After falling 5-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday, the Portland Timber earned redemption with a key 4-1 win over the Seattle Sounders on Sunday.
The win gave the Timber 28 points, moving them within one of second-place Seattle, and three away from Western Conference leader Vancouver. At 8-6-4 just beyond the midpoint of the season, Portland gave themselves a little cushion early in the playoff race. With goals from Darlington Nagbe and Rodney Wallace, and two by Fanendo Adi, Portland breezed past Seattle in a game that got out of hand late. After Lamar Neagle scored the equalizer for Seattle shortly before halftime, Adi scored both of his goals within two minutes of each other in the 74th and 76th minutes, and Wallace added the extra security for the Timber in the 90th minute.
For Nagbe, it was his first goal of the season. Since the 2013 season, in which he scored a career-high nine goals for the Timber, Nagbe hasn’t been able to recreate that kind of success for Portland. In fact, heading into Sunday’s game, he had scored just once in 52 MLS regular season appearances. Despite the drubbing, Seattle’s players remained a little more well-behaved in this match than in their prior meeting on June 16. In that game, Brad Evans, Micheal Azira, and Clint Dempsey were all ejected.
The Seattle Sounders (9-7-2) are now 1-2 against Portland this season. The Sounders have lost four in a row, something that has not been common for a team that had only lost twice since April 12 prior to this current skid. Seattle has been one of the best teams in the MLS in recent years, but is struggling to find its rhythm this season. It didn’t help that Seattle played without star forwards Clint Dempsey ( suspended during the previous game against Portland for ripping up a referee’s notebook ) and Obafemi Martins (due to an injury), as well as midfielder Osvaldo Alonso.
Despite being down three key players, Seattle wasn’t without solid play. Goalkeeper Stefan Frei had a spectacular night by normal standards, saving seven goals, including a diving save on a shot by Adi. But Portland’s relentless attack, which ultimately led to 23 shots, eventually became too much, and Nagbe scored his pivotal goal only three minutes later.
Portland is back in action on Wednesday night playing at Real Salt Lake, and the Sounders host D.C. United on Friday.
[Image via USA Today ]
