PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers won their second game in a row and third in their last four as they defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-1 Wednesday night at Providence Park in front of a sell out crowd of 21,144.
The Timbers were paced by two first half goals from Diego Valeri–his fifth in as many games–and a wonderstrike from Darlington Nagbe. Timbers defender Vytas had two assists in the match.
- MATCHCENTER: Stats
- MATCHCENTER: Boxscore and Chalkboard
Match Moments
13' - CHANCE (POR) - Timbers defender Zarek Valentin carried the ball down the right flank before cutting it back to Diego Valeri near the top of the six. Valeri took a touch, spun and hit it just wide of the right post.
16' - CHANCE (POR) - Portland sprang out on the break with Diego Chara leading the way. He flared a ball out to Darren Mattocks to his left. Colorado goalkeeper Tim Howard came off his line to pressure Mattocks, he fell but recovered to cross the ball to the middle to Valeri, who fed Sebastián Blanco but his shot went high and wide.
21' - GOAL (POR) - Valeri scored his 15th goal of the season and fifth goal in as many games–the first MLS Timbers player to ever achieve the feat–when he headed home a pinpoint cross from the left delivered via Vytas to give Portland a 1-0 lead.
⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) August 24, 2017
(that's 52 goals for @DiegoDv8 - the most by any player in Timbers history!) #RCTIDpic.twitter.com/R90sLWAM1x
23' - GOAL (POR) - Darlington Nagbe scored a wonderstrike to make it 2-0 when he received a pass from Vytas just inside the corner of the 18-yard box, turned, and seemingly effortlessly lofted it over Tim Howard and into the far corner of the Colorado net.
That @darlingtonnagbe magic.😱#RCTID#PORvCOLpic.twitter.com/j9Q9MnTujd
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) August 24, 2017
28' - GOAL (COL) - The Rapids pulled one back when Mohammed Saeid intercepted a pass, carried forward, and placed the ball into the lower left cover to cut the Portland lead in half and make it 2-1.
31' - PENALTY MISS (POR) - Following video review in which it was ruled that Valeri was pulled down in the box by a Colorado defender on a Timbers cross, referee David Gantar pointed to the spot for a penalty kick. Midfielder David Guzmán stepped to the spot but missed the attempt just wide of the left post.
55' - CHANCE (POR) - Valeri came straight up the middle, drawing defenders to him, before playing the ball to his right to Blanco. Blanco's sharp-angled shot went wide of the right post.
63' - CLEARANCE (POR) - On a dangerous Colorado corner kick into the mixer, Timbers goalkeeper Jeff Attinella leapt high to get just enough of a punchout of the ball and clear the area.
82' - CHANCE (POR) - Blanco took a terrific cross field pass and sprinted in from the left side. He cut the ball from his right foot to his left foot, causing the Rapids defender to fall down, but Blanc's final shot was high over the bar.
The Portland Timbers take on Cascadia rival Seattle Sounders FC Sunday at CenturyLink Field (6:30pm PT, FS1).
Portland Timbers (11-9-7, 40pts) vs. Colorado Rapids (6-14-4, 22pts)
Aug. 23, 2017 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Colorado Rapids 1 0 1
Portland Timbers 2 0 2
Scoring Summary:
POR: Valeri (Vytas, Mattocks), 21
POR: Nagbe (Vytas, Blanco), 23
COL: Saeid, 28
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Chara (Caution), 40
POR: Guzmán (Caution), 73
Lineups & Stats:
POR: GK Attinella, D Valentin, D Olum, D Miller, D Vytas, M Guzmán, M Chara, M Blanco (Powell, 90), M Valeri ©, M Nagbe (Asprilla, 79), F Mattocks (Ebobisse, 68)
Substitutes Not Used: GK McIntosh, D/M Okugo, M Zemanski, M Arboleda
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Blanco, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Valeri, 2); FOULS: 10 (Guzmán, 3); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 2
COL: GK Howard, D da Fonte, D Ford, D Miller, D Williams, M Saeid, M Azira, M Gil, F Serna (Hairston, 56), F Doyle (Gordon, 66), F Gatt (Badji, 62)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Berner, D Watts, D Sjoberg, M Boateng
TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Gil, Doyle, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Three players tied, 1); FOULS: 19 (Gatt, Ford, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 1
Referee: David Gantar
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Hanson, Jonathan Johnson
4th Official: Alejandro Mariscal
VAR: Drew Fischer
Attendance: 21,144
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 80 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
