SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Portland Timbers (2-1-4) extended their unbeaten run to five games and remain unbeaten on the road this season, playing the San Jose Earthquakes to a 1-1 draw behind a goal from midfielder Diego Valeri on Sunday night at Buck Shaw Stadium.
The return of Timbers playmaker Valeri from a one-game, head injury-induced absence gave the Timbers energy early on that carried through to the second half. The Argentinean DP had put the Timbers up in the 58th minute, and it looked as though that would stand for a second consecutive 1-0 victory against San Jose, only for 84th-minute substitute Adam Jahn to get the last word in.
Jahn’s goalscoring sequence began with Steven Lenhart flicking on a long restart from goalkeeper Jon Busch. Jahn got a second head to the ball, and Nana Attakora did well to redirect the ball to the center of Portland’s box.
Chris Wondolowski gave a subtle touch to tee things up for Jahn, who went to his left to beat Donovan Ricketts.
That neutralized the work of Valeri, who pounced on a deflected shot by teammate Ryan Johnson, pounding home a bouncing ball from 12 yards out.
Even with Jahn’s work, the 2012 Supporters’ Shield winners (2-3-3) are winless in their last four – and they’ve never beaten the Timbers in MLS play, dropping to 0-2-5 since Portland entered the league in 2011.
San Jose, which recorded only three shots on goal in Portland, had one inside of two minutes Sunday, with Wondolowski heading a pass to Lenhart. Lenhart turned smartly at 17 yards, and his left-footed strike required Ricketts to lunge against his own momentum to make the save.
Portland showed their 64.7-35.3 possession advantage last week wasn’t a fluke, holding the ball for significant stretches. The Timbers nearly made that pay off in the 14th minute. Darlington Nagbe threaded a pass to Valeri in the midst of San Jose’s defense. With both center backs collapsing on him, Valeri slid the ball to Ryan Johnson in the left channel, but Beitashour recovered in time to break up the play.
Ricketts, who came in riding a shutout streak of 222 minutes, provided a superb stop in the 22nd minute to extend that run. Quakes midfielder Shea Salinas glommed onto a loose second ball off the head of Portland’s Futty Danso, and his square pass from an unmarked Wondolowski on the right side of Portland’s box. Ricketts charged off his line and, with his right hand at full extension, strongly deflected Wondolowski’s shot.
And though the Quakes started the second half brightly, Portland's goal forced San Jose’s hand with regards to Chavez, whose speed has been sorely missing this year on the Quakes’ flanks. Sam Garza followed shortly thereafter in the 69th minute.
Both teams are back in action next weekend, as the Timbers travel to Sporting Kansas City on Saturday while San Jose head south to face Chivas USA later that evening.
Portland Timbers (2-1-4, 10pts) at San Jose Earthquakes (2-3-3, 9pts)
April 21, 2013 – Buck Shaw Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Portland Timbers 0 1 1
San Jose Earthquakes 0 1 1
Scoring Summary
POR: Valeri, 58
SJ: Jahn, 90+2
Misconduct Summary
SJ: Lenhart (Caution), 38
POR: Danso (Caution), 45+1
POR: Silvestre (Caution), 87
Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Ricketts, D Jewsbury, D Danso, D Silvestre, D Harrington, M Chara, M Valeri (Alhassan, 76), M Johnson, W. ©, F Nagbe (Zemanski, 86), F Johnson, R. (Piquionne, 78), F Wallace
Substitutes Not Used: GK Kocic, D Jean-Baptiste, D Miller, F Valencia
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Valeri, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Valeri, 3); FOULS: 9 (R. Johnson, 3); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 0; SAVES: 4
SJ: GK Busch, D Morrow, D Attakora, D Bernardez, D Beitashour, M Corrales © (Garza, 69), M Cronin, M Baca (Jahn, 84), M Salinas (Chavez, 60), F Wondolowski, F Lenhart
Substitutes Not Used: GK Newton, D Gargan, M Cato, F Fucito
TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Lenhart, Wondolowski, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Lenhart, 2); FOULS: 13 (Chavez, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 2
Referee: Armando Villarreal
Assistant Referees: James Conlee, Baboucarr Jallow
4th Official: Baldomero Toledo
Attendance: 10,525
Time of Game: 1:52
Weather: Clear, 72 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
