RECAP | Portland Timbers battle Vancouver Whitecaps to 1-1 draw

Jonathan Rodríguez scored his team-leading 16th goal

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Portland Timbers fought back to take a point on the road against Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC in a 1-1 draw at BC Place on Saturday night. After conceding the first goal of the match in the third minute, Jonathan Rodríguez helped Portland level the match with his team-leading 16th goal of the season scored in the 43rd minute. The Timbers return to Providence Park for a midweek matchup against Austin FC on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

Goal Scorers & Playmakers

Jonathan Rodríguez registered his team-leading 16th goal of the season tonight. Sixteen goals is the most goals scored by any newcomer in Timbers history. The Uruguayan striker is currently tied for sixth in most MLS goals scored this season alongside Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernandez. Rodríguez has notched goal contributions in the last three consecutive matches (3G, 1A), and 23 (16G, 7A) in the 2024 campaign. Santiago Moreno tallied his 14th assist, the second-most on the team behind Evander (16). It marked his career-high 20th goal contribution of the season.

Team Form

Sitting in ninth place of the Western Conference standings, the Timbers are unbeaten in five of their last six matches dating back to Aug. 24 (2-1-3), scoring 14 goals. In that span, Portland has collected seven points at home (W2, D1) and two on the road (D2, L1). Portland’s 64 goals scored this season are the most in the Western Conference and second most in MLS behind Inter Miami CF (69). Of the 64 goals, 45 have been scored by Rodríguez, Evander (15) and Felipe Mora (14). The trio became the first in MLS history to score 14 or more goals each in a single season.

Cascadia Cup Run

After tonight’s draw, Portland has a 1-1-1 record against Vancouver this season and 17-12-8 in the two sides’ all-time series. The Cascadia Cup remains up for contention as two matches are still to be played on Oct. 2 (VANvSEA) and Oct. 19 (SEAvPOR). The Timbers (2-2-1, 7pts) trail the Whitecaps (2-1-2, 8pts) by one point in the competition standings while the Sounders sit in last place (1-2-1, 3pts). Rodríguez and Felipe Mora have scored twice in Cascadia Cup play this season, while Evander and Juan Mosquera have tallied a goal apiece.

Matchcenter

Goal-Scoring Plays

VAN – Brian White (Sebastian Berhalter, Tristan Blackmon), 3rd minute: Tristan Blackmon picked out the run of Sebastian Berhalter from midfield, pinging a ball into the path of the midfielder down the right sideline. Berhalter then sent a low cross into the path of Brian White, making a late run into the center of the box, and the forward used his right foot to fire the ball into the center of the net.

POR – Jonathan Rodríguez (Santiago Moreno), 43rd minute: A curling cross-field pass from Santiago Moreno found the feet of Jonathan Rodríguez, who allowed the ball to settle before taking a left-footed shot that deflected off a defender before flying into the lower-right corner of goal.

Notes

• The Timbers (12-10-9, 45pts) sit in ninth place in the Western Conference standings with three matches to play.
• Portland is unbeaten in five of their last six matches dating back to Aug. 24 (2-1-3), scoring 14 goals in that span.
• In that span, Portland has collected seven points at home (W2, D1) and two on the road (D2, L1).
• Portland’s 64 goals scored are the most in the Western Conference and second most in MLS behind Inter Miami CF (69).
• Of the 64 goals, 45 have been scored by Rodríguez, Evander (15) and Felipe Mora (14).
• The trio became the first in MLS history to score 14 or more goals each in a single season.
• Jonathan Rodríguez registered his team-leading 16th goal of the season tonight.
• Rodríguez is currently tied for sixth in most MLS goals scored this season alongside Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernandez.
• Rodríguez has notched goal contributions in the last three consecutive matches (3G, 1A), and 23 (16G, 7A) in the 2024 campaign.
• Santiago Moreno tallied his 14th assist, the second-most on the team behind Evander (16).
• It marked Moreno’s career-high 20th goal contribution of the season.
• After tonight’s draw, Portland has a 1-1-1 record against Vancouver this season and 17-12-8 in the two sides’ all-time series.
• The Cascadia Cup remains up for contention as two matches are still to be played on Oct. 2 (VANvSEA) and Oct. 19 (SEAvPOR).
• The Timbers (2-2-1, 7pts) trail the Whitecaps (2-1-2, 8pts) by one point in the competition standings while the Sounders sit in last place (1-2-1, 3pts).
• Tega Ikoba and Marvin Loría made their season debut tonight as a second-half substitutes.

Next Game

The Timbers return home for their final homestand of the 2024 MLS regular season. The stretch kicks off against Austin FC at 7:30pm PG Wednesday, Oct. 2, at Providence Park and will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app in English and Spanish as well as local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Portland Timbers (12-10-9, 45pts) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (13-9-8, 47pts)

September 28, 2024 – BC Place (Vancouver, BC)

Scoring Summary:
VAN: White (Berhalter, Blackmon), 3
POR: Rodríguez (Moreno), 43

Misconduct Summary:
POR: K. Miller (caution), 10
VAN: Schöpf (caution), 39

Lineups:
POR: GK Crépeau, D K. Miller (Bravo, 70), D Zuparic, D Araujo, D Mosquera, M Paredes, M Chara ©, M Rodríguez (Williamson, 83), M Moreno (Loría, 90+3), M Antony, F Mora (Ikoba, 83)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Pantemis, D E. Miller, D Surman, D McGraw

TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Moreno, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (four players tied, 1); FOULS: 7 (Mosquera, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 8, SAVES: 2

VAN: GK Takaoka, D Raposo (Adekugbe, 63), D Blackmon, D Veselinovic ©, D Utvik, M Schöpf (Armstrong, 70), M Cubas, M Berhalter (Vite, 80), M Picault (Caicedo, 80), M Johnson (Ocampo, 63), F White

Substitutes Not Used: GK Boehmer, D Laborda, M Priso-Mbongue, F Kreilach

TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (White, 6) SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (White, 2); FOULS: 10 (Veselinovic, Johnson, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 4

Referee: Joe Dickerson
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Hanson, Jeremy Kieso
Fourth Official: Malik Badawi
VAR: Younes Marrakchi
Attendance: 25,902

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.