Portland Timbers vs Real Salt Lake: Three Key Moments
The Portland Timbers picked up three important points at home as they were able to defeat Real Salt Lake in a one goal affair.
Real Salt Lake weren’t in the best of forms and it showed as they struggled against the Portland Timbers. Fernando Adi’s goal proved to be the difference as it was the lone goal of the match. Portland took the 1-0 win and took all three points as they continue their playoff push.
This match was a milestone for the Timbers as they recorded their 100th consecutive regular-season MLS sellout at Providence Park. The 21,144 fans were out in full force once again as they backed their team to victory.
Portland picked up an important three points to give them 38 (10-11-8 record) on the season. They are just above the red line for the playoffs in the Western Conference and this victory certainly helped out their cause. RSL suffered their ninth loss on the road in this one as they now have 44 total points with a 12-9-8 record.
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1. Fernando Adi Opening Goal
The Nigerian forward found pay dirt in the 12′ minute when Darlington Nagbe’s shot took a deflection. The ball then fell to Adi who controlled it and placed his shot the Nick Rimando’s right. Fernando’s 14th goal of the season proved to be the match winner.
2. Gleeson Double Save
Timbers’ goalkeeper, Jake Gleeson, came up huge in this one for the home side. In the 64′ minute he was tested by RSL’s Javier Morales who looked to be in on goal. He took two shots but both were saved by Gleeson. This huge sequence helped him keep the clean sheet for this match as he made five saves throughout.
3. Heated Down the Stretch
Things were intense between the two teams late int he match as five yellow cards were handed out in the second half. Three of them came in the final 15 minutes. Things almost got out of hand when Real Salt Lake’s Joao Plata kicked the ball after fouling Nagbe in the 90′ minute. Chris Rifer said that “Plata kicked the ball hard at the top of the sign board … with Timbers fans sitting on the other side. Genuinely dangerous”. It’s good that things didn’t get worse.
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The Portland Timbers will next face off against the Philadelphia Union at Providence Park. Real Salt Lake will return home to take on the Houston Dynamo. Both of those matches will take place on Saturday, September 17th.