RECAP | Timbers with second straight shutout win in 2-0 result over Houston

HOUSTON – Yimmi Chara opened the scoring, Felipe Mora scored a penalty and the Portland Timbers earned their second straight shutout win on the road with a 2-0 victory Friday evening over Houston Dynamo FC.

• MATCHCENTER: Stats and Boxscore

Goalkeeper Steve Clark made six saves to earn his third clean sheet of 2021 as Portland extended Houston's winless streak to an MLS record 16 straight consecutive games within a season.

Match Moments

12' - CHANCE (POR) - Yimmi Chara and Felipe Mora combined for some good combo play along the edge of the Houston 18-yard box. Mora was then sprung in on goal but was tackled at the last moment by Dynamo defender Teenage Hadebe.

15' - GOAL (POR) - The Timbers took a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute via Yimmi Chara. Sebastián Blanco lofted a nice ball to the back post for Mora who headed it on frame only for Houston goalkeeper Michael Nelson to make a save. Chara though raced in to clean up the rebound to score.

20' - PK GOAL (POR) - Portland then doubled their lead five minutes later as Mora calmly converted a penalty kick awarded moments after referee Rubiel Vazquez pointed to the spot after checking with VAR to see that he was taken down in the box by the Dynamo 'keeper.

45+3' - SAVE (POR) - Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark dove quickly to his left to palm away a threatening shot from Houston defender Adam Lundqvist as Houston pressured near halftime.

52' - SAVE (POR) - Clark made another nice save on a curling free kick headed towards the near post by Houston's Memo Rodríguez.

78' - CHANCE (POR) - Portland worked to settle the ball with possession and broke forward with Yimmi Chara springing Blanco into the attacking third. He passed the ball across to Mora whose one-timed shot skipped just wide of the left post.

81' - SAVE (POR) - Clark made a spectacular save as a ball over the top found Houston's Sam Junqua who headed his shot on frame only for the Portland netminder to jump high to tip it over the bar.

90+1' - SAVE (POR) - A ball came through to Houston's Darwin Quintero who beat the Portland defender before hitting a spinning shot with the outside of his foot that Clark dove to his right to knock down and then gather the rebound.

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The Portland Timbers play the last of their five straight road games when they travel to take on Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Friday, Sept. 10 at BC Place (7pm PT, FOX 12 PLUS).

Portland Timbers (9-10-3, 30pts) vs. Houston Dynamo FC (3-10-10, 19pts)
Sept. 3, 2021 – BBVA Stadium (Houston, Texas)

Scoring Summary:
POR: Y. Chara, 15
POR: Mora (penalty kick), 20

Misconduct Summary:
HOU: Parker (caution), 50
POR: Bravo (caution), 51
POR: Zambrano (caution), 86
POR: Mabiala (caution), 90+2

Lineups:
POR: GK Clark, D Bonilla (Tuiloma, 69), D Mabiala, D Zuparic, D Bravo, M D. Chara ©, M Fochive (Zambrano, 69), M Y. Chara (Moreno, 83), M Blanco (Valeri, 83), M Asprilla (Loría, 63), F Mora

Substitutes Not Used: GK Ivacic, D McGraw, M Bodily, F Niezgoda

TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Mora, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Mora, 2); FOULS: 12 (Bravo, D. Chara, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 6

HOU: GK Nelson, D Valentin, D Parker, D Hadebe, D Lundkvist (Bajamich, 75), M Rodriguez (Corona, 79), M Jones (Dorsey, 46), M Vera, F Picault (Junqua, 79), F Urruti, F Pasher (Quintero, 49)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Morton, D Fuenmayor, D Bartlow, M Hoffman

TOTAL SHOTS: 19 (Urruti, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Quintero, 2); FOULS: 13 (Vera, Parker, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 12; SAVES: 2

Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
Assistant Referees: Kathryn Nesbitt, Peter Balciunas 
Fourth official: Rosendo Mendoza
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
Attendance: 9,872
Weather: Sunny, 90 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Notes

• Portland is undefeated against the Dynamo in its last six regular season matchups (4-0-2).
• Tonight was the first time in club history the Timbers have earned three points on the road against Houston.
• Portland finished the 2021 series versus the Dynamo 2-0-1. 
• With the start, Larrys Mabiala made his 100th regular season appearance for the club. He becomes the 11th player in club history to hit the mark.
• Felipe Mora scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season.
• Mora has tallied seven goals and two assists in Portland’s last ten games. 
• Mora is in a three-way tie for ninth place for the most goals scored (9) in the league this year.
• Yimmi Chara recorded his third goal of the season.
• Y. Chara’s goal was the 10th of his career with the Timbers across all competitions.
• Portland recorded its fourth clean sheet of the season. 
• Tonight’s match marked the second time this season Portland has logged back-to-back shutout wins (May 15 - May 22).
• Clark earned his 16th regular season career shutout with the Timbers, and third of this year.
• Clark recorded a season-best six saves. 
• The Timbers are 8-1-1 when scoring first in the 2021 campaign. 
• Portland has scored a goal in twelve consecutive matches. 
• Claudio Bravo leads the league in tackles won with 42.
• Santiago Moreno made his second appearance for the Timbers.