SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Portland Timbers won their third match in a row defeating Real Salt Lake 2-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday evening. Portland was paced by a key first have penalty kick save from goalkeeper Steve Clark – who had six saves in total on the nigh – plus goals from Sebastián Blanco and Diego Valeri.
- MATCHCENTER: Stats
- MATCHCENTER: Boxscore and Chalkboard
Match Moments
26' - SAVE (POR) - Following a VAR decision of a handball in the box by Portland, Real Salt Lake's Albert Rusnak stepped to the spot. However, his low driven penalty kick attempt to the bottom left corner was spectacularly saved by a diving Steve Clark to keep the game scoreless.
34' - GOAL (POR) - The Timbers, energized by Clark's save, cycled the ball outside the RSL 18-yard box. Diego Valeri pushed a ball to Sebastián Blanco who fired a shot that Salt Lake goalkeeper Andrew Putna saved, however, Blanco then pounced on the open rebound and hammered it into the back of the net for a 1-0 Portland lead.
53' - SAVE (POR) - RSL's Jefferson Savarino, working individually on the left side, cut in to the edge of the area and curled a shot towards the Portland net that forced a diving save from Clark.
62' - GOAL (RSL) - Sam Johnson tied the game at 1-1 for Real when he turned on a back-heeled ball from Corey Baird and slotted it inside the left post.
68' - GOAL (POR) - Portland reclaimed the lead when Valeri, who broke in from the right, gathered the rebound of a blocked shot from Blanco. Valeri then lanced a shot through the legs of an RSL defender and into the bottom corner for a 2-1 scoreline benefitting the visitors.
-----------
The Portland Timbers will play a Friday game next week when they face Vancouver Whitecaps FC in British Columbia on May 10. Kickoff is 7pm PT on FOX 12 PLUS (KPDX).
Portland Timbers (3-5-1, 10pts) vs. Real Salt Lake (3-6-1, 10pts)
May 4, 2019 – Rio Tinto Stadium (Sandy, Utah)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Timbers 1 1 2
Real Salt Lake 0 1 1
Scoring Summary:
POR: Blanco, 34
RSL: Johnson (Baird, Besler), 62
POR: Valeri, 68
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Moreira (caution), 45+3
RSL: Toia (caution), 48
RSL: Besler (caution), 77
RSL: Herrera (caution), 78
Lineups:
POR: GK Clark, D Moreira, D Mabiala, D Tuiloma, D Valentin, M Flores (Polo, 60), M Paredes, M Chara, M Blanco, F Ebobisse (Melano, 83), F Valeri © (Cascante, 86)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Attinella, D Villafaña, M Zambrano, M Conechny
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Blanco, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Blanco, 2); FOULS: 10 (Three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 6
RSL: GK Putna, D Herrera, D Glad, D Onuoha, D Toia (Plata, 86), M Besler (Lennon, 80), M Kreilach ©, M Savarino, M Rusnák, M Baird (Saucedo, 69), F Johnson
Substitutes Not Used: GK Horwath, D Silva, M Mulholland, M Portillo
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Savarino, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Saucedo, 2); FOULS: 11 (Besler, 4); OFFSIDES: 8; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 1
Referee: Ramy Touchan
Assistant Referees: Corey Rockwell, Benjamin Hall-Volpenhein
4th Official: Farhad Dadkho
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
Attendance: 18,066
Weather: Clear, 72 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
