MLS Portland Timbers

Timbers, Minnesota United FC Play to Scoreless Draw at Providence Park

Published on September 22, 2019 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers earned a point and a clean sheet, recording their sixth shutout in league play this season after playing to a scoreless draw against Minnesota United FC at Providence Park on Sunday afternoon. The Timbers face a quick turnaround as they play host to the New England Revolution in a midweek match on Wednesday, Sept. 26.

Playoff positioning

With the draw, Portland (13-13-5, 44pts) is tied for seventh place in the Western Conference standings with the San Jose Earthquakes, with San Jose in current playoff position as a result of tiebreakers. The Timbers are one point behind FC Dallas in sixth place (45pts) with a game in hand, three points behind Real Salt Lake (5th, 47pts), trail the LA Galaxy by only four points (4th, 48pts) and remain within striking distance of Minnesota (3rd, 49pts) and Seattle (2nd, 50pts), which concludes the weekend with a road match against D.C. United.

Scoring chances

The Timbers finished the match with 29 shots, which is the third-most shots attempted by the club in an MLS match. Portland recorded 11 shots on goal in the game, which is tied for the second-most shots on goal by the club in a league match during the MLS era. Individually, Opta credited Sebastián Blanco and Jorge Moreira with six chances created in the match, marking jut the second time in Timbers MLS history that two players created six chances in the same game.

Key plays

Portland generated a scoring chance in the 17th minute off a corner kick. Blanco served the ball into the center of the box for Larrys Mabiala, who redirected a header toward goal that was saved by Minnesota goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

In the 28th minute, Blanco picked up a loose ball near the edge of the box and unleashed a swerving strike headed into the bottom left corner of the goal, but Mannone dove to his right and blocked the ball with his chest.

Remaining on the front foot, Zarek Valentin dribbled down the left side of the field and slotted a ball into space for Brian Fernandez making a run into the box. Fernandez sent a shot from a tight angle near the left post, forcing a save by Mannone in the 36th minute.

Jeremy Ebobisse came close to giving Portland a lead in the 40th minute. Ebobisse found space inside the box and fired a shot from a difficult angle near the left post, but again Mannone made the save. Just one minute later, Blanco sent a shot from the top of the box that missed the goal by inches past the left post.

In first-half stoppage time, Blanco dribbled along the edge of the box and sent a curling strike toward the top left corner of the goal that rattled the crossbar.

Ebobisse had a scoring chance with a header from point-blank range at the left post in the 68th minute. The Timbers switched the point of attack, playing the ball to Moreira running down the right side of the field. Moreira served the ball to the back post for Ebobisse, who came charging into the box, but Mannone made a one-handed save.

In the 69th minute, Blanco delivered a ball into the box from the left wing and Cristhian Paredes connected, heading the ball low and toward the right corner of the goal, but it bounced off the right post. Diego Valeri pounced on the rebound, but Mannone made another save. Moments later on the counter-attack, Blanco served a cross from the left wing to the right post for Ebobisse, who sent his header from close range just wide of the goal.

In second-half stoppage time, Minnesota's Kevin Molino found himself one-on-one with Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark, but Clark stood his ground and came off his line to deny Molino from close range on the breakaway opportunity.

Notes:

The Timbers finished the match with 29 shots, which is the third-most attempted by the club in an MLS match.

Portland recorded 11 shots on goal in the game, which is tied for the second-most shots on goal by the team in a league match in the MLS era.

The Timbers and Minnesota combined for 49 shots in the match. The 49 shots were the most combined shots in an MLS match since 1998 and the third-most all-time in MLS.

The 49 shots between the two clubs are the most ever in a scoreless draw in MLS history.

Steve Clark recorded his sixth shutout of the season. He leads the league with a 0.95 goals-against average.

Sebastián Blanco and Jorge Moreira were each credited with six chances in the match. It marked just the second time in MLS Timbers history that the team has had two players create six chances in the same game.

Next game

Up next, the Timbers play host to the New England Revolution in a midweek match on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at Providence Park. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), the match features a television broadcast on FOX 12 PLUS (KPDX) with local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Portland Timbers (13-13-5, 44pts) vs. Minnesota United FC (14-10-7, 49pts)

Sept. 22, 2019 - Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Portland Timbers 0 0 0

Minnesota United FC 0 0 0

Scoring Summary:

None

Misconduct Summary:

POR: Valentin (caution), 78

Lineups:

POR: GK Clark, D Moreira (Tuiloma, 88), D Mabiala, D Dielna, D Valentin, M Chara ©, M Flores (Paredes, 21), M Polo, M Blanco, M Ebobisse, F Fernandez (Valeri, 60)

Substitutes Not Used: GK McIntosh, D Villafaña, M Loría, M Conechny

TOTAL SHOTS: 29 (Blanco, Paredes, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 11 (Ebobisse, 3); FOULS: 13 (Blanco, Dielna, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVES: 4

MIN: GK Mannone, D Métanire, D Opara (Olum, 45), D Boxall, D Gregus, M Alonso ©, M Molino, M Quintero (Dotson, 80), M Lod (Finlay, 76), F Toye

Substitutes Not Used: GK St. Clair, D Omsberg, M Ibarra, F Danladi

TOTAL SHOTS: 20 (Toye, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Toye, 3); FOULS: 1 (Molino, 1); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: X; SAVES: 11

Referee: Robert Sibiga

Assistant Referees: Corey Rockwell, Frank Anderson

4th Official: Marcos DeOliveira

VAR: Victor Rivas

Attendance: 25,218

Weather: Cloudy, 62 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Check out the Portland Timbers Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 22, 2019


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