PORTLAND, Ore. – Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri extended his MLS goalscoring record for a ninth-straight game with a brace, Darren Mattocks added another and the Timbers picked up their sixth clean sheet of the year in a 3-0 win over Orlando City SC Sunday night at Providence Park in front of a sellout crowd of 21,144.
The two goals by Valeri now give him 20 on the season which puts him atop the MLS Golden Boot race and is the most goals scored in a season by a Timbers player across all eras.
The match also marked the one-game contract of five-year-old goalkeeper Derrick Tellez, fulfilling his wish to be a Timbers first-team player through Make-A-Wish® Oregon. Tellez was voted by fans as the McDonalds Man of the Match.
- MATCHCENTER: Stats and boxscore
Match Moments
3' - CHANCE (POR) - Following a perfect throw from Jeff Attinella out to Sebastián Blanco on the wing, he weighted a throughball to Darren Mattocks on the break. Mattocks carried in on goal from the left but his shot was saved at point-blank range.
15' - GOAL (POR) - Following a video review of a play involving a collision in the Orlando box between defender Jonathan Spector and Mattocks, referee Baldomero Toledo pointed to the spot for a penalty. Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri converted the attempt with authority giving his team a 1-0 lead and marking his MLS-record ninth game in a row with a goal. The strike also put him in a tie for the MLS Golden Boot race for most goals in the league.
20' - CHANCE (POR) - Defender Zarek Valentin, working the right flank, curled a cross into a leaping Mattocks who flashed his header just wide of the right post.
30' - GOAL (POR) - In a spectacular display of blistering speed, Timbers midfielder Diego Chara sprung Dairon Asprilla down the right channel with a ball that split two defenders. Asprilla burst past the Orlando backline before cutting a ball back to the equally speedy Mattocks at the top of the six. Mattocks re-directed the ball into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.
47' - RED CARD (ORL) - Orlando's Spector, already on a yellow, received a second yellow and accompanying red card after fouling Valeri. The Lions were down to 10 men.
59' - GOAL (POR) - Valeri scored his second goal of the night to give Portland a 3-0 lead midway through the second half. The play was set as Blanco backheeled a ball to Mattocks at the edge of the box. Mattocks drove to goal and while his initial shot was saved, Valeri cleaned up the loose ball to hit home and give him his MLS-leading 20th goal of the year.
81' - CHANCE (POR) - In a second half that saw numerous chances for Portland, the Timbers almost scored again as Valentin sprinted out on the right with the ball. His cross found Blanco who trapped it, shot it and it deflected off a Lions defender and just wide of the left post. A minute later, second half sub Jeremy Ebobisse slipped through the backline with a shot that was parried away from close range.
85' - RED CARD (ORL) - A straight red card was shown to Orlando midfielder Victor Pagliari Giro (PC) after he elbowed Diego Chara on a Lions free kick. Orlando was sent down to nine men for the rest of the match.
89' - SAVE (POR) - Timbers goalkeeper Jeff Attinella helped keep the clean sheet for Portland when he had a kick-save on a close-in shot from Orlando's Dominic Dwyer.
The Timbers go on their final road trip of the regular-season next week when they travel to play the San Jose Earthquakes on Sept. 30 at Avaya Stadium (7:30pm PT, KPDX).
Portland Timbers (13-10-8, 47pts) vs. Orlando City SC (9-13-8, 35pts)
Sept. 24, 2017 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Scoring Summary:
POR: Valeri (Penalty kick), 15
POR: Mattocks (Chara, Asprilla), 29
POR: Valeri, 59
Misconduct Summary:
ORL: Spector (Caution), 14
ORL: Spector (Second yellow, Ejection), 47
ORL: Nocerino (Caution), 52
ORL: Ridgewell (Caution), 80
ORL: Giro (Ejection), 84 Lineups & Stats:
POR: GK Attinella, D Valentin, D Mabiala, D Ridgewell ©, D Miller, M Nagbe (Barmby, 87), M Chara, M Asprilla (Olum, 74), M Valeri ©, M Blanco, F Mattocks (Ebobisse, 76)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Gleeson, GK Tellez*, D Vytas, D Powell, M Zemanski
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Mattocks, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (Mattocks, 6); FOULS: 16 (Ridgewell, Asprilla, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 4
ORL: GK Bendik, Sutter, D Spector, D Redding, D Toia (Giro, 76), M Yotun, M Powers (Hines, 51), M Barnes, M Nocerino ©, F Larin (Laryea, 68), F Dwyer
Substitutes Not Used: GK Edwards, D Hines, M Carrasco, M Kaka, F Rivas
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Barnes, Dwyer, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Four players tied, 1); FOULS: 11 (Three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 7
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referees: Ian Anderson, Eduardo Mariscal
4th Official: Baboucarr Jallow
VAR: Drew Fischer
Attendance: 21,144
Weather: Mostly sunny, 71 degrees
* Five-year-old goalkeeper Derrick Tellez was signed by Portland to a one-game contract earlier this week, fulfilling his wish to be a professional soccer player with the Timbers through Make-A-Wish® Oregon.
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
