-minute goal in a 1-1 draw at New England April 2; it was his first MLS assist since June 2009. CAREER: Cooper joins the Timbers from 2.Bundesliga side TSV 1860 Munich (Germany). The forward played four seasons with FC Dallas from 2006-09, where he scored 40 goals in 90 league games. Cooper had a standout season in 2008, scoring 18 goals, and was named an MLS All-Star and to the MLS Best XI that season. He was a two-time club MVP for Dallas in 2006 and 2008. Cooper began his professional career with Manchester United in 2004.
31
SPENCER THOMPSON - F
Height: 5-11 Weight: 170 DOB: 10/19/88 Hometown: Ahwatukee, Ariz. Acquired: Selected in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft, 01/18/11 Last season: 2011 marks Thompson’s first professional season. Last MLS goal: n/a Last MLS assist: n/a 2011: Is currently on the injured list with a right knee injury. Recorded an assist in a Reserve League match June 5 at Chivas USA. Scored two goals to lead the Timbers Reserves to a 3-1 win over the Galaxy Reserves in their first match, April 24. Tallied in the 39th and 89th minutes of Portland’s Reserve League opener. Started and played 120 minutes in a 1-0 overtime loss to San Jose in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match May 3. Came on in the 68th minute of the Timbers Reserves' 2-0 loss to Seattle May 30. CAREER: After a standout collegiate career at UC-Irvine, Thompson was selected by the Timbers in the first round (No. 2 overall) of the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft. He recorded 25 goals and 17 assists in 78 games over four seasons with the Anteaters. The Arizona native was a three-time All-Big West honoree and appeared on the prestigious Hermann Trophy Watch List his senior season.
98
FUTTY DANSO - D
Height: 6-3 Weight: 185 DOB: 04/27/83 Hometown: Serekunda, The Gambia Acquired: Signed, 12/15/10 Pronunciation: FOOT-ee DAN-sue Last season: Appeared in 24 games (20 starts) during the Timbers' USSF Division-2 Pro League season. Last MLS goal: 05/14/11 - POR @ SEA Last MLS assist: n/a 2011: Scored his first international goal on Oct. 8 as The Gambia drew 1-1 with Burkina Faso in a 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifying game. Made the last six starts since injuring his hamstring on Aug. 20. Missed three games (Aug. 24-Sept. 10) with a hamstring injury. Made his first start in almost a month in a 2-1 win over Vancouver, Aug. 20, but left the game with a hamstring injury. Missed the June 19 game vs. New York with a left shoulder injury. Started at center back in 10 straight matches (April 14-June 11), committing just two fouls in that span. Had his MLS-best, season-opening streak without a foul end at 604 minutes when he fouled Columbus' Andres Mendoza in the 65th minute May 21. Scored in two straight matches May 6-14, heading home Jack Jewsbury free kicks. Scored his second career MLS goal, a header past Kasey Keller, in a 1-1 draw at Seattle May 14. Scored his first career MLS goal in the 72nd minute of a 1-0 win over Philadelphia May 6, heading a Jack Jewsbury free kick into the lower-left corner. Made his MLS debut April 14 against Chicago and forced an own goal by Fire defender Dasan Robinson in an 84th-minute scrum to seal the 4-2 win. Missed matches against Toronto FC (March 26) and Chivas USA (March 29) while away on national team duty. CAREER: A member of The Gambia National Team, Danso played two seasons with the Timbers’ second-division side from 2009-10, appearing in 40 league games and totaling two goals and an assist. He earned his first call-ups to The Gambia National team in 2010, joining the squad for 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Namibia and Burkina Faso. At SPSU, he became the first player in school history to earn All-America honors in 2008.