MONTREAL – The Portland Timbers dropped a 4-1 result against Eastern Conference side CF Montreal at Saputo Stadium on Saturday evening. Franck Boli found the back of the net for Portland in the 86th minute, scoring Portland’s lone goal of the match. With one remaining regular season match, the Timbers currently sit in seventh place of the Western Conference standings.
Eyes on the Playoffs
With tonight’s result, Portland currently sits in seventh place of the Western Conference standings with 43 points. Five teams in the Western Conference standings remain in contention for the three playoff spots left. With one remaining match in the regular season, Portland will next host Houston Dynamo FC (Oct. 21) at Providence Park. The Timbers will look to earn a playoff spot in their last match of the regular season against Houston Dynamo FC.
Streaks Snapped
Tonight’s result snapped a seven-match unbeaten streak (5-0-2) for the Timbers, which dated back to Aug. 30. The streak was tied for the longest unbeaten streak in MLS alongside Philadelphia Union and Seattle, while the Timbers collected the most points (17) in the league during that span. Portland had also scored multiple goals in its previous eight consecutive matches, tying the club’s all-time MLS record (Aug. 24, 2014 - Oct. 8, 2014). Today’s loss also snapped Portland’s three-game unbeaten run on the road after earning a win against Austin FC (Sept. 17) and draws against Seattle Sounders FC (Sept. 2) and LA Galaxy (Sept. 30).
Goal-Scoring Plays
MTL – Sunusi Ibrahim (Kwadwo Opoku, Matthew Choiniere), 28th minute: On a breakaway run, Kwadwo Opoku dribbled through the right wing and towards the six-yard box, crossing the ball to the center of the box for Sunusi Ibrahim to finish the play with his right foot.
MTL – Kwadwo Opoku (Sunusi Ibrahim), 35th minute: Sunusi Ibrahim took possession of the ball close to the top of the 18-yard box, redirecting it towards the center of the box and placing it for Kwadwo Opoku to fire a right-footed shot on his first touch into the left corner of the goal.
MTL – Matthew Choiniere (Romell Quioto), 64th minute: Standing on the left side of the wing, Romell Quioto crossed the ball into the midfield to find Matthew Choiniere. Choiniere controlled the ball, dribbled towards the top of the box and fired a right-footed shot into the top-right corner of the goal.
MTL – Mason Toye, 76th minute: Ariel Lassiter shot a ball on target, forcing a save on David Bingham. Off the rebound, Mason Toye finished the play from the right side of the six-yard box.
POR – Franck Boli (Yimmi Chara), 86th minute: Yimmi Chara beat a Montreal defender in a one-on-one duel on the right side of the box before sliding the ball into the top of the six-yard box to find Franck Boli, who with his right foot flicked the ball into the right corner of the goal.
Up Next
The Portland Timbers close out the regular season on Saturday, October 21 when they host Houston Dynamo FC at Providence Park on MLS Decision Day. Kickoff is 6pm PT on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (TICKETS).
Notes
- With tonight’s result, Portland currently sits in seventh place of the Western Conference standings with 43 points.
- Five teams in the Western Conference standings remain in contention for the three playoff spots left.
- With one remaining match in the regular season, Portland will next host Houston Dynamo FC (Oct. 21) at Providence Park.
- The Timbers will look to earn a playoff spot in their last match of the regular season against Houston Dynamo FC.
- Tonight’s result snapped a seven-match unbeaten streak for the Timbers dating back to Aug. 30.
- During that undefeated stretch, the Timbers collected the most points (17) in the league.
- Tonight’s loss also snapped Portland’s three-game unbeaten run on the road after earning a win against Austin FC (Sept. 17) and draws against Seattle Sounders FC (Sept. 2) and LA Galaxy (Sept. 30).
- Franck Boli scored his seventh goal of the season today.
- Yimmi Chara tallied his fifth assist of the season.
- Five different players have tallied five or more assists for the Timbers this season (Dairon Asprilla, Claudio Bravo, Y. Chara, Santiago Moreno, Juan David Mosquera).
Portland Timbers (11-12-10, 43pts) at CF Montreal (12-16-5, 41pts)
Oct. 7, 2023 – Saputo Stadium (Montreal, Quebec)
Scoring Summary:
MTL: Ibrahim (Opoku, Choiniere), 28
MTL: Opoku (Ibrahim), 35
MTL: Choiniere (Quioto), 64
MTL: Toye, 76
POR: Boli (Chara), 86
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Acosta (caution), 53
Lineups:
POR: GK Bingham, D Mosquera, D Zuparic, D Mabiala, D Bravo (Miller, 62), M Acosta (Blanco, 61), M Moreno, M Evander (D. Chara, 45), F Asprilla (Y. Chara, 69), F Mora ©, F Antony (Boli, 45)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Sulte, D Araujo, M Caliskan, F Loría
TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Boli, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Mora, 2); FOULS: 12 (three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 2, SAVES: 4
MTL: GK Sirois, D Waterman, D Campbell, D Corbo, M Piette ©, M Saliba (Wanyama, 80), M Choiniere, M Opoku (Lappalainen, 68), F Lassiter (Duke, 80), F Ibrahim (Toye, 69), F Quioto (Brault-Guillard, 69)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Pantemis, D Alvarez, M Jabang, F Offor
TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Ibrahim, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Lassiter, 2); FOULS: 11 (three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 3
Referee: Lukasz Szpala
Assistant Referees: Jeffrey Gleeson, Brian Dunn
Fourth Official: Alex Chilowicz
VAR: Geoff Gamble
Weather: Rain, 59 degrees
Attendance: 17,559
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
