PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers, powered by captain Will Johnson's first goal of the season, drew 1-1 with Chivas USA Saturday night at Providence Park.
Though Johnson drew first blood for the Timbers in the seventh minute, Goats forward Erick Torres struck in the 79th to pull Chivas USA even late in the match.
Torres’ fifth goal of the season came following a long pass down the left wing to Leandro Barrera, who crossed to an open Torres for the tap-in.
Portland frantically pressed forward for the game winner, and found an opportune chance on a Johnson free kick from just outside the area. But Johnson’s second of the night wasn’t to be as he pinged his attempt of the right post.
There were only a handful of chances for either team in the early action. But the Timbers made their first attempt on goal count with some clever action at the top of the penalty area by Maximiliano Urruti and Darlington Nagbe in the seventh minute.
Urruti picked up a loose ball on a failed Chivas USA clearance and threaded a pass to Nagbe, who also sliced a pass through two defenders to Johnson in open space. Johnson slotted a rolling shot past Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy for his first goal of the season.
Portland nearly got on the board again in the 25th and 35th minutes, but Urruti and Johnson could not capitalize on either attempt.
Chivas USA’s best chance in the first half came when former Timbers defender Andrew Jean-Baptiste got his head on a Mauro Rosales corner, but the attempt went high.
Chivas USA began to find some chances to go along with their possession in the second half. Thomas McNamara, who had to be stretchered off in the 65th minute with an apparent knee injury, set up shots for Torres in the 50th minute and Carlos Alvarez in the 61st minute. But both their looks were off the mark.
Portland next travels to Real Salt Lake for a Saturday rematch of last year’s Western Conference championship. Chivas USA return home to play host to the Seattle Sounders on the same day.
Portland Timbers (0-2-4, 4pts) vs. Chivas USA (1-2-3, 6pts)
April 12, 2014 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Chivas USA 0 1 1
Portland Timbers 1 0 1
Scoring Summary
POR: Johnson (Nagbe), 7
CHV: Torres (Barrera, Jean-Baptiste), 79
Misconduct Summary
POR: Harrington (Caution), 39
CHV: Avila (Caution), 67
POR: Chara (Caution), 68
CHV: Alvarez (Caution), 85
Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Ricketts, D Powell, D Danso, D Kah, D Harrington, M Johnson ©, M Valeri, M Chara, F Alhassan (Fernández, 62), F Urruti, F Nagbe
Substitutes Not Used: GK Weber, D Jewsbury, D Paparatto, M Nanchoff, M Zemanski, F Piquionne
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Johnson, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Three players tied, 1); FOULS: 12 (Three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 6; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 1
CHV: GK Kennedy, D Avila, D Zavaleta, D Bocanegra ©, D Jean-Baptiste, M McNamara (Delgado, 65), M Alvarez, M Pelletieri, M Rosales, M Barrera (Tyrpak, 89), F Torres (Burling, 90)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Melia, F Bautista, F Moore, F Toia
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Two players tied, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Two players tied, 1); FOULS: 16 (Pelletieri, 6); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 2
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referees: Matthew Kreitzer, Kevin Klinger
4th Official: Daniel Radford
Attendance: 20,814
Time of Game: 1:53
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 63 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
