LEAGUES CUP | For Neville, getting both Kelsy and Mora on scoresheet is "huge"

The pair – both of whom hadn't scored since May – each tallied goals in Portland's 4-0 win over San Luis

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers’ huge 4-0 victory over Liga MX’s Atlético de San Luis in Phase One play of Leagues Cup 2025 was, as the scoreline bears out, a goal fest for the home side.

Earning four goals on the team’s only four shots of the game showed incredible efficiency, and for head coach Phil Neville, seeing both of his team’s primary strikers contribute goals was essential.

“Kevin [Kelsy] and [Felipe Mora] scoring was huge. Huge,” he said.

The pair each tallied second-half goals with Kelsy starting the match and scoring in the 56th minute before coming out for Mora, who then earned a goal of his own in the 78th.

WATCH: Kelsy scores with perfectly placed header

WATCH: Mora bangs one off the crossbar and in

The two forwards are tied for second on the team with five goals each in MLS regular-season play, but neither had found the back of the net in any competition since May. Getting them on the scoresheet has been a key point of emphasis for Neville and the team.

“[Our forwards] are doing incredible work without the ball,” he said. “We needed to gift them some service. Both goals they created through brilliant passes from [Santiago] Moreno. That's the pass that we've been working on. It's the run we've been working on with Kevin. [His] was a great header. That's what he does. And then [Mora] getting his goal was equally as important.”

Neville was thrilled to see positive results from the work on the training field and is excited to see how it will show in the games to come.

“That's the highlight of the night, for me, I think [Kelsy and Mora] scoring,” he said. “Coming out the Leagues Cup that's the one thing that I wanted us to do – to get our center forwards scoring. Because when they start scoring, I think we'll start winning games, three and four-nil like we did tonight.”

The victory placed the Timbers at the end of the night atop the MLS side of the Leagues Cup standings ahead of Saturday’s game against Querétaro F.C. at Providence Park (8pm PT, TICKETS, MLS Season Pass). The top four teams from both MLS and Liga MX advance into the quarterfinals with the top three tournament finishers earning spots in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, and the Leagues Cup winner representing the region at FIFA international club competitions.