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On the occasion of his 100th league start for the New York Red Bulls - 100th consecutive league start (a club record and second-best in the history of MLS) - Luis Robles kept a clean sheet, on the road in Portland. No mean feat, and he certainly had to be at his best to achieve it.
The Timbers only registered four shots on target, but at least three were goal-worthy. Robles might have earned a Save of the Week nomination for two of his earlier saves against Portland, but he will almost certainly be nominated instead for his 87th-minute scrambling double-stop.
Off balance, already committed to moving one way - throwing himself back to save Diego Valeri's deflected free kick was simply an extraordinary triumph of will over momentum. To follow that with the presence of mind to immediately spot Nat Borchers racing in to tap home the rebound, and get just enough hand to the ball to squeeze it away from goal to safety: that should get Save of the Year consideration.
As pointed out RBNY's Digital Media Manager, Scott Sandalow, the last breathtaking double save Robles made won the 2014 MLS Save of the Year - and it was a save made on September 20, exactly the same date as this most recent example from the Timbers' game (it was also, as it happens, against Cascadian opposition: Seattle Sounders were the frustrated opponents last year).
A year ago today, Luis Robles made this double-stop vs. @SoundersFC to win #MLS Save of the Year. http://t.co/sCuIuUqiic #RBNY #PORvNY
— Scott Sandalow (@ScottSandalow) September 20, 2015
Outstanding work, Luis.
Greater reward perhaps than whatever might lie head in MLS's online voting competitions is the fact that the clean sheet against Portland was the 30th of Luis Robles' RBNY career. And that draws him level with Tony Meola's all-time, all-competitions club record.
If he wasn't already, Robles must surely now be acknowledged as one of the Red Bulls' all-time greats. He is one of only two 'keepers to crack 10,000 career minutes for the club. He now co-owns RBNY's all-time record for career shutouts.
A goalkeeper has registered double-digit clean sheets in a single season only three times in the 20-season history of RBNY: Bouna Coundoul in 2010 (12 shutouts); Luis Robles in 2013 (11) and, now, 2015 (he has 10 for the season in all competitions after shutting out the Timbers).
His first full season as the team's starting 'keeper was the first season in which the Red Bulls won a major trophy: the 2013 Supporters' Shield. And he back-stopped RBNY to its best playoff run since 2008 - and first post-season series win over D.C. United since...ever - in 2014.
We will see if 2015 brings any lasting achievements for the team. For now, we can celebrate the lasting achievements of Luis Robles: officially one of the club's all-time great players.