MLS Portland Timbers

Ten-Man Timbers Advance to Western Conference Semifinals with 2-1 Road Win over FC Dallas

Published on November 1, 2018 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals with a 2-1 win on the road in the Knockout Round of the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium on Wednesday night. Playing down a man for the final 33 minutes, Diego Valeri scored his second goal of the match in the 71st minute to help Portland earn its fourth trip to the conference semifinals in the last six seasons.

The Timbers will play host to a to-be-determined opponent in the first game of a two-game, aggregate-goal Western Conference Semifinals series of the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs at Providence Park on Sunday, Nov. 4. Individual tickets are available for purchase online here and by phone at (888) 736-6849.

Advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals

With the win, Portland has now appeared in the conference semifinals four times (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018) in its last six seasons. It marks the second time the Timbers have appeared in the Knockout Round and advanced, also moving past Sporting Kansas City in a dramatic 11-round penalty-kick shootout in the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Road playoff form

The Timbers recorded their fourth road win in the playoffs in six seasons, improving to 4-1-2 all-time on the road. With the win, Portland now has the best road postseason winning percentage (.714) in MLS history. In addition, the Timbers are unbeaten in their last five road playoff games (3-0-2) and have posted the best goal differential (+3) in road playoff games among MLS teams.

Against FC Dallas

Portland is unbeaten in its last five matches overall (2-0-3) against FC Dallas and improved to 2-0-1 all-time in the postseason against FC Dallas with the win. In 2018, the Timbers posted a record of 1-0-2 against FC Dallas, including the playoffs. Wednesday's match marked the second time Portland and FC Dallas have faced off in the postseason. The Timbers advanced past FC Dallas, 5-3 on aggregate, in the two-legged Western Conference Championship in 2015 on their way to the club's first MLS Cup victory.

Valeri in the playoffs

Valeri scored his first career playoff brace, becoming the first Timbers player in the MLS era and the second player across all eras (since 1975) to record a brace in the postseason. With his two goals, Valeri increased his postseason goal total to four goals, which ranks as the most playoff goals by a Timbers player in club history across all eras. Valeri is one of three active MLS players to have four or more playoff goals and four or more playoff assists, joining Toronto FC's Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore.

Postseason firsts

Andy Polo, Bill Tuiloma and Zarek Valentin all made their MLS Cup Playoffs debut in the match. Polo and Valentin made their first career starts in the postseason for Portland, while Tuiloma entered the match as a second-half substitute. Additionally, Jeremy Ebobisse recorded his first career postseason assist in his first playoff start for Portland.

Key plays

Valeri opened the scoring to give Portland a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute on a free kick. Valeri lined up the kick from the left wing, delivering a well-placed curling strike inside the left post for his first goal of the match.

Just three minutes later, goalkeeper Jeff Attinella came up with a key stop. On the counter-attack, Michael Barrios found space in the box on the right side and fired a shot from a tight angle at the right post, but Attinella was able to get a touch and deflect the ball off the crossbar with his head in the 26th minute.

Attinella made another critical stop to deny FC Dallas in the 68th minute. Playing a quick short corner kick, Maximiliano Urruti received a slip pass, making a run down the right side of the box. Urruti played a cross into the box that deflected off a Portland player and landed for Roland Lamah, who put a shot on target from inside the box, but Attinella stuck his left foot out to deny the attempt with a kick save.

Down to 10 men after Larrys Mabiala was sent off in the 58th minute and against the run of play, the Timbers doubled their lead in the 71st minute as Valeri scored his second goal of the match. David Guzmán played a ball in behind the FC Dallas backline for Jeremy Ebobisse running into the box. Ebobisse held off two FC Dallas players and goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez and laid the ball off for Valeri, who converted into an open goal from the edge of the box.

Portland nearly added to its lead in the 87th minute. Staying with the play, Sebastián Blanco stole the ball inside the box from Gonzalez and attempted to dribble around Gonzalez, firing a shot from close range that was saved.

Attinella, who finished the match with five saves, made three saves in the final 10 minutes of the match, including a diving stop on Dominque Badji from close range in the 88th minute and a swerving shot from a tight angle outside the box by Lamah in second-half stoppage time.

FC Dallas pulled a goal back deep in second-half stoppage time to cut the lead to 2-1. Lamah served a cross into the box from the left side and Santiago Mosquera headed the back toward the center of the box for Matt Hedges, who hit a side-footed shot into the net at the right post.

Notes:

With the win, Portland has now appeared in the conference semifinals four times (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018) in its last six seasons.

The victory was the fourth road win secured by the Timbers in their MLS Cup Playoffs history. Portland is unbeaten in its last five road playoff games (3-0-2).

Portland's road playoff record of 4-1-2 gives them the best road postseason winning percentage (.714%) in MLS history.

The Timbers goal differential of +3 in road playoff games is the best among all MLS teams.

Diego Valeri scored two goals, becoming the first Timbers player ever to score a brace in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Valeri is also just the second Timbers player in all eras of the club to score a playoff brace, joining Brian Farber in 2009.

Valeri now has four career postseason goals for the Timbers, which is the most by a single player in Timbers all-era history.

Valeri is one of three active MLS players to have four or more playoff goals and four or more playoff assists, joining Toronto FC's Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore.

Jeremy Ebobisse notched his first playoff assist. In his eight career MLS starts (including playoffs), Ebobisse has three goals and four assists.

Goalkeeper Jeff Attinella had five saves, which are the most by a Timbers goalkeeper in an MLS Cup playoff match.

Andy Polo, Zarek Valentin and Bill Tuiloma all made their MLS Cup Playoffs debut in the match.

The match was Giovanni Savarese's first MLS playoff game as a manager. Savarese played in five MLS playoff matches as a player, including the first MLS playoff game ever played.

Next game

The Timbers will play host to a to-be-determined opponent in the first game of a two-game, aggregate-goal Western Conference Semifinals series of the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs at Providence Park on Sunday, Nov. 4. Opponent and kickoff time will be determined Thursday night, following the conclusion of the Western Conference Knockout Round match between Los Angeles FC and Real Salt Lake. Depending on the result, Portland will face either Sporting Kansas City or Seattle Sounders FC in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs | Knockout Round

Portland Timbers (5) vs. FC Dallas (4)

Oct. 31, 2018 - Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Portland Timbers 1 1 2

FC Dallas 0 1 1

Scoring Summary:

POR: Valeri, 23

POR: Valeri (Ebobisse), 71

DAL: Hedges (Lamah, Mosquera), 90+4

Misconduct Summary:

DAL: Urruti (caution), 22

POR: Ridgewell (caution), 38

POR: Chara (caution), 45+5

DAL: Gruezo (caution), 45+5

POR: Mabiala (ejection), 58

Lineups:

POR: GK Attinella, D Valentin, D Mabiala, D Ridgewell, D Villafaña, M Guzmán, M Chara, M Polo (Tuiloma, 60), M Valeri © (Olum, 81), M Blanco, F Ebobisse (Asprilla, 85)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Clark, D Powell, F Armenteros, F Melano

TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (Valeri, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Valeri, 2); FOULS: 8 (Ridgewell, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 5

DAL: GK Gonzalez, D Cannon, D Hedges ©, D Ziegler, D Figueroa (Hollingshead, 76), M Ulloa (Lamah, 65), M Gruezo, M Barros, M Urruti (Akindele, 85), M Mosquera, F Badji

Substitutes Not Used: GK Maurer, D Pedroso, M Hayes, M Aguilar

TOTAL SHOTS: 22 (Mosquera, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Lamah, 2); FOULS: 9 (Badji, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 1

Referee: Alan Kelly

Assistant Referees: Eric Weisbrod, Corey Parker

4th Official: Armando Villarreall

VAR: Dave Gantar

Attendance: 10,297

Weather: Cloudy, 54 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Check out the Portland Timbers Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from November 1, 2018


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