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MLS Portland Timbers

Timbers Defeat Minnesota United FC 3-2 in 2018 Home Opener

April 15, 2018 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Playing their first home game of the season, the Portland Timbers recorded their first win of the 2018 MLS campaign, defeating Minnesota United FC 3-2 before a sold-out crowd of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on Saturday night. Three different players scored in the win for Portland, with defender Alvas Powell and forward Fanendo Adi each scoring their first goals of the season, while midfielder Diego Valeri also found the back of the net for a third consecutive game.

Timbers milestone

With an assist on Adi's goal in the 74th minute of play, Valeri recorded his 55th assist in league play since joining the Timbers in 2013. With the assist, Valeri ranks tied with John Bain for the most assists across all eras in club history (since 1975).

Home form

With the 3-2 win, the Timbers have won seven straight regular-season matches at Providence Park, dating back to the 2017 campaign. The Timbers' seven-game winning streak at Providence Park matches the club record for consecutive home wins in MLS play. Additionally, Portland extended its record in MLS home openers to 5-0-3, with the Timbers winning their last three home openers at Providence Park.

Timbers scoresheet

Adi scored his first goal of the season and the 52nd goal in his Timbers career, while Powell also scored his first goal of the season and the fifth of his Timbers career. Additionally, 19-year-old midfielder Cristhian Paredes recorded two assists in the win, marking his first two assists in MLS play. Defender Larrys Mabiala also recorded his first career MLS assist in the win.

Key plays

Portland created its first chance of the game in the seventh minute of play when a creative combination play led to an opportunity for defender Zarek Valentin, who curled his effort just high of the target.

Portland opened the scoring in the 20th minute of play when Powell received a pass from Mabiala, before driving past three Minnesota United defenders and blasting a powerful effort inside the near post.

Three minutes later, the Timbers found their second goal of the game when Powell drove a dangerous cross into the box toward Valeri. Reading the play quickly, Valeri took a clever touch to push the ball past goalkeeper Matt Lampson and into the far corner in the 23rd minute of play.

Moments later, Portland came close to adding another goal when midfielder Sebastián Blanco picked up the ball in between the lines in the final third. Turning quickly, Blanco struck a powerful, long-range effort that rattled off the crossbar in the 30th minute.

Minnesota United managed to pull one back in the 64th minute of play when midfielder Darwin Quintero powered his way into the box and placed the ball into the bottom corner.

Ten minutes later, the Timbers regained a two-goal lead when Adi scored his first goal of the season. The play occurred when Blanco produced a diagonal cross into the box for Valeri, who headed the ball back toward the penalty area for Paredes. The Paraguayan midfielder's first-time effort found Adi for a comfortable finish in the 74th minute.

Shortly after Adi's successful strike, Minnesota United scored a second goal when a long ball over the top forced an own goal from the Timbers' backline to bring the visitor's within one in the 81st minute.

Notes:

Saturday's game marked the 126th consecutive sellout for the Timbers at Providence Park.

Dating back to 2017, Portland has won seven consecutive regular-season matches at home, which ties a club record in MLS play originally set Aug.7, 2016-March 18, 2017.

In MLS home openers, the Timbers are 5-0-3, having won three straight. Dating back to the Timbers' pre-MLS era, Portland is undefeated in its last 15 home openers with a 10-0-5 record.

For a second consecutive season, Portland squared off with Minnesota United in the club's home opener, winning both matches and scoring eight total goals.

- In the three MLS matches between the two clubs, Portland and Minnesota have combined for 16 goals. That 5.3 goals-per-match average is the highest amount of any fixture in MLS since 2010 (minimum two matches).

- Alvas Powell scored his first goal of the season and the fifth of his Timbers career.

- Fanendo Adi scored his first goal of the season and the 52nd of his Timbers career, which ranks as the second-most in club history.

- Diego Valeri scored a goal for the third consecutive match, becoming the third MLS player this season with a goal in three straight matches.

- Valeri now has 61 league goals for Portland, extending his mark as leading goal-scorer in club history.

- Cristhian Paredes recorded two assists in the match, marking his first career MLS assists. It is the first multi-assist game for a Timbers player this season and the 17th in the Timbers MLS era.

- Larrys Mabiala recorded his first MLS assist.

- Valeri recorded his 55th career assist with the Timbers, placing him in a tie with John Bain for most assists in club history across all eras (since 1975).

- Valeri scored a goal and recorded an assist in the same match for the 14th time in his MLS career.

- Powell scored a goal and recorded an assist in the same match for the second time in an MLS game. The other occasion was Sept. 7, 2014, against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Paredes, Andy Polo, Bill Tuiloma, Andrés Flores and Samuel Armenteros each made their home debuts in the match.

Next game

Next up, the Timbers will play at home for a second straight week when the team plays host to New York City FC at Providence Park on Sunday, April 22. Beginning at 3 p.m. (Pacific), the April 22 match will televised nationally on FS1 with local radio broadcasts on 750 AM/102.9 FM The Game (English) and La GranD 1150 AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Portland Timbers (1-3-2, 5pts) vs. Minnesota United FC (2-4-0, 6pts)

April 14, 2018 - Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Minnesota United FC 0 2 2

Portland Timbers 2 1 3

Scoring Summary:

POR: Powell (Mabiala), 20

POR: Valeri (Powell, Paredes), 23

MIN: Quintero (Manley), 64

POR: Adi (Paredes, Valeri), 74

MIN: Own goal, 81

Misconduct Summary:

MIN: Schuller (Caution), 34

MIN: Burch (Caution), 39

MIN: Ibson (Caution), 86

MIN: Boxall (Caution), 90+2

POR: Chara (Caution), 90+2

Lineups:

POR: GK Gleeson, D Powell, D Mabiala, D Tuiloma, D Valentin, M Paredes, M Chara, M Polo (Flores, 74), M Valeri © (Armenteros, 90+2), M Blanco (Farfan, 89), F Adi

Substitutes Not Used: GK Attinella, D Cascante, M Barmby, M Olum,

TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Adi, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Adi, 2); FOULS: 7 (Mabiala, Valentin, 2); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 3

MIN: GK Lampson, D Thiesson, D Burch (Manley, 46), D Calvo, D Boxall, M Schuller, M Ibson, M Finlay, M Ibarra (Nicholson, 84), M Quintero, F Ramirez (Danladi, 75)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Shuttleworth, D Kallman, M Martin, F Toye

TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Quintero, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Quintero, 2); FOULS: 11 (Schuller, Danladi, 2); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 2

Referee: Jose Carlos Rivero

Assistant Referees: Jeff Hosking, Craig Lowry

4th Official: Alejandro Mariscal

VAR: Alex Chilowicz

Attendance: 21,144

Weather: Rainy, 48 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

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