In February of 2011, as the Portland Timbers were just starting to coalesce into an MLS side, the team traded allocation money to Chivas USA for the Goats' speedy young winger, Sal Zizzo. An easy player, and person, to like, Zizzo played a large in the Timbers' 2011 season and his growing partnership with Bright Dike was one of the Timbers' lone bright spots in 2012.
Amidst the upheaval of that dark season, his inch perfect cross to Bright for the lone goal in the Timbers 1-0 win over the middle-of-the-pack Colorado Rapids, a team that had tormented the Timbers to the tune of 3-0 earlier in the season, stands out as one of the few moments worth remembering.
Sal was somewhat snake-bitten by injuries during his time with the Timbers, but each time he bounced back and was able to play a part in the season. Dealing with two ACL tears, a surgery to repair his meniscus, and a smattering of other injuries, Zizzo never stopped pushing to get back into the team, and was able to make and impact each time he returned. Even while on the outside looking in with Caleb Porter's side in 2013, Zizzo stepped into the lineup at the end of the year, filling in wherever needed.
In his three seasons with the Timbers, Zizzo chipped in seven assists and two goals, providing a bit of flash on the right wing and a burst of pace that tortured left backs around the league, as well as some nicely coiffed hair that will live on in the thousands of Zizzo-head signs given out by the team and cherished by the fans.
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