Team

MATCH RECAP | Portland Timbers triumph 3-2 in goal-filled victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC

VANCOUVER, BC – In a goal-filled match, Dairon Asprilla converted a penalty, Jaroslaw Niezgoda smashed home a goal and Yimmi Chara had a goal and an assist as the Portland Timbers defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3-2 in the 100th all-time meeting between the two teams Saturday evening at BC Place.

Match Moments

27' - CHANCE (POR) - Midfielder Marvin Loría had space on the left side and sent a pass to Cristhian Paredes atop the 18-yard box. Paredes faked a shot, moved to his right, and fired a shot on goal but right at Vancouver goalkeeper Thomas Hasal who made the save.

31' - CHANCE (POR) - Portland continued to push with Dairon Asprilla on the right wing. His centered pass found Yimmi Chara but the Colombian's shot was over the bar.

42' - PK GOAL (POR) - The Timbers took a 1-0 lead just before the half with Asprilla converting a penalty kick shot. The PK came following Loría's slicing run into the Vancouver box only to be knocked down by Whitecaps defender Cristian Dájome. Following a VAR Review, referee Silviu Petrescu pointed to the spot for Portland.

60' - GOAL (POR) - Portland doubled their lead in the 60th minute with a beautiful team goal. Y. Chara made a terrific turn near midfield before darting forward and finding Sebastián Blanco open near the top of the arc. Blanco slipped the ball out to his left for Niezgoda who took a touch and lashed a shot inside the near post for a 2-0 Portland lead.

66' - SAVE (POR) - Vancouver's midfielder Sebastian Berhalter hit a swerving, knuckling shot from distance that goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic jumped and dove high to his right to parry away.

72' - SAVE (POR) - Vancouver's Brian White headed a shot that floated towards goal forcing Ivacic to reach across his body to make a finger-tip save and push the shot over the bar.

76' - GOAL (VAN) - Whitecaps' Dájome scored in the 76th minute when he received a pass in the box and directed his shot into the upper corner to make the score 2-1.

78' - GOAL (POR) - Two minutes later, Portland regained their two-goal lead as Blanco burst up the middle of the pitch and sent a diagonal ball to Y. Chara in the box. Chara showed great strength to muscle the Vancouver defender off of him before firing a shot into the top of the goal for a 3-1 Timbers lead.

88' - PK SAVE (POR) - Following another VAR review, this time against Portland, Petrescu pointed to the spot following what he ruled was a foul by Claudio Bravo in the box. However, as Vancouver's Dájome stepped to the spot, Ivacic made a powerful save as he dove to his right to knock down the shot, deny the attempt all before the Timbers defense cleared the ball away.

90+6' - PK GOAL (VAN) - Following yet another VAR review, Petrescu confirmed his initial ruling on the field that a foul in the box was committed and awarded another penalty for Vancouver. In this one, Ryan Gauld scored to make the score 3-2.

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The Portland Timbers continue their play on the road as they travel to Texas next week to play the Houston Dynamo on April 16 (3pm PT, FOX 12 PLUS).

Portland Timbers (2-2-3, 9pts) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (1-4-1, 4pts)
April 9, 2022 – BC Place (Vancouver, B.C.)

Scoring Summary:
POR: Asprilla (penalty kick), 42
POR: Niezgoda (Blanco, Y. Chara), 60
VAN: Dajome (Brown, Caicedo), 76
POR: Y. Chara (unassisted), 78
VAN: Gauld (penalty kick), 90+6

Misconduct Summary:
POR: Mabiala (caution), 6
POR: Van Rankin (caution), 17
POR: Asprilla (caution), 43
POR: Bravo (caution), 90+2

Lineups:
POR: GK Ivacic, D Van Rankin, D Tuiloma, D Mabiala, D Bravo, M D. Chara ©, M Paredes, M Y. Chara (Zuparic, 89), M Loría (Blanco, 45), F Asprilla (Moreno, 70), F Niezgoda

Substitutes Not Used: GK Bingham, D McGraw, D Rasmussen, M Ayala, M Bodily, M Williamson

TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (Y. Chara, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Four players tied, 1); FOULS: 12 (Bravo, Y. Chara, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 0; SAVES: 6

VAN: GK Hasal, D Veselinovic, D Jungwirth (Blackmon, 73), D Gutierrez, M Raposo (Brown, 61), M Dajome, M Teibert © (Vite, 61), M Berhalter, F Gauld, F White, F Caicedo

Substitutes Not Used: GK Cropper, D Godinho, D Nerwinski, M Baldisimo, M Owusu, F Ricketts

TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Gauld, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (three players tied, 2); FOULS: 12 (three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 1

Referee: Silviu Petrescu
Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson, Mike Rottersman
Fourth Official: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
VAR: Tim Ford
Attendance: 16,772
Weather: Cloudy, 46 degrees

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Notes

  • Tonight was Portland and Vancouver’s 100th meeting all time across NASL, USL and MLS play (40-42-18), dating back to 1975.
  • The Timbers are the only team in the league to have four different goal scorers with two or more goals each this season (Asprilla, Y.Chara, Niezgoda, Bill Tuiloma).
  • With the win, the Timbers have served the Whitecaps their only two losses since returning to their home stadium last August, including Portland’s 1-0 win at BC Place on September 1, 2021.
  • Portland scored three goals for the first time of the 2022 campaign tonight, recording its first road win of the year.
  • The Timbers are one of five teams in MLS to score in all of their matches to start the season along with LAFC, Philadelphia, Minnesota and Toronto. 
  • Portland has the best record against any Western Conference team as visitors at BC Place with a record of 8-6-2, including postseason.
  • Dairon Asprilla scored his second goal of the regular season.
  • Asprilla has converted five out of five penalty-kick attempts in his MLS regular-season career.
  • Tonight marked the fourth time Y. Chara has recorded both a goal and an assist in a single game for the Timbers, and second time this season.
  • Yimmi Chara has tallied three goals and three assists in seven games this season, totaling nine points.
  • Y. Chara has recorded three goals and two assists in six career games against the Whitecaps.
  • Jaroslaw Niezgoda tallied his second goal of the regular season. 
  • Sebastián Blanco registered his second assist of the regular season.
  • Aljaz Ivacic faced a penalty kick for the first time in his MLS career twice in tonight’s match, saving one. 
  • Marvin Loría earned his first start of the year.
  • Larrys Mabiala earned his first start in his 2022 season debut. It was Mabiala’s 110th regular season appearance.
  • Portland has scored in 14 consecutive MLS matches dating back to October 27, 2021, tallying 25 goals during that stretch.