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MLS Portland Timbers

Timbers Fall on the Road to Sporting Kansas City

August 21, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


KANSAS CITY, Kan. - The Portland Timbers were unable to rally from a first-half deficit, falling 4-1 on the road to Sporting Kansas City at Children's Mercy Park on Sunday afternoon. Sebastián Blanco tallied a goal late in the second half, recording his sixth goal of the campaign, while Dairon Asprilla notched his first assist of the 2022 season.

Blanco Goals

Sebastián Blanco scored his sixth goal of the season in the match. With six goals this season, Blanco has scored six or more goals in five of his six seasons with Portland. The goal was his fourth all-time against Sporting Kansas City in MLS regular-season action. His four goals are the most by a Timbers player in the regular-season series. Notably, Blanco tallied three goals and two assists in two matches against Kansas City this season.

Playoff Chase

Pending the results of Sunday's matches, Portland (7-8-12, 33pts) enters the home stretch with seven matches remaining on the schedule and sitting just one point behind the LA Galaxy (34pts) in the seventh and final playoff position. Just two points separate the 11th-place Colorado Rapids (32pts) and seventh place in the standings. The Timbers are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference but are just a point out of playoff position and trail Real Salt Lake by just five points in fifth place (38pts) and Nashville SC by three points (36pts) in sixth place.

Goal-Scoring Plays

SKC - William Agada (Graham Zusi, Roger Espinoza), 31st minute: Graham Zusi delivered a cross from the right wing into the center of the box. William Agada connected with the cross, sending a half-volleyed shot from the edge of the six-yard box into the back of the net.

SKC - Andreu Fontás, 40th minute: Off a corner kick, Zusi played the ball back into the box after it was initially cleared by Portland. The ball landed for Andreu Fontás and he converted from close range in the center of the box.

SKC - Erik Thommy (William Agada, Graham Zusi), 42nd minute: Receiving the ball near the edge of the box, Agada turned and laid the ball off for Erik Thommy, who sent a curling strike inside the right post.

SKC - William Agada (Ben Sweat, Rémi Walter ), 75th minute: Ben Sweat dribbled down the left side of the field and played a well-weighted ball into the space behind the Timbers backline. Agada ran onto the ball and fired a shot from just outside the six-yard box past Timbers goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic.

POR - Sebastián Blanco (Dairon Asprilla), 90th minute: Dairon Asprilla played a cross from the far left sideline to the center of the box for Sebastián Blanco, who finished from inside five yards.

Notes

Sebastián Blanco scored his sixth goal of the campaign.

With six goals this season, Blanco has scored six or more goals in five of his six seasons with Portland.

Blanco has scored four career goals in the all-time regular-season series, which is the most by a Timbers player.

Blanco tallied three goals in two matches against Kansas City in 2022.

Dairon Asprilla tallied his first assist of the 2022 season in the match.

Asprilla is the 11th player to record an assist for the Timbers this season.

Bill Tuiloma entered the match as a second-half substitute, making his 100th career MLS appearance. He joins Diego Chara, Sebastián Blanco, David Bingham and Larrys Mabiala as the other active players on the roster to have made 100 MLS appearances.

Aljaz Ivacic finished the match with five saves, recording his eighth match this season with five or more saves.

Yimmi Chara started and played in his 27th match this season. He is the only player to start every match for the Timbers.

Santiago Moreno along with Yimmi Chara is the only player to appear in every MLS regular season match for Portland in 2022.

The Timbers saw their seven-game unbeaten run against Sporting Kansas City (W4 D3, including playoffs) snapped with their loss tonight. It was their first lost against Kansas City since Aug. 18, 2018, on the road in regular season play.

Portland has scored in 13 consecutive matches, tallying 23 goals during that stretch.

Next Game

The Timbers return to the Rose City to play host to Cascadia rival Seattle Sounders FC on Friday, Aug. 26 at Providence Park. The Aug. 26th match kicks off at 7 p.m. (Pacific) with a national broadcast on ESPN as well as local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

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