MLS Portland Timbers

Saborio Hat Trick Guides Real Salt Lake Past Timbers

Published on July 8, 2012 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


SANDY, Utah - Forward Alvaro Saborio recorded a hat trick, scoring all three goals in the second half, as Real Salt Lake ended a four-match winless stretch with a 3-0 win over the Portland Timbers at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night.

The Timbers played Real Salt Lake even through the first hour, but Real Salt Lake was able to take hold of the match on Saborio's first goal of the night in the 60th minute. Saborio scored a second goal two minutes later, heading home a long cross from defender Chris Wingert, to lift Real Salt Lake to a two-goal lead. Real Salt Lake took a 3-0 lead in the 73rd minute as Saborio converted a penalty kick following a handball on Timbers midfielder Diego Chara in the box. Chara was shown a straight red card on the play and the Timbers finished the final 15 minutes of the 3-0 loss with 10 men.

Saborio recorded his third multiple-goal performance of the season to extend his team-leading goals total to 10 goals, midfielder Kyle Beckerman logged his fourth assist and goalkeeper Nick Rimando earned a second straight clean sheet to lead Real Salt Lake (11-6-3, 36pts) to their first win in five games.

Goalkeeper Troy Perkins made six saves and midfielders Eric Alexander and Lovel Palmer combined for four shots in the loss for the Timbers (5-8-4, 19pts). Portland has lost three straight on the road.

Beckerman set up Saborio's first goal of the night with a chipped pass into the box from 20 yards out. Saborio was able to fight off is defender and drive a header down and inside the right post as Real Salt Lake cracked the deadlock on the hour mark.

A long pass from midfield by Wingert led to Saborio's second goal in the 62nd minute. On the long ball played by Wingert, Saborio slipped in behind the Portland backline and was able to head home his ninth goal of the season, giving Real Salt Lake a 2-0 lead.

Saborio got his head to a corner kick in the 73rd minute, but Portland's Chara on the goal line to block the shot. On the play, Chara was called for a handball and Referee Mark Geiger issued a red card for the foul and awarded Real Salt Lake a penalty kick. Saborio took the kick from the spot and got Perkins to go one way before depositing the ball into the back of the net for his third goal of the contest.

Alexander attempted two of the Timbers' four shots in the first half, including one in the 33rd minute on an attacking play that deflected off Real Salt Lake defender Jamison Olave and bounced just wide of the right post.

The Timbers return home to play host to the LA Galaxy at JELD-WEN Field on Saturday, July 14; kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. (Pacific). The matchup against the Galaxy will be nationally televised on NBC Sports Network, with local radio broadcasts available on 750 AM The Game and in Spanish on La Pantera 940 AM.

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 8, 2012


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