MATCH RECAP | Portland Timbers dance to 1-1 draw with Nashville SC

PORTLAND, Ore. – Santiago Moreno scored a fantastic volley and the Portland Timbers came from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Nashville SC Wednesday night at Providence Park. The result extended Portland's unbeaten streak to nine straight matches.

• MATCHCENTER: Stats and Boxscore

Match Moments

16' - CHANCE (POR) - Santiago Moreno squared a ball for Sebastián Blanco just outside the area but the midfielder's left-footed shot went wide of the right post.

17' - CHANCE (POR) - Jaroslaw Niezgoda sprang Moreno in on goal for a good opportunity. Moreno fired a rising shot that forced Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis to push it up and over the bar.

20' - GOAL (NSH) - Against the run of play, Nashville got on the board first following a corner kick. When Portland couldn't clear the ball away, Nashville forward Teal Bunbury slotted a shot into the lower corner to put the Timbers down 1-0.

27' - GOAL (POR) - Seven minutes later, however, Portland quickly equalized on a corner kick of their own. Initially played short to Yimmi Chara on the left edge of the 18-yard box, he sent in a cross into the mixer that was headed up in the air by Niezgoda. Moreno then raced in to volley a shot into the back of the net and tie the game at 1-1.

35' - CHANCE (POR) - With Niezgoda doing great hold-up play near the top of the arc, he was able to tap the ball to his right for Moreno but the shot was high.

41' - SAVE (POR) - After a defensive turnover in the Portland end was collected by Nashville's Hany Mukhtar, Timbers goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic sprang to his right to deny the shot.

43' - SAVE (POR) - Ivacic came up huge again two minutes later when Bunbury, alone on the back post, attempted to shoot only to be denied as the Portland 'keeper came off his line and denied the attempt.

58' - CHANCE (POR) - A loose header from Nashville in the box floated to Blanco who volleyed a shot but it corkscrewed just wide of the left post.

78' - SAVE (POR) - Ivacic kept the score level when he made a quick reaction save to stop a shot from Nashville's Alex Muyl from inside the six-yard box.

90+2' - CHANCE (POR) - A ball popped out to Niezgoda on the edge of the area. He chipped it up to himself and sent a looping shot on target but Willis jumped to tip over the goal.

90+4' - CHANCE (POR) - Forward Nathan Fogaça was sprung on the counter and he sprinted in towards goal. The striker fired but hit the side netting.

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The Portland Timbers have a short rest before welcoming FC Dallas Saturday evening at Providence Park (7:30pm PT, TICKETS, FOX 12 PLUS).

Notes

• Portland extended its undefeated streak to nine games (4-0-5).
• The Timbers nine-game unbeaten run marks the club’s longest streak since the 2018 season when Portland went 14 straight matches undefeated. 
• Tonight’s result marks a fourth-straight comeback result for the Timbers (1-0-3), having conceded first against Nashville, Minnesota, San Jose and Vancouver. 
• The Timbers are unbeaten against Nashville SC in their three matchups since Nashville’s inaugural 2020 season (1-0-2). 
• Portland has scored in 10 consecutive matches, tallying 20 goals during that stretch.
• The Timbers have recorded 40 goals scored in 2022, which is tied for fourth-most in the league.
• Portland has scored 40 or more goals in 11 of its 12 MLS seasons.
• Moreno registered his fifth goal of the season.
• Moreno finished the night with a 100% passing completion rate on 43 passes.
• Moreno has tallied one goal and three assists in the Timbers’ last three matches.
• In Portland’s nine-game unbeaten streak, Moreno has racked up 12 points through four goals and four assists.
• Moreno became the fifth player to record five or more goals for Portland this season (Moreno, Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Sebastián Blanco, Bill Tuiloma, Dairon Asprilla).
• The Timbers are currently the only team in the league with five goal scorers with five or more goals each. 
• Jaroslaw Niezgoda recorded his 50th regular season appearance with Portland.

Portland Timbers (7-6-11, 32pts) vs. Nashville SC (8-7-9, 33pts)
Aug. 3, 2022 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Scoring Summary: 
NSH: Bunbury (Davis), 20
POR: Moreno, 27

Misconduct Summary:
NSH: Zimmerman (caution), 45+1
NSH: Mukhtar (caution), 60
NSH: Burnbury (caution), 67
POR: McGraw (caution), 90

Lineups:
POR: GK Ivacic, D Tuiloma, D Mabiala, D Zuparic, D Van Rankin, M Ayala, M Loría, M Moreno, M Y. Chara (McGraw, 81), M Blanco © (Fogaça, 81), F Niezgoda

Substitutes Not Used: GK Bingham, D Bonilla, D Rasmussen, M Bodily, F Ikoba

TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Moreno, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Niezgoda, Moreno, 2); FOULS: 6 (Loria, 2); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 4

NSH: GK Willis, D Lovitz, D Romney, D Zimmerman, D Moore (Miller, 73), M Leal (Haakenson, 87), M Anunga, M Davis, M Muyl, F Mukhtar (Sapong, 73), F Bunbury

Substitutes Not Used: GK Panicco, D Maher, D Washington, M McCarty, F Handwalla, F Zubak

TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Muyl, Bunbury, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Bunbury, 2); FOULS: 13 (Bunbury, 4); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 2

Referee: Silviu Petrescu
Assistant Referees: Michael Barwegen, Ian McKay
Fourth Official: Ramy Touchan
VAR: Armando Villarreal
Attendance: 23,101
Weather: Sunny, 82 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial