PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers recorded their fourth home win of the season before a sold-out crowd of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on Sunday afternoon, as four different players found the back of the net, giving the Timbers a 4-2 win over Cascadia-rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
- VOTE: Man of the Match
- MATCHCENTER: Stats
- MATCHCENTER: Boxscore and Opta Chalkboard
During the win, Timbers midfielders Diego Valeri, Darlington Nagbe and Dairon Asprilla and forward Jack McInerney each scored for the Timbers, who improved to 7-3-6 against Whitecaps FC since both teams joined MLS in 2011. With Nagbe and Asprilla each recording their first goals of the season, eight different players have scored for the Timbers in 2016.
The Timbers (4-6-3, 15pts) opened the scoring early in the match when Valeri converted from the penalty spot in the third minute of play, placing his spot kick above Vancouver Whitecaps FC goalkeeper David Ousted’s outstretched arms. Portland was awarded the penalty kick after Vancouver struggled to clear the ball away on the edge of the box, with McInerney pouncing on the loose ball, forcing Whitecaps FC defender Pa Modou Kah to bring him down inside the area.
Midway through the first half, the Timbers doubled their lead when midfielder Ben Zemanski released midfielder Lucas Melano down the right wing, setting up Portland’s ninth shot of the half. Melano took a touch before driving a low cross into the box that found its way to McInerney, who spun and fired a precise strike into the bottom left corner to give the Timbers a 2-0 advantage in the 29th minute of play.
Following Whitecaps FC’s (6-6-2, 20pts) goal at the beginning of the second half, which occurred after midfielder Kekuta Manneh’s shot was deflected into the back of the net in the 49th minute, the Timbers extended their lead when second-half substitute Dairon Asprilla buried a penalty kick in the 78th minute, sending Ousted the wrong way to record his first goal of the season. The Timbers were awarded the spot kick after referee Ted Unkel signaled for a hand ball inside the area.
Four minutes later, Nagbe scored Portland’s final goal of the match, curling a free kick from the edge of the 18-yard box over the wall and into the back of the net, recording his first goal in 2016 and 24th regular-season finish since joining the Timbers in 2011. With Nagbe’s finish, the Timbers have recorded three goals from free kicks this season, marking a club record during the club’s MLS era.
With six minutes remaining in the game, Vancouver pulled a goal back when midfielder Pedro Morales recorded his sixth goal of the season, finishing a penalty kick in the 84th minute of play.
Next up, the Timbers will face the Chicago Fire on Saturday, May 28, at Toyota Stadium, beginning at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific). The match against Chicago will feature a live broadcast on KPDX with local radio broadcasts on 750 AM/102.9 FM The Game (English) and La GranD 1150 AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).
Portland Timbers (4-6-3, 15pts) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (6-6-2, 20pts)
May 22, 2016 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 2 2
Portland Timbers 2 2 4
Scoring Summary:
POR: Valeri, 3
POR: McInerney (Zemanski, Melano), 28
VAN: Manneh, 49
POR: Asprilla, 77
POR: Nagbe, 82
VAN: Morales, 83
Misconduct Summary:
VAN: Hurtado (Caution), 30
POR: McInerney (Caution), 41
VAN: Parker (Caution), 46
VAN: Morales (Caution), 80
VAN: Waston (Red card), 90
Lineups & Stats:
POR: GK Gleeson, D Valentin, D Borchers D Ridgewell ©, D Taylor, M Zemanski M, Chara, M Melano (Asprilla, 62), M Valeri (Jewsbury, 86), M Nagbe, F McInerney (Brett, 90)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Hamilton, D Klute, M Grabavoy, M Barmby
TOTAL SHOTS: 20 (Nagbe, 8); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (McInerney, 3); FOULS: 10 (Four players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 2
VAN: GK Ousted, D Parker, D Waston, D Kah (Mezquida, 89), D Harvey, M Morales, M Laba, M Bolanos, M Manneh, M Techera (Perez, 67), F Hurtado (Rivero, 67)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Tornaghi, D Smith, M Jacobson, M Teibert
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Manneh, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Manneh, 2); FOULS: 11 (Kah, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 4
Referee: Ted Unkel
Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson, Michael Kampmeinert
4th Official: Dave Gantar
Attendance: 21,144
Weather: Showers, 60 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
