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Portland Timbers

Timbers Register 3-2 Win against Chicago Fire at Providence Park

August 15, 2019 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Portland Timbers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers extended their home unbeaten streak to eight games in all competitions with a 3-2 win over the Chicago Fire in front of 25,218 fans at Providence Park on Wednesday night. Brian Fernandez recorded his fourth brace in all competitions this season, while Jorge Moreira notched a goal and an assist.

Home form

With the win, Portland (11-9-4, 37pts) extended its home unbeaten streak to eight games in all competitions (6-0-2). The Timbers have outscored their opponents 22-6 during their unbeaten run at Providence Park, scoring two or more goals five times, while scoring three or more goals in each of their last three matches.

Goal-scorers

Fernandez recorded his fourth brace overall and his third brace in MLS play. Fernandez is one of six players in MLS this season to record three or more braces. He currently leads the club with 10 goals in MLS play, and his 14 goals in all competitions are the most by an MLS Timbers player in their debut season with the club. Moreira recorded his second goal in league play and his third goal in all competitions. Moreira is the third Timbers outside back to have multiple goals in a single season for the club in MLS.

Assist men

Four different players recorded an assist for Portland in the match. Tomás Conechny delivered an assist for a second consecutive match. He is the first Timbers player ever to have an assist in consecutive matches as a substitute. Diego Valeri recorded his 15th assist of the season, establishing a Timbers all-era record for most assists in a single season. Moreira delivered his fourth assist of the season, while Cristhian Paredes tallied his second assist of 2019.

Against the Eastern Conference

The Timbers extended their unbeaten streak against Eastern Conference teams at Providence Park to 16 games (9-0-7), dating back to the 2016 season. With the win, the Timbers remain unbeaten in 10 meetings all-time against Chicago (5-0-5), including a record of 4-0-2 home record. Overall, Portland is 5-2-1 against the Eastern Conference in 2019.

Key plays

Portland secured a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute. Sebastián Blanco played a long ball into space for Marvin LorÃ-a making a run down the middle of the field in behind Chicago's backline. LorÃ-a's initial touch inside the box bounced off Fire goalkeeper David Ousted and landed for Moreira, who calmly chipped the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box.

Fernandez doubled the Timbers lead in the 21st minute. Moreira slotted a ball down the right side of the box for Paredes, who delivered a low, hard cross to Fernandez for the finish near the goal line to put Portland ahead 2-0.

After video assisted review, Chicago was reduced to 10 men in the 30th minute when Aleksandar Katai was shown a red card for a serious foul on Julio Cascante.

In the 53rd minute, Blanco stole the ball in Chicago's half of the field and unleashed a long-range strike, forcing a finger-tip save by Ousted as he pushed the attempt over the crossbar.

Pushing for another goal, LorÃ-a found space running down the left side of the field, dribbled to the end line and played a cross to Valeri near the penalty spot. Valeri fired a shot that was blocked and Conechny pounced on the rebound, but Ousted knocked the ball away near the left post in the 63rd minute.

Holding a spell of possession, Moreira worked his way down the right side of the field and played a cross through the box in the 66th minute. Valeri settled the ball and laid if off for Fernandez, who fired a low, hard shot just past the left post.

In the 71st minute, Fernandez received a pass inside the box near the right edge of the six-yard box. He quickly turned and picked out Valeri making a late run down the left side of the box. Valeri settled the ball and sent a curling shot through traffic, forcing a save by Ousted.

Chicago pulled a goal back on a long free kick in the 74th minute. Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark punched the initial ball away, but Nemanja Nikolic headed the ball back toward goal from the center of the box into the back of the net.

The Timbers added a third goal in the 88th minute as Fernandez scored his second goal of the game. On the counter-attack, Conechny and Valeri combined working down the right side of the field. Conechny slotted the final pass to Fernandez making a late run into the box and he tucked a curling strike inside the left post.

The Fire added a second goal deep in second-half stoppage time. Przemyslaw Frankowski played a cross from the right wing to the center of the box for C.J. Sapong, who directed the ball with a header just inside the left post.

Notes:

Jorge Moreira scored his second goal in MLS this season and his third in all competitions.

Moreira delivered his fourth assist of the season.

Moreira is the third Timbers outside back to have multiple MLS goals in a single season for the club, joining Rodney Wallace (2011) and Alvas Powell (2014, 2017, 2018).

Brian Fernandez recorded his fourth brace in all competitions and his third brace in MLS play this season.

Fernandez has 10 goals in MLS, which leads the team.

Fernandez's 14 goals in all competitions are the most by an MLS Timbers player in their debut season with the club.

Cristhian Paredes delivered his second assist of the season and the fifth of his Timbers career.

Diego Valeri delivered his 15th assist of the season, which is tied for the MLS lead.

Valeri's 15 assists set a Timbers all-era record for the most assists in a single season, surpassing the 14 originally achieved by John Bain in 190 and matched by Valeri in 2014.

Tomás Conechny tallied an assist for a second consecutive match. He is the first Timbers player ever to have an assist in consecutive matches as a substitute.

Portland has never lost to Chicago, posting a record of 5-0-5 in 10 all-time matches.

Dating back to 2017, the Timbers have won five straight Wednesday night matches at Providence Park in MLS and six straight in all competitions.

Next game

Facing a quick turnaround, the Timbers play host to Atlanta United FC at Providence Park on Sunday, Aug. 18. Beginning at 7 p.m. (Pacific), the match features a national television broadcast on FS1 with local radio broadcasts on 1029 and 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Portland Timbers (11-9-4, 37pts) vs. Chicago Fire (7-11-9, 30pts)

Aug. 14, 2019 - Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Goals by Half 1 2 F

Portland Timbers 2 1 3

Chicago Fire 0 2 2

Scoring Summary:

POR: Moreira, 11

POR: Fernandez (Paredes, Moreira), 21

CHI: Nikolic, 74

POR: Fernandez (Conechny, Valeri), 88

CHI: Sapong (Frankowski), 90+2

Misconduct Summary:

POR: LorÃ-a (caution), 27

CHI: Katai (ejection), 30

CHI: Calvo (caution), 79

POR: Ebobisse (caution), 81

Lineups:

POR: GK Clark, D Moreira, D Mabiala (Tuiloma, 35), D Cascante, D Valentin, M Paredes, M Chara, M LorÃ-a (Ebobisse, 75), M Valeri ©, M Blanco (Conechny, 61), F Fernandez

Substitutes Not Used: GK McIntosh, D Villafaña, M Zambrano, M Polo

TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Fernandez, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Fernandez, 3); FOULS: 14 (Fernandez, Valentin, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 0

CHI: GK Ousted, D Marcelo, D Kappelhof, D Lillard, D Bornstein (Calvo, 45), M Bronico, M Azira, M Mihailovic (Sapong, 61), M Frankowski, M Katai, F Nikolic ©

Substitutes Not Used: GK Sánchez, D Reynolds, M Moreno, M Gutjahr, M Campos

TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (Sapong, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Nikolic, Sapong, 1); FOULS: 5 (Nikolic, 2); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4

Referee: Silviu Petrescu

Assistant Referees: Ian Anderson, Michael Barwegen

4th Official: Farhad Dadkho

VAR: Jon Freemon

Attendance: 25,218

Weather: Partly cloudy, 80 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Check out the Portland Timbers Statistics

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