MLS Portland Timbers

Timbers Earn 3-1 Win over Cascadia-Rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC

August 11, 2019 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Receiving goals from three different players, the Portland Timbers extended their home unbeaten streak to seven games in all competitions with a 3-1 win against Cascadia-rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC in front of 25,218 fans at Providence Park on Saturday night. Sebastián Blanco recorded a goal and an assist, while Marvin Loría and Jeremy Ebobisse each tallied goals. Diego Valeri recorded two assists and Tomás Conechny registered his first MLS assist in the match.

Home-field advantage

With the win, the Timbers (10-9-4, 34pts) extended their home unbeaten streak in all competitions to seven games, posting a record of 5-0-2. During their home unbeaten streak, the Timbers have outscored their opponents 19-4, tallying multiple goals in five of the seven matches.

Setting the table

Blanco, Valeri and Conechny all tallied assists in the match for Portland. Blanco notched his 10th assist of the season, marking his second consecutive season with double-digit assists. He is currently tied for the sixth-most assists in MLS this season. Valeri increased his season total to 14 assists, which leads MLS in 2019. The Timbers are the only team with multiple players that have 10 or more assists this season. Conechny registered his first career MLS assist in the match. He is the 13th different player to record an assist for the Timbers this season.

Against Vancouver

Portland improved to 11-7-6 all-time against Whitecaps FC in MLS regular-season play with the victory. At home, the Timbers are now 7-2-4 all-time against Vancouver in the regular season, earning a win in four of the last five meetings against Whitecaps FC at Providence Park. Having scored 40 times against Whitecaps FC, Portland has scored more goals against Vancouver than against any other opponent in MLS play.

Key plays

In the fifth minute, Valeri played the ball into space for Loría making a run down the right side of the field. Loría dribbled into the box and fired a shot from a tight angle near the right edge of the six-yard box that went just past the left post.

The Timbers had two consecutive scoring chances in the 20th minute. Blanco unleashed a powerful strike from the left wing inside the box, but Vancouver goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau parried the attempt away. Valeri pounced on the rebound, delivering a swerving shot from the right wing inside the box, but Whitecaps FC's Ali Adnan blocked the shot near the goal line.

Portland grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute of the match as Blanco opened the scoring. Renzo Zambrano and Valeri combined just outside the box and Valeri played a short pass to Blanco, who delivered a long-distance curling strike into the top right corner of the goal.

Vancouver leveled the match in the 39th minute on a corner kick. Fredy Montero served a ball from the left corner to the center of the box. Julio Cascante headed the ball away, but Theo Bair hit a side-winding volley into the left side of the net.

In the 44th minute, Zarek Valentin dribbled down the right side of the field and cut back to the middle, sending a pass to Loría at the top of the box. Loría hit a dipping shot toward the bottom left corner of the goal, forcing a kick save from Crépeau.

Pushing for a goal to start the second half, Jorge Villafaña worked his way down the left side of the field and played a cross to the center of the box. Valeri hit a low, hard shot toward the goal, but Brett Levis slid in to block the attempt in the 49th minute.

The Timbers reclaimed the lead in the 55th match as Loría scored his second goal of the season. Keeping possession near the right side of the box, Loría spun back toward the top of the box and delivered a perfect strike into the left side of the net.

On the counter-attack, Valeri played a ball out wide on the left side to Conechny, who played a one-touch pass in stride to Ebobisse making a run into the box. Ebobisse received the ball and converted from close range to increase Portland's lead to 3-1 in the 90th minute.

Notes:

Jeremy Ebobisse scored his eighth goal of the season, scoring for a third consecutive home match.

Sebastián Blanco tallied his fourth goal of the 2019 campaign and the 22nd goal of his Timbers career.

Marvin Loría recorded his second goal this season. He is the sixth Timbers player this season to score multiple MLS goals.

Diego Valeri delivered his MLS-leading 14th assist of the campaign.

Valeri's 14 assists are tied for the most by a Timbers player in a single season in the club's 44-year history, equaling John Bain in 1980 and Valeri in 2014.

Blanco notched his 10th assist of the season. It is the second consecutive season that Blanco has reached double-digit assists.

Blanco is currently tied for the sixth-most assists in MLS this season.

The Timbers are the only team to have multiple players with 10 or more assists in 2019.

Tomás Conechny delivered his first career MLS assist in the match. Conechny is the 13th different Timbers player with an assist this season.

Portland now has 11 wins against Vancouver in MLS regular-season play, which is the most against any opponent.

Portland's 40 goals against Whitecaps FC are the most the Timbers have scored against a single MLS opponent.

Next game

Facing a quick turnaround, the Timbers play host to the Chicago Fire at Providence Park on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Beginning at 8 p.m. (Pacific), the match features a local television broadcast on ROOT SPORTS with local radio broadcasts on 1029 and 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Portland Timbers (10-9-4, 34pts) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (5-12-9, 24pts)

Aug. 10, 2019 - Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Portland Timbers 1 2 3

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1 0 1

Scoring Summary:

POR: Blanco (Valeri), 28

VAN: Bair, 38

POR: Loría (Blanco), 55

POR: Ebobisse (Conechny, Valeri), 90

Misconduct Summary:

POR: Cascante (caution) 45+5

POR: Loría (caution), 59

VAN: Godoy (caution), 65

VAN: Nerwinski (caution), 84

Lineups:

POR: GK Clark, D Valentin, D Cascante, D Tuiloma, D Villafaña, M Zambrano, M Chara, M Loría (Asprilla, 90+1), M Valeri ©, M Blanco (Conechny, 87), F Ebobisse

Substitutes Not Used: GK McIntosh, D Mabiala, D Moreira, M Flores, M Paredes

TOTAL SHOTS: 23 (Valeri, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Loría, 3); FOULS: 12 (Chara, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 3

VAN: GM Crépeau, D Nerwinski, D Godoy, D Cornelius, D Adnan (Levis, 30), M Rose, M Hwang, M Teibert (Sutter, 79), M Bair (Ardaiz, 87), M Montero ©, F Reyna

Substitutes Not Used: GK MacMath, D Henry, M Erice, M Baldisimo

TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Montero, Reyna, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Bair, 2); FOULS: 12 (Montero, Nerwinski, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 5

Referee: Ted Unkel

Assistant Referees: Corey Parker, Logan Brown

4th Official: Tim Ford

VAR: Greg Dopka

Attendance: 25,218

Weather: Showers, 68 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Check out the Portland Timbers Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from August 11, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central