United Soccer Leagues announced the Team of the Week honors for the 22nd week of the USL season, honoring Rochester’s Errol McFarlane as the USL First Division Player of the Week.
On Thursday evening in Portland, midseason Rhino acquisition Errol McFarlane accomplished something no team in the USL First Division has done this season – score twice against the Timbers. His two-goal outing gave the Rhinos their first victory of the year over a club in the current top four in the league, but most notably, ended Portland’s league-record 24-game unbeaten streak.
After nearly putting away a header from 15 yards out in the first half, McFarlane capitalized on his first attempt of the second half in the 52nd minute. Off a ball played into the box by Steve Kindel, McFarlane bounced a header around the out-stretched arms of Steve Cronin and across the goal mouth, dodging two Timbers defenders, before finding the back of the net to give Rochester a 1-0 lead.
After Ryan Pore pulled the Timbers even in the 81st minute, McFarlane capped his brace in second-half stoppage time. Fighting for a loose ball inside the box, he was able gain possession before the Timbers could clear it from danger. McFarlane slotted a shot into the back of the net to seal the 2-1 win and end the Rhinos four-game winless stretch.
The two strikes were his first points of the year for Rochester and were only the fifth and sixth goals allowed by the Timbers at home in 12 games.