ORLANDO, Fla. – Defenders Larrys Mabiala and Dario Zuparic scored on the either side of half time and the Portland Timbers defeated Orlando City SC 2-1 to win the MLS is Back Tournament Final presented by Wells Fargo Tuesday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.
With the victory, the Timbers have earned a berth in the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League, a $300,000 prize and a one-of-a-kind trophy.
In total, 20 players featured for the Timbers during the tournament with Sebastián Blanco, Diego Chara and Steve Clark playing every minute in the competition. Portland scored multiple goals in six of its seven matches at the tournament. Four players (Blanco, Jeremy Ebobisse, Jaroslaw Niezgoda, Diego Valeri) recorded two or more goals in the competition. Ebobisse led the team with four goals in tournament. Blanco registered a team-best five assists and also added three goals. Notably, nine players tallied an assist in the tournament for Portland with Blanco, Valeri (four assists), Eryk Williamson (two assists) finishing with multiple assists.
Match Moments
16' - CHANCE (POR) - With midfielder Sebastián Blanco on the left side, he sent an in-swinging ball into the mixer for forward Jeremy Ebobisse. Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese came off his line to punch the ball away.
27' - GOAL (POR) - Portland went out to a 1-0 lead when Diego Valeri curled in an enticing free kick from 30-yards out that centerback Larrys Mabiala headed down and past Gallese to put the Timbers on the board.
39' - GOAL (ORL) - The Lions equalized when Mauricio Pereyra received a pass atop the Timbers' six-yard box, fought off a defender and slotted his shot past an outstretched Steve Clark to make the score 1-1.
48' - CHANCE (POR) - Valeri lined up a free kick from the outside left corner of the Orlando 18-yard box. His shot was hard and with pace but right at Gallese who saved it.
65' - CHANCE (POR) - On another Portland free kick, Valeri sent in a low curling shot from just inside the arc that Gallese pushed out for a corner. On the ensuing corner kick, the loose ball fell to Ebobisse who hammered a shot that Gallese made a diving stop to steal a sure goal.
66' - GOAL (POR) - On the second corner kick in a row, Portland took a 2-1 lead as Eryk Williamson collected the ball, threaded it to Ebobisse who then redirected it to Dario Zuparic in front of the goal where the defender knocked it past Gallese.
90' - CHANCE (POR) - Following an Orlando free kick that the Portland defense cleared, the Timbers raced out to a counter attack with Valeri streaking in and firing a hard shot that forced a save from Gallese.
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The Portland Timbers resume the 2020 MLS regular season when they face Seattle Sounders FC on Aug. 23 at Providence Park (7pm PT, FS1).
Portland Timbers vs. Orlando City SC – MLS is Back Tournament – Final
Aug. 11, 2020 – ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (Orlando, Fla.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Timbers 1 1 2
Orlando City SC 1 0 1
Scoring Summary:
POR: Mabiala (Valeri), 27
ORL: Pereyra, 39
POR: Zuparic (Ebobisse, Williamson), 66
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Mabiala (caution), 44
ORL: Antoñio Carlos (caution), 47
ORL: Moutinho (caution), 63
POR: D. Chara (caution), 70
ORL: Nani (caution), 73
POR: Villafaña (caution), 73
ORL: Ruan (caution), 85
Lineups:
POR: GK Clark, D Duvall, D Mabiala, D Zuparic, D Villafaña, M D. Chara, M Williamson, M Loría (Polo,, 67), M Valeri © (Tuiloma, 90), M Blanco (Mora, 89), F Ebobisse (Niezgoda, 67)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Attinella, GK Ivacic, D Bonilla, D Cascante, D Farfan, M Conechny, M Paredes, M Zambrano
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Valeri, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Valeri, 3); FOULS: 15 (D. Chara, 5); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 0
ORL: GK Gallese, D Ruan (Smith, 87), D Antoñio Carlos, D Jansson, D Moutinho, M Pereyra, M Rosell (Patiño, 79), M Méndez (Urso, 71), M Mueller (Michel, 71), F Nani ©, F Akindele (Dike, 78)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Rowe, D De John, D Schlegel, D Miller, M Perea, M DeZart, M Robinho
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Méndez, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 1 (Pereyra, 1); FOULS: 17 (Ruan, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistant Referees: Kathryn Nesbit, Kyle Atkins
4th Official: Joe Dickerson
VAR: Allen Chapman
Weather: Partly cloudy, 77 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
