COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - The Portland Timbers pushed their unbeaten streak to six games and recorded their second shutout over their last four games, earning a point on the road with a scoreless draw against the Colorado Rapids in front of 18,579 fans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
- VOTE: Man of the Match
- MATCHCENTER: Stats
- MATCHCENTER: Boxscore and Chalkboard
With the draw, the Timbers (6-6-6, 24pts) have claimed at least one point (1-0-2) from each of their last three trips to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, while posting a mark of 3-0-2 in their last five matches against the Rapids.
Portland created several scoring chances in the match, hitting the post in each half. Forward Fanendo Adi did well to beat two Rapids defenders as he dribbled down the right side of the field and into the box before cutting back towards the middle and firing a powerful shot that rattled the post late in the first half. Deep in second-half stoppage time, midfielder Ned Grabavoy collected a ball outside of the box chested down by Adi, releasing a shot that again was inches away from goal, but bounced off the post.
Looking for the game-winner in the second half, midfielder Lucas Melano started the break for the Timbers, dribbling down the left side before finding midfielder Darren Mattocks making a run towards the edge of the box. Mattocks received the pass and fired a shot from just inside the box that was saved by goalkeeper Tim Howard in the 55th minute. Again leading the break, Melano was able to find space down the left side, looking to curl a shot inside the right post from 15 yards out, but Howard dove to his left to make the save on the attempt in the 63rd minute.
Goalkeeper Jake Gleeson finished the match with four saves, helping Portland claim a critical road point. In the 20th minute, Gleeson denied Rapids (9-2-6, 33pts) forward Shkelzen Gashi as he came off his line in a one-on-one situation to make a kick save on Gashi’s attempt. In the second half, Gleeson made two key saves to help Portland keep a clean sheet. In the 54th minute, Gashi settled the ball on a quick throw-in, delivering a volley off the bounce, but Gleeson dove to his left to make the save, while in the 71st minute Gleeson parried away midfielder Jermaine Jones’ long-range attempt.
Next up, the Timbers travel to square off against the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, July 10, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.; kickoff is set for 3 p.m. (Pacific). Sunday’s match will feature a national television broadcast on ESPN2 with local radio broadcasts on 750 AM/102.9 FM The Game (English) and La GranD 1150 AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).
Portland Timbers (6-6-6, 24pts) at Colorado Rapids (9-2-6, 33pts)
July 4, 2016 – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (Commerce City, Colo.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Timbers 0 0 0
Colorado Rapids 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
none
Misconduct Summary:
COL: Miller (Caution), 15
POR: Chara (Caution), 50
Lineups & Stats:
POR: GK Gleeson, D Powell, D Borchers, D Taylor, D Valentin, M Zemanski, M Chara ©, M Mattocks (Grabavoy, 87), M Nagbe, M Melano (Barmby, 78), F Adi
Substitutes Not Used: GK Hamilton, D Okugo, D Peay, M Jewsbury, F McInerney
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Adi, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Mattocks, Melano, 1); FOULS: 13 (Chara, 6); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 4
COL: GK Howard, D Miller, D Watts, D Sjöberg, D Williams, M Cronin ©, (Powers, 82) M Azira, M Hairston (Badji, 69), M Jones, M Gashi (Pappa, 67), F Doyle
Substitutes Not Used: GK MacMath, D Burch, D Castillo, F Solignac
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Gashi, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Gashi, 3); FOULS: 10 (Cronin, 3); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 2
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Assistant Referees: Mike Kampeinert, Cameron Blanchard
4th Official: Daniel Radford
Attendance: 18,579
Weather: Partly cloudy, 90 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
