Ghana’s Kwarasey wins 2015 MLS Save of the Year!

Ghana’s Adam Larsen Kwarasey has capped a wonderful debut season in the Major League Soccer (MLS) with series of breathtaking saves for Portland Timbers.

And his hard work did not go unnoticed as one of his many wonderful saves won him the 2015 MLS Save of the Year.

Kwarasey became a hero from the Portland Timbers' shootout victory over Sporting Kansas City in the Knockout Round of the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, and now will add 2015 MLS Save of the Year honors to his list of accolades.

Kwarasey’s flying save on August 15 against Real Salt Lake beat out the 31 other candidates, finally edging the Vancouver Whitecaps' David Ousted in the final voting.

It is the first time a Portland Timbers player has won the Save of the Year honors.

The award was decided by a fan vote, this year utilizing a new, bracket-style format. The field was comprised of the 32 Save of the Week winners that were earned by goalkeepers during the 2015 regular season.

In the 31st minute of a scoreless road match at Real Salt Lake, Kwarasey made a spectacular fingertip save of a Luke Mulholland blast from nearly 30 yards to keep the Timbers’ in the match. The ball was cleared from the Portland area, but Mulholland hit a perfectly timed first-time volley from distance that appeared headed to the upper left corner.

Kwarasey was quick to react, lunging high to his right to push the ball just beyond the goal for a corner kick. The save proved instrumental, and Timbers defender Nat Borchers scored in five minutes into second-half stoppage time to give Portland the 1- 0 win.

Out of the 32 saves that contested the award, Kwarasey had two saves in contention.

On April 24, Kwarasey’s late block in Week 7 against New York City earned him his first ever Save of the Week in the MLS.

Kwarasey nabbed the Save of the Week for the first time after coming up huge with a clutch block on Khiry Shelton in the dying moments of the Portland Timbers' 1- 0 win over New York City FC.

Shelton was slipped through on goal with a chance to pull level in the 89th minute, but Kwarasey ensured that his side would leave with all three points by denying the NYCFC rookie with his right foot.

Then on August 21, Kwarasey won the Save of the Week for the second time. This time round, that historic save went on to win him the Save of the 2015 season.

The Timbers goalkeeper helped preserve his league-leading 11th shutout with a beautiful leaping save on a Luke Mulholland laser from outside the box.

The astounding save took home 36.24 percent of the vote, just beating out Sean Johnson of the Chicago Fire, whose double save in an outstanding performance against the Philadelphia Union came in at 28.12 percent.

All-Time MLS Save of the Year Winners:

2015: Adam Kwarasey – Portland Timbers | 8/15/15 v Real Salt Lake, 31st minute
2014: Luis Robles – New York Red Bulls | 9/20/14 v Seattle Sounders FC, 69th minute
2013: Nick Rimando - Real Salt Lake | 8/3/13 v Colorado Rapids, 53rd minute
2012: Nick Rimando – Real Salt Lake | 4/14/12 v Sporting Kansas City, 75th minute
2011: Kasey Keller – Seattle Sounders FC | 10/15/11 v San Jose Earthquakes, 64th minute
2010: Kasey Keller – Seattle Sounders FC | 4/17/10 v Kansas City Wizards, 92nd minute
2009: Pat Onstad – Houston Dynamo | 4/19/09 v Colorado Rapids, 83rd minute

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