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MLS Portland Timbers

Ten-Man Timbers Battle Back for 3-3 Draw against Columbus

May 18, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Playing the majority of the match with 10 men, the Portland Timbers battled back from two different one-goal deficits in the second half to earn a 3-3 draw in front of a sold-out crowd of 20,814 fans at Providence Park on Saturday night.

Going down a man in the 34th minute following a straight red card to defender Alvas Powell on a late tackle near midfield, the Timbers refused to concede defeat despite the adverse circumstances and tallied the game-tying goal in the 85th minute as substitute forward GastÃ"n Fernández converted a shot from close range following a header from forward Fanendo Adi.

The result extended Portland's MLS-club record, home-unbeaten streak to 22 consecutive matches (12-0-10), tying for third place all-time in MLS history. The Timbers are unbeaten in four straight regular-season matches and in six of their last seven, and haven't lost a regular-season home game in 434 days.

Trailing 2-1 late in the second half, the Timbers tied the match in the 80th minute as midfielder Will Johnson finished a right-footed shot from near the top of the penalty box following a pass from defender Jack Jewsbury. Johnson beat Columbus goalkeeper Steve Clark with a low drive inside the far left post for his second goal of the season.

Columbus, however, regained the lead one minute later as substitute forward Ethan Finlay delivered a left-footed shot that deflected off Timbers defender Futty Danso and settled inside the right post for a 3-2 Columbus lead in the 81st minute.

Playing the final match of a three-game home stretch at Providence Park, the Timbers (1-3-7, 10pts) took an early lead as forward Maximiliano Urruti put Portland on the board in the fifth minute. Dispossessing a Crew defender in the attacking third, Johnson dribbled the ball through traffic before slipping a pass to midfielder Steve Zakuani on the left side of the penalty box. Zakuani found Urruti with a short pass in the box and the forward delivered the opening goal, strongly firing a left-footed effort past Clark.

Columbus (3-4-4, 13pts) were able to level the score, 1-1, nine minutes later as midfielder Federico HiguaÃ-n found space to run at goal and lifted a perfectly placed chip shot over Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts from distance. HiguaÃ-n's shot glanced off the underside of the crossbar before settling into the back of the net. HiguaÃ-n's goal in the 14th minute snapped Columbus' goal-scoring drought at 335 minutes.

Minutes later, Ricketts came up with a big stop on forward Jairo Arrieta, denying a goal-scoring opportunity with a slide tackle near the top of the penalty box in the 19th minute.

With the match level in the first half, the Timbers were then forced to play down a man for the final 56 minutes plus stoppage time following Powell's red card. In first-half stoppage time, Portland conceded a penalty kick when the referee whistled Danso for a foul in the box during a Columbus corner kick. HiguaÃ-n stepped up and slotted a shot inside the left post for his second goal of the night.

Despite the disadvantage, the Timbers finished with a 16-15 edge in total shots, and only conceded 52.4 percent of the possession to Columbus while continuing to apply pressure to earn a result even while playing with 10 men.

Adi, who signed with the Timbers earlier this week on loan from Danish club FC Copenhagen, registered his first career MLS assist in his first appearance for the club on Saturday, delivering a header toward the far right post off a free kick from midfielder Diego Valeri. Making a well-timed run, Fernández latched onto the end of Adi's header to register the equalizer from close range.

Portland takes to the road for consecutive matches beginning on Saturday, May 24, against the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena; kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. (Pacific). The match will be broadcast live on ROOT SPORTS with local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game and in Spanish on La Pantera 940AM. Playing on short rest, the Timbers then travel to face Chivas USA on Wednesday, May 28, at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

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