MLS Portland Timbers

Timbers Register 2-1 Win in First Leg of Western Conference Semifinals against Seattle Sounders FC at Providence Park

Published on November 4, 2018 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers scored a pair of goals in the first 30 minutes of the match to erase an early deficit and earn a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders FC in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs in front of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on Sunday afternoon. Jeremy Ebobisse and Sebastián Blanco each scored their first career MLS playoff goals, while Diego Valeri recorded his sixth career playoff assist to help Portland secure the win.

Against Seattle

With the win, the Timbers improved to 8-3-3 all-time in MLS play, including playoffs, against Seattle at Providence Park. Sunday's match marked the eighth playoff match between the two clubs across all eras (since 1975), with Portland winning five of those matches. The Timbers improved to 3-0-0 all-time against Sounders FC in MLS postseason play. Additionally, Blanco is the third Timbers player ever to score against Seattle in the regular season and playoffs in the same year, joining Barry Powell (1975) and Byron Alvarez (2004).

MLS playoff history

Portland has now played 14 MLS playoff matches, posting a record of 7-3-4 with 23 goals scored. The Timbers goals-per-game average of 1.64 is the fourth-highest among all MLS teams.

Valeri in the postseason

Valeri recorded his sixth career assist in the MLS Cup Playoffs. His six assists are tied with Sporting Kansas City's Graham Zusi for the most postseason assists among active MLS players. In his last seven playoff games, Valeri has recorded three goals and five assists.

Ebobisse form

In two MLS playoff games this season, Ebobisse has tallied a goal and an assist, recording his first career playoff goal against Seattle. In nine career MLS starts, including playoffs, Ebobisse has tallied four goals and four assists. Including the regular season, Ebobisse has recorded a goal or an assist in four consecutive starts.

Postseason firsts

Blanco and Ebobisse scored their first career MLS playoff goals in the match, while Bill Tuiloma made his first career postseason start. With Blanco and Ebobisse's goals, a total of 39 different players have scored a goal for the Timbers in the playoffs across all eras (since 1975). In the MLS Cup Playoffs, 16 different Timbers players have scored at least one goal.

Key plays

Seattle opened the scoring in the 10th minute of the match. Working the ball down the left side of the field, Cristian Roldan delivered a short cross near the edge of the box to the left post for Raul Ruidiaz, who finished from close range with a quick shot into the top corner of the goal.

Portland leveled the match in the 17th minute as Ebobisse scored his first career MLS playoff goal. Winning the ball near midfield, Diego Chara helped start the counter-attack for the Timbers and played the ball to Valeri running down the center of the field. Valeri slotted a well-weighted pass into space for Ebobisse, who timed his run perfectly and chipped Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei from inside the box.

Against the run of play, Blanco scored to give Portland a 2-1 lead. Valeri helped start the break for the Timbers, dribbling past multiple Seattle players, but Seattle's Chad Marshall slid in to deny Valeri inside the box and the ball bounced to Blanco, who stuck with the play, cutting the ball back onto his left foot and finishing into the bottom right corner in the 29th minute to record his first career MLS playoff goal.

Goalkeeper Jeff Attinella kept Seattle from tallying a second goal with a finger-tip save in the 55th minute. Nicolas Lodeiro stole the ball in the Timbers half, dribbled near the edge of the box and slotted a pass to Victor Rodriguez making a late run down the right side of the box. Rodriguez fired a shot from a tight angle near the right post, but Attinella dove to his left to make the save.

Valeri nearly added to the Timbers' lead in the 76th minute. Controlling a spell of possession in Seattle's half of the field, Lucas Melano played a pass to Valeri, who dribbled to the edge of the area and fired a low, dipping strike from the right edge of the box toward the left post, forcing Frei to dive to his right to knock the ball out for a corner kick.

Late in the second half, Chara again helped start the break for the Timbers. Chara quickly sprayed the ball out wide to Blanco on the right side and he delivered a pinpoint cross into the box for Valeri running to the edge of the six-yard box, but Valeri sent his one-time shot from close range over the crossbar in the 90th minute.

Notes:

Portland has now played in 14 MLS playoff matches and has a record of 7-3-4 with 23 goals scored. The Timbers goals per game average of 1.64 is the fourth-highest among all MLS teams.

The match was the 103rd meeting between the Timbers and the Sounders, dating back to 1975. The match was also the eighth playoff match between the two clubs, with Portland winning five of those matches.

Sunday's match was the third in postseason play between Portland and Seattle in the MLS era with the Timbers improving to 3-0-0.

Jeremy Ebobisse and Sebastián Blanco both scored their first postseason goals in the match.

With Ebobisse and Blanco's goal, 39 different players have scored a goal for the Timbers in postseason play since 1975. In the MLS era, 16 different players have scored at least one goal for Portland.

Blanco is the third Timbers player ever to score against Seattle in the regular season and the playoffs in the same year, joining Barry Powell (1975) and Byron Alvarez (2004).

In his nine career MLS starts, including playoffs, Ebobisse has four goals and four assists. Dating back to the regular season, Ebobisse has tallied a goal or an assist in four consecutive starts.

Diego Valeri now has six career assists in the MLS Cup Playoffs. He is tied with Sporting Kansas City's Graham Zusi for most postseason assists among active MLS players.

Valeri has three goals and five assists in his last seven playoff matches.

Blanco's goal was the 50th goal scored by the Timbers in the playoffs across all eras (since 1975).

Bill Tuiloma made his first career postseason start for the Timbers.

Next game

The Timbers travel to Seattle for the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals against Sounders FC on Thursday, Nov. 8, at CenturyLink Field; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific) on FS1.

Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs | Western Conference Semifinals - Leg 1

Seattle Sounders FC (2) vs. Portland Timbers (5)

Nov. 4, 2018 - Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Seattle Sounders FC 1 0 1

Portland Timbers 2 0 2

Scoring Summary:

SEA: Ruidiaz,10

POR: Ebobisse (Valeri), 17

POR: Blanco, 29

Misconduct Summary:

SEA: Svensson (caution), 85

Lineups:

POR: GK Attinella, D Valentin, D Tuiloma, D Ridgewell, D Villafaña, M Guzmán (Olum, 51), M Chara, M Polo, M Valeri ©, M Blanco, F Ebobisse (Melano, 75)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Clark, D Cascante, D Powell, M Flores, F Asprilla

TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Four players tied, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Four players tied, 1); FOULS: 8 (Guzmán, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 2

SEA: GK Frei, D Leerdam, D Kim, D Marshall (Torres, 40), D Tolo, M Alonso ©, M Svensson, M C. Roldan (Francis, 31, Shipp, 87) , M Rodriguez, M Lodeiro, F Ruidiaz

Substitutes Not Used: GK Meredith, M Bwana, M Delem, F Bruin

TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Ruidiaz, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Rodriguez, 2); FOULS: 13 (Three players tied, 3); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 2

Referee: Ted Unkel

Assistant Referees: Joe Fletcher, Kathryn Nesbitt

4th Official: Drew Fischer

VAR: Allen Chapman

Attendance: 21,144

Weather: Partly cloudy, 60 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Check out the Portland Timbers Statistics

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