The Portland Timbers kept their playoff hopes alive for one more night with a 1-1 draw against D.C. United on Wednesday night in front of a rain-soaked crowd of 14,317 fans at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Recording consecutive points on the road for the first time this season, Kenny Cooper put the Timbers ahead in the 24th minute on a header to the near post following a looping cross from defender Rodney Wallace. With a much-needed victory in sight for the Timbers, D.C. United forward Dwayne De Rosario netted the equalizer in the 73rd minute on a hard shot to the near post. Brian Umony struck the crossbar for Portland in the 83rd minute and goalkeeper Troy Perkins came up with several big saves to preserve the draw for the Timbers.
Perkins, a former United player, made six saves to help the Timbers take a point away from RFK Stadium. The Timbers goalkeeper made consecutive reaction saves in the 94th minute, stopping two point-blank shots in quick succession in the dying seconds. Perkins, off his line to challenge a lofted ball into the box for De Rosario, received some help in the 90th minute as defender Eric Brunner came sliding in front of De Rosario as he shot at an open net while Perkins scrambled back into position. With a resounding majority of the vote (nearly 90 percent), Troy Perkins is the CenturyLink Man of the Match.
Troy Perkins - 89.69%
Kenny Cooper - 5.89%
Rodney Wallace - 1.62%
Kalif Alhassan - 1.47%
James Marcelin - 1.32%
Congratulations to Troy and remember to visit Facebook.com/PortlandTimbers for future CenturyLink Man of the Match votes.
