RECAP | Portland Timbers blank Austin FC in 3-0 shutout win

PORTLAND, Ore. – Powered by goals from Cristhian Paredes, Jaroslaw Niezgoda and Sebastían Banco, the Portland Timbers blanked Austin FC 3-0 in the final game of the MLS regular season and Portland's third win in a row.

• MATCHCENTER: Stats and Boxscore

Goalkeeper Steve Clark was credited with four saves to pick up his seventh clean sheet of the season.

Match Moments

5' - CHANCE (POR) - Diego Chara intercepted a pass at midfield and the loose ball fell to Sebastián Blanco. Blanco played the ball forward as Chara raced down field and crossed it in front of goal. An Austin defender tried to push it out but only a far as Yimmi Chara whose attempted shot was blocked in traffic in front of the open goal.

8' - CHANCE (POR) - Blanco, deep in his own end, sent a ball over the top that Santiago Moreno gently chested down, turned two defenders and shot but wide left of the post.

10' - CHANCE (POR) - Pablo Bonilla had snuck forward and received a skipped pass through the box from Blanco. Bonilla tried to curl his shot towards the far upper 90 but Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver made the save.

17' - GOAL (POR) - The Timbers went out to a 1-0 lead on a nice team goal. Moreno forced a turnover in the attacking third before chipping a ball towards the back post for Blanco. Blanco knocked it back across the front of goal for midfielder Cristian Paredes to crash into the back of the net.

26' - CHANCE (POR) - Yimmi Chara dribbled forward down the right channel and split two defenders. He passed to Jaroslaw Niezgoda who returned the ball for Chara to rifle a shot inches wide the left post.

35' - SAVE (POR) - Austin chipped a ball to the back post for Diego Fagúndez to run on to. Steve Clark was in perfect position to parry away the attempted header.

45' - GOAL (POR) - Moments before the halftime whistle, Moreno pressured Stuver to pass outside to Austin defender Zan Kolmanic. Yimmi Chara harassed Kolmanic near their endline, stole the ball, and chipped it to Niezgoda to chest down and into the net for a 2-0 Portland lead.

50' - CHANCES (POR) - Portland had a flurry of opportunities in the 50th minute. Niezgoda took a shot from the top of the box that Stuver dove to his right to save but Blanco picked up the rebound and quickly fired a shot forcing a kick save. Moreno collected the ball, took a few touches and shot on goal but an Austin defender blocked it out for a corner.

53' - GOAL (POR) - Portland kept the pressure on in the second half to go up 3-0. Blanco spotted a wide-open Niezgoda on his right. Niezgoda chipped the 'keeper as Stuver came off his line and while the ball was slightly deflected, Blanco finished his run towards the back post to tap it into goal.

78' - CHANCE (POR) - Yimmi Chara got free on the right to hit a hard shot towards goal. Stuver made the save but the ball then clanged off the cross bar.

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The Portland Timbers now head to the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs as the fourth seed in the Western Conference. They will play host to fifth seed Minnesota United FC with date and time to be determined.

Portland Timbers (17-13-4, 55pts) vs. Austin FC (9-21-4, 31pts) 
Nov. 7, 2021 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Scoring Summary:
POR: Paredes (Blanco, Moreno),17
POR: Niezgoda (Y. Chara), 45
POR: Blanco, 53 

Misconduct Summary:
ATX: Berhalter (caution), 47

Lineups:
POR: GK Clark, D Van Rankin, D Mabiala (McGraw, 45), D Zuparic, D Bonilla, M D. Chara ©, M Paredes (Zambrano, 87), M Y. Chara (Loría, 82), M Blanco, M Moreno (Valeri, 68), F Niezgoda (Asprilla, 68)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Ivacic, GK Sulte, M Fochive 

TOTAL SHOTS: 23 (Blanco, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Niezgoda, 3); FOULS: 9 (Five players tied, 5); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 4

ATX: GK Stuver, D Jimenez, D Cascante, D Kolmanic (Stanley, 87), M Berhalter (Kleeman, 63), M Pochettino (Manneh, 63), M Ring ©, M Fagundez, M Stroud (Wolff, 83), F Driussi, F Djitte (Dominguez, 45)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Tarbell, GK Pulisic, F Gaines

TOTAL SHOTS: 6 (Fagundez, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Fagundez, 2); FOULS: 9 (Berhalter, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 6

Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Assistant Referees: Chris Elliott, Brooke Mayo
Fourth Official: Elijio Arreguin 
VAR: Malik Badawi
Attendance: 23,127
Weather: Rainy, 50 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Notes

• The Timbers finished the season with a record of 17-13-4 (55 pts).
• Portland’s 17 wins this season set a new club record.
• The Timbers 55 points at the conclusion of the regular season is second-most in club history, behind the 57 they recorded in 2013.
• Portland recorded its ninth shutout of the season.
• The Timbers recorded their 11th home win of the campaign. It is tied for the second-most home wins (2018, 2017, 2013) in club history.
• Portland’s 11 home wins ranks first in the Western Conference and is tied for second in MLS this season.
• In their third ever matchup, the Timbers earned their first win over Austin FC. 
• Cristhian Paredes scored his third goal of the 2021 campaign, and eighth overall for Portland.
• Jaroslaw Niezgoda recorded his third goal this year, and 10th in his career with the Timbers. 
• Sebastián Blanco scored the third goal of the game, marking his seventh of the year.
• Blanco added his seventh assist this season.
• Santiago Moreno tallied his fourth career assist.
• Yimmi Chara registered his seventh assist of the campaign, and 15th in his two seasons with the Timbers.
• Steve Clark recorded his seventh shutout of the season, a career best for him in Portland.
• Dairon Asprilla was named the Supporters’ Player of the Year.