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MLS Portland Timbers

Timbers Move into First Place in Western Conference

October 14, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers moved into first place in the Western Conference and are now tied with the New York Red Bulls in the lead for the Supporters' Shield following a 1-0 win over Cascadia-rival Seattle Sounders FC before a sellout crowd of 20,674 at JELD-WEN Field on Sunday night.

The Timbers (13-5-14, 53pts) stretched their current unbeaten run to six games with the victory and are unbeaten in their last 14 league games at JELD-WEN Field. Midfielder Kalif Alhassan struck for the decisive goal in the 45th minute, giving Portland a fourth straight win at home in its 100th match as an MLS club.

Portland's defense surrendered just three shots on goal, recording a fourth straight clean sheet at JELD-WEN Field and extending its current home shutout streak to 360 minutes. Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts logged two saves, including one in the 80th minute on a diving effort to deny a late chance, to pick up his 12th shutout of the season, which is tied for the league lead and a new career-high.

Sounders FC (15-11-6, 51pts) suffered a third straight loss, which is their longest losing streak of the 2013 campaign. Seattle, which hit the crossbar once in each half, finished the match with 10 men after midfielder Osvaldo Alonso was sent off in the 74th minute following an off-ball incident with Portland's Will Johnson. Seattle had not been held scoreless in 14 games.

With first place in the Western Conference on the line, the Timbers found the game's only strike on Alhassan's third goal of the season. Defender Jack Jewsbury clipped a pass into the box from the right side that Sounders FC defender Patrick Ianni headed out. The ball fell to Alhassan just outside the top of the box near the left corner and he drove a right-footed volley into the bottom near corner past a diving effort from Seattle goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Sounders FC threatened the goal early in the first half. A headed shot by forward Lamar Neagle, off a free kick by Mauro Rosales, was parried away by Ricketts with a diving save in the 13th minute. A minute later, a header by forward Clint Dempsey from close range was denied by the crossbar.

An altercation in the 72nd minute led to a yellow card caution issued to Seattle's Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and the red card to Alonso, forcing Sounders FC to finish the final 16 minutes with 10 players.

The Timbers defense clamped down on the Sounders FC attack in the second half, allowing just two shots until the match reached second-half stoppage time. Two minutes into stoppage time, second-half sub Steve Zakuani took a shot from near the top of the box that deflected off Timbers defender Pa Modou Kah and then off the crossbar. The rebound fell to Seattle's Andy Rose, but Jewsbury was there to clear the ball near the goal line.

The Timbers edged Sounders FC in shots attempts, 15-11, and forward Darlington Nagbe and Kah each forced Hahnemann into saves. Alhassan and Nagbe each finished with a team-high three shots.

The Timbers play host to Real Salt Lake in their regular-season home finale Saturday, Oct. 19, at JELD-WEN Field; kickoff is 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). The match will be televised live on ROOT SPORTS, with radio broadcasts available on 750 The Game and in Spanish on La Pantera 940AM.

Notes:

* The Timbers move into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference with the win over Sounders FC.

* Portland also is in a two-way tie with the New York Red Bulls for the lead in the Supporters' Shield race.

* The match against Seattle was the Timbers' 100th as an MLS club.

* The Timbers and Sounders FC split the 2013 MLS season series at 1-1-1, but the Timbers are unbeaten in their last three home matches against Seattle (2-0-1) in the all-time MLS series. Sunday's victory marked the Timbers' first shutout against Sounders FC as an MLS side.

* With the win over Seattle, the Timbers are unbeaten in 16 straight conference games at JELD-WEN Field (11-0-5) dating back to 2012, including a 9-0-2 mark in 2013. Portland's last home loss to a Western Conference opponent was July 28, 2012.

* The Timbers are 5-2-4 (.636) during the 2013 regular season against teams currently ranked in the top-five in the Western Conference standings.

* The Timbers are unbeaten in their last six matches (since Sept. 7), and have out-scored opponents 10-3 in that span.

* Portland is unbeaten in its last 14 home games at JELD-WEN Field, which is the second-longest home unbeaten streak in MLS this season, trailing only San Jose's current 15-game home unbeaten run.

* Sunday's win over Sounders FC allowed the Timbers to become the first team in MLS this season to reach 11 home wins. The club's 11-1-4 record at home (.813) is the best in MLS.

* The Timbers are unbeaten in 17 games this season (11-0-6) when scoring the opening goal of the match.

* The Timbers defense recorded its fourth consecutive shutout at home and owns a 360-minute shutout streak at JELD-WEN Field. The last home goal conceded by Portland was Aug. 21 against Real Salt Lake.

* Portland, which leads the league with 10 home shutouts this season, has not allowed more than three shots on goal in a match during its current home shutout streak.

* The Timbers have conceded just 11 goals at home this season in league play, which is the second-fewest in MLS only to the LA Galaxy's eight goals allowed.

* The club's plus-16 goal differential is the best in MLS, and the Timbers' plus-37 improvement in goal differential from last season is one of the best in MLS history.

* Midfielder Kalif Alhassan scored his third goal of the season, all of which have come at home and all three have given the Timbers a lead at the time they were scored.

* The Timbers are 4-0-2 this season when Alhassan records a goal or an assist in a match.

* Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts set a new career-high with his 12th shutout of the season. The win was his 15th as a member of the Timbers (in 39 games) and Ricketts becomes the club's MLS career leader in wins, surpassing Troy Perkins (14) on the leader board.

* Forward Darlington Nagbe made his 46th straight league start for the Timbers, dating back to the 2012 season.

* Nagbe and defender Jack Jewsbury are the only two Timbers players that have started all eight matches of the all-time MLS series against Sounders FC.

* Defender Michael Harrington made his 180th MLS regular-season appearance in Sunday's match against Seattle. He leads the club in minutes played at 2,771.

* The 20,674 on hand at JELD-WEN Field marked the Timbers 50th consecutive sellout at JELD-WEN Field since joining MLS.

* Sunday marked the Timbers' final nationally televised match of the 2013 regular-season. The club was 7-2-2 in nationally televised games, including a 7-0-1 mark at home.

* Portland's Alvas Powell (Jamaica), Ryan Johnson (Jamaica) and Rodney Wallace (Costa Rica) were unavailable due to national team duty for 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

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