SAN JOSE, Calif. – Diego Valeri scored a brace and added an assist and the Portland Timbers demolished the San Jose Earthquakes 6-1 Saturday evening at Earthquakes Stadium.
Jeremy Ebobisse earned his fifth goal of the season via a first-half header, Yimmi Chara scored his second goal in as many games while also adding an assist, Julio Cascante struck for his first-ever goal in MLS play and Jaroslaw Niezgoda knocked in a goal late to finish the scoring for Portland.
On the defensive end, goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic made his Portland MLS debut in net and made three saves in the victory.
3' - CHANCE (POR) - Jeremy Ebobisse, working atop the 18-yard box, received a pass from Diego Chara before curling a shot just outside the left post.
22' - CHANCE (POR) - Portland came out on a fast counter with Diego Valeri flicking a ball on to the speeding Tomás Conechny down the left sideline. Conechny cut a ball back to the middle for Cristhian Paredes whose shot forced a kick save from San Jose goalkeeper Daniel Vega.
25' - PK GOAL (POR) - Portland took a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute. Earthquakes defender Shea Salinas was whistled for a hand ball in the box and referee Rosendo Mendoza pointed to the spot. Valeri stepped up and slotted his shot into the lower left corner past a diving Vega.
27' - GOAL (POR) - Portland doubled their lead two minutes later when Jorge Villafaña curled a long cross from the left side to the Quakes' back post where forward Jeremy Ebobisse headed it down and into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.
40' - CHANCE (POR) - Valeri threaded a nice pass through the San Jose defense for Marvin Loría in the right channel. Loría hit a low, right-footed shot on target that Vega knocked away.
42' - SAVES (POR) - Portland goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic made three quick, clutch saves in succession late in the first half. The first came with a diving, one-handed stop on Carlos Fierro before denying two follow up shots from the Quakes.
44' - GOAL (SJ) - Just before halftime, a ball came in from the left via Marcos López that found San Jose's Fierro open near the penalty spot. Fierro wrapped his left leg around the shot and into the top netting to make the score 2-1.
57' - GOAL (POR) - Portland regained their two-goal lead in the 57th minute. On a Portland throw-in, Valeri spun a ball forward to Yimmi Chara. Chara went deep to the endline before passing it back to the middle for Valeri whose one-timed shot deflected off a San Jose defender and into the net.
60' - BLOCK (POR) - On a missed Portland clearance deep in their end, defender Julio Cascante raced in to block a shot from the speeding Fierro.
70' - GOAL (POR) - Portland went up 4-1 when Yimmi Chara scored his second goal in as many games. Ebobisse made a great play in the central channel as he ghosted his defender and hit a low shot that Vega dove to his right to block away. But the loose ball went towards Chara who darted in and calmly slotted it into the goal for Portland
85' - GOAL (POR) - Portland continued the rout when Valeri sent a free kick in from near the right corner flag that found an unmarked Cascante on the back post. Cascante thumped his header past Vega for a 5-1 Timbers lead.
87' - GOAL (POR) - Jaroslaw Niezgoda, who subbed on in the 82 minute, made it 6-1 for Portland on a pretty play. Diego Chara intercepted a ball in the attacking half, fed it to his brother Yimmi who then passed it back to Diego. As Diego Chara went to goal, he unselfishly squared his ball for Niezgoda who shot and scored for the Timbers.
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Portland will next play Seattle Sounders FC on Sept. 23 at Providence Park. Kickoff is 7pm PT on FOX 12 PLUS (KPDX).
San Jose Earthquakes (2-5-5, 11pts) vs. Portland Timbers (5-4-3, 18pts)
Sept. 19, 2020 – Earthquakes Stadium (San Jose, Calif.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
San Jose Earthquakes 1 0 1
Portland Timbers 2 4 6
Scoring Summary:
POR: Valeri (penalty kick), 25
POR: Ebobisse (Villafaña), 27
SJ: Fierro (López, Calvillo), 44
POR: Valeri (D. Chara) 57
POR Y. Chara, 70
POR: Cascante (Valeri), 85
POR: Niezgoda (D. Chara), 87
Misconduct Summary:
SJ: Lima (caution) 14
POR: Conechny (caution), 29
SJ: Jungwirth (caution), 49
Lineups:
POR: GK Ivacic, D Farfan, D Tuiloma, D Cascante, D Villafaña, M Paredes (Zambrano, 89), M D. Chara (Williamson, 89), M Loría (Polo, 82), M Valeri ©, M Conechny (Y. Chara, 45), F Ebobisse (Niezgoda, 82)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Clark, D Bonilla, D Zuparic, M Flores
TOTAL SHOTS: 18 (Loría, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Ebobisse, Valeri, 2); FOULS: 12 (Cascante, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 3
SJ: GK Vega, D Lima (Espinoza, 64), D Judson, D Beason, D Lopez, M Fierro, M Yueill, M Jungwirth (Vako, 65), M Calvillo (Thompson, 64), M Salinas (Skahan, 79), F Ríos (Wondolowski, 64)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Bersano, D Marie, M Cowell, M Fernandes
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Fierro, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Fierro, 3); FOULS: 12 (Judson, Jungwirth, 3); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES:3
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Assistant Referees: Nick Uranga, Benjamin Hall-Volpenheim
Fourth Official: Elijio Arreguin
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
Weather: Clear, 72 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
