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MLS Portland Timbers

Timbers Conclude 2018 Regular Season at Vancouver

October 28, 2018 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


VANCOUVER, B.C. - Playing in their 2018 regular-season finale, the Portland Timbers fell 2-1 to Cascadia-rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC in front of 25,348 fans at BC Place on Sunday afternoon. Finishing as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, Portland will travel to face fourth-seeded FC Dallas in the Knockout Round of the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs at Toyota Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. (Pacific), the match features television broadcasts on ROOT SPORTS and UniMas, with local radio broadcasts on 750 AM/102.9 FM The Game (English) and La GranD 1150 AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Timbers in the MLS Cup Playoffs

The Timbers return to the Audi MLS Playoffs for the fourth time in their MLS history, also marking the first time Portland has qualified for the postseason in consecutive seasons during its MLS era. The Knockout Round matchup against FC Dallas marks the second time the two sides meet in the playoffs. The Timbers and FC Dallas squared off in the two-legged Western Conference Championship in 2015, with Portland advancing 5-3 on aggregate over FC Dallas on its way to the club's first MLS Cup victory. This year's playoff match against FC Dallas marks the second Knockout Round contest for the Timbers, who defeated Sporting Kansas City in a penalty-kick shootout in the 2015 playoffs. The winner of the Knockout Round match between the Timbers and FC Dallas will advance to the Western Conference Semifinals.

Regular season at a glance

Portland concluded the regular season with 15 wins, which tied for the most wins in a single season (2017) in the club's MLS era. With 15 wins, head coach Giovanni Savarese is tied for the third-most wins by a head coach in his first year as an MLS head coach. Additionally, the 54 goals scored during the regular season ranks as the third-highest total for the club dating back to the club's inaugural MLS season in 2011.

Key plays

Early on, midfielder Andrés Flores whipped his corner-kick delivery into the box, but midfielder Lawrence Olum's header missed over the crossbar in the 12th minute. Five minutes later, Flores' service from a free kick 40 yards away from goal found defender Julio Cascante, whose header was caught by Whitecaps FC goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic.

In the 23rd minute, defender Alvas Powell's throw-in found midfielder Dairon Asprilla on the right edge of the penalty area. Receiving the ball on his chest, Asprilla flicked the ball up before firing his bicycle-kick attempt into the arms of Marinovic at the near post.

Vancouver took a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute after midfielder Alphonso Davies picked up the ball from midfield and fired his shot from the top of the box past Timbers goalkeeper Jeff Attinella. Four minutes later, Davies doubled Vancouver's advantage when he picked up a loose ball on the edge of the six-yard box and placed his shot into the back of the net.

Just before halftime, midfielder Lucas Melano was first to the ball on the left edge of the penalty area, fending off defender Doneil Henry before firing his shot wide past the far post in the 40th minute. Two minutes into added time, defender Bill Tuiloma was on the receiving end of a cross, but his looping header missed past the far post.

Two minutes into the start of the second half, Flores crossed into the box to an unmarked Cascante, but his header was fired inches past the frame of goal.

In the 73rd minute, defender Marco Farfan's cross into the center of the penalty area found Melano, whose leaping header was fired into the arms of Marinovic. Two minutes later, Tuiloma received a long ball into the box, but his headed shot missed the target.

Portland cut into Vancouver's lead after Asprilla, marked by two defenders on the right edge of the penalty area, sent a low cross across the face of goal to Flores, who stuck out a foot to redirect the ball into the back of the net to make it a 2-1 score line.

Notes:

Midfielder Andrés Flores scored his first career MLS goal for the Timbers.

Flores is the 16th different Timbers goal-scorer this season, which is the most different goal-scorers the Timbers have ever had in a single season. The 16 different goal-scorers are tied for the second-most this season in MLS, behind only FC Dallas.

Midfielder Lucas Melano made his first start of the 2018 MLS regular season. It was Melano's first start for the Timbers since Oct. 23, 2016, which was also at Vancouver.

Portland finished the regular season with 15 wins, which is tied for the most wins by the club in a single season (2017) in its MLS era.

With the 15 regular-season wins, head coach Giovanni Savarese is tied for the third-most wins by a head coach in his first year as an MLS head coach.

Next game

Portland will travel to face fourth-seed FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium in the Knockout Round of the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. (Pacific), the match features television broadcasts on ROOT SPORTS and UniMas and local radio broadcasts on 750 AM/102.9 FM The Game (English) and La GranD 1150 AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Portland Timbers (15-10-9, 54pts) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (13-13-8, 47pts)

Oct. 28, 2018 - BC Place (Vancouver, B.C.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 0 2

Portland Timbers 0 1 1

Scoring Summary:

VAN: Davies (Nerwinski), 28

VAN: Davies, 31

POR: Flores, 90

Misconduct Summary:

POR: Melano (Caution), 27

VAN: Davies (Caution), 82

Lineups:

POR: GK Attinella ©, D Powell, D Cascante, D Tuiloma, D Farfan, M Paredes (Blanco, 74), M Olum, M Asprilla, M Melano (Ebobisse, 80), M Flores, F Armenteros (Polo, 67)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Clark, D Mabiala, D Valentin, M Conechny

TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Five players tied, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Asprilla, 2); FOULS: 9 (Cascante, Polo, 2); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4

VAN: GK Marinovic, D Nerwinski, D Watson, D Henry, D Levis, M Ghazi, M Reyna (Mezquida, 78), M Teibert, M Mutch (Felipe, 64), M Davies (Colyn, 86), F Kamara

Substitutes Not Used: GK Rowe, D Maund, M Shea, F Hurtado

TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Four players tied, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Davies, 2); FOULS: 9 (Ghazal, 3); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 3

Referee: Ted Unkel

Assistant Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Jeff Hosking

4th Official: Daniel Radford

VAR: Alex Chilowicz

Attendance: 25,348

Weather: Showers, 53 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

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