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Chivas USA Grind out 1-1 Road Result against Portland Timbers

April 13, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Chivas USA battled back to secure a tough road point with a 1-1 tie against Western Conference foe, the Portland Timbers, Saturday night at Providence Park. The home side got on the scoresheet first on Will Johnson's early goal, but the Red-and-White evened the contest on striker Erick "Cubo" Torres' team-high fifth goal of the season.

The Timbers took the one-nil advantage in the seventh minute when Darlington Nagbe found Johnson with a short pass near the top of the 18-yard box for the midfielder to place his shot inside the left post with a right-footed strike.

Chivas generated solid run of play in their attacking third and got deep into Portland territory for Leandro Barrera to play a number of crosses from the left side, but the midfielder could not link up with his teammates inside the box. The first-year attacker also got into range inside the box and delivered a shot on frame in the 18th minute after rookie Thomas McNamara laid off a pass to the his left. Barrera's strike, however, was deflected out of bounds by Timbers' goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.

The Red-and-White continued to get numbers forward, including their outside backers, as Andrew Jean-Baptiste - who was making his second consecutive start at left back - got on the end of a give-and-go sequence with McNamara and Mauro Rosales to unleash a shot on target of his own in the 22nd minute that was kept out by his former teammate Ricketts.

Chivas continued to knock on Portland's door in search of the equalizer and managed to take five corner kicks in the first half (10 total in the contest). With a minute left in the first half, Rosales sent in a pass from the left side which was cleared out by the home side's defense, only to land at the feet of right back Eric Avila, who followed up the clearance with a long-range shot from outside the box that was turned away.

Playing a goal down in the second half, the Goats continued to apply pressure, as Rosales looked to add to his three assists on the season and got off consecutive shots that were denied inside the box in the 60th minute. Rosales then played a floater from outside the right edge of the box in the 75th minute toward Carlos Bocanegra who was positioned near the far post. The defender's chip shot found Torres for a header but the attempt was swatted away by Ricketts.

After repeated looks at goal, the Rojiblancos broke through in the 79th minute when Torres got behind the Timbers' defense to knock in the equalizer from inside the six-yard box on a ball played in from the left edge once again by Barrera. With his 12th career tally, Torres has now tied legendary striker Luis Hernandez for third place on MLS' all-time list of Mexican-born goal scorers and is now in sole possession of fifth place on the club's all-time goals list.

With six minutes of added stoppage time, The Red-and-White remained stout behind goalkeeper Dan Kennedy and secured the hard-fought road point with the 1-1 result.

Chivas USA now return home to continue their four-game stretch against conference opponents when they host Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday beginning at 7:30 p.m. (PT) at StubHub Center. The match will mark the first leg of the three-game season series and can be heard live on ESPN Deportes Radio KWKU 1220 AM. For more information visit cdchivasusa.com and follow the club on Twitter and Facebook.

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