RECAP | Yimmi Chara bicycle kick evens for Portland as Timbers draw New England Revolution 2-2

PORTLAND, Ore. – Yimmi Chara scored a spectacular, second half bicycle kick goal as the Portland Timbers opened the 2022 MLS regular season with a 2-2 draw against the New England Revolution Saturday evening at Providence Park. Forward Dairon Asprilla also scored for Portland in the 60th minute.

• MATCHCENTER: Stats and Boxscore

Match Moments

5' - CHANCE (POR) - Santiago Moreno forced a turnover at midfield and tapped the ball forward to Jaroslaw Niezgoda. Niezgoda fed it to Yimmi Chara who in turn passed the ball back to Moreno in the middle but his final shot was saved.

31' - CLEARANCE (POR) - On a New England corner kick, the ball slipped through the middle of the 18-yard box and was knocked on frame but defender Claudio Bravo deftly chested it off the line and kicked it away.

41' - GOAL (NE) - The Revolution went up 1-0 just before halftime as Carles Gil sent an outswinging corner into the mixer that Revolution defender Brandon Bye headed off the underside of the crossbar and in.

47' - CHANCE (POR) - Y. Chara dribbled diagonally from the right side towards the NE 18-yard box before threading a ball through to Dairon Asprilla. Asprilla fired on goal but Revolution goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. made a reaction save on the point-blank attempt.

60' - GOAL (POR) - Portland evened the score on a beautiful team goal in the 60th minute. Switching the play from right to left, Moreno changed directions on the edge of the box and found Asprilla in the middle. Asprilla took a touch and slotted it into the lower left corner to make it 1-1.

63' - GOAL (NE) - The Revolution went up 2-1 on a counter attack with Sebastian Lletget scoring in the 63rd minute.

72' - CHANCE (POR) - Josecarlos Van Rankin looped a cross from the right for a diving header from Niezgoda but the shot want just over the crossbar.

74' - CHANCES (POR) - Niezgoda again tried a shot from up close that was saved by Edwards. Portland scrambled for the rebound before another attempt in traffic was deflected out for a corner.

78' - GOAL (POR) - Portland tied the game at 2-2 with a spectacular bicycle kick goal from Yimmi Chara in the 78th minute. Van Rankin had sent a cross in that a New England defender had tried to clear but as the ball fell, Chara, with back to goal, volleyed a head-spinning shot into the lower right corner.

90+7' - SAVE (POR) - Portland goalkeeper Ajaz Ivacic tipped over the bar a headed attemp from NE's Adam Buksa deep in second half stoppage time.

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The Portland Timbers take to the road next week when they travel to face Los Angeles FC on Mar. 6 (7pm PT, FS1)

Portland Timbers (0-0-1, 1pt) vs. New England Revolution (0-0-1, 1pt)
February 26, 2022 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Scoring Summary: 
NE: Bye (Gil), 41
POR: Asprilla (Moreno, Y. Chara), 60
NE: Lletget (Jones, McNamara), 63
POR: Y. Chara, 78

Misconduct Summary:
POR: Van Rankin (caution), 22
POR: Asprilla (caution), 28
POR: Tuiloma (caution), 53
NE: McNamara (caution), 70
NE: Polster (caution), 76
POR: Bravo (caution), 85

Lineups:
POR: GK Ivacic, D Bravo, D Tuiloma, D McGraw, D Van Rankin, M Paredes, M D. Chara ©, M Asprilla (Loria, 86), M Y. Chara, M Moreno (Blanco, 83), F Niezgoda

Substitutes Not Used: GK Bingham, GK Vom Steeg, D Rasmussen, M Ayala, M Bodily, M Fochive, F Gutierrez

TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Bravo, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Asprilla, Y. Chara, 2); FOULS: 6 (Asprilla, 2); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 5

NE: GK Edwards, D Jones, D Gonzales, D Farrell, D Bye, M McNamara, M Polster, M Lleget (Kaptoum, 79), M Gil, F Bou (Altidore, 79), F Buksa

Substitutes Not Used: GK Jackson, D Bell, D DelLaGarza, M Spaulding, M Boateng

TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Bou, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Gonzalez, 2); FOULS: 8 (Buksa, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 9; SAVES: 3

Referee: Chris Penso 
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Hanson, Cameron Blanchard
Fourth Official: Brad Jensen
VAR: Geoff Gamble
Attendance: 23,411
Weather: Rain, 43 degrees  

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial

Notes

• The Timbers kicked off their 12th season in MLS today.
• In 12 home openers, Portland has a record of 6-2-4.
• Portland is 2-1-8 against New England in regular season play and undefeated when playing at Providence Park with a record of 2-0-4. 
• The Timbers are unbeaten against the Revolution in their last eight match ups, dating back to May 2, 2013.
• Asprilla scored his first goal of the 2022 campaign and 18th of his career with Portland. 
• Asprilla’s goal was his second straight in a Providence Park home opener (April 24, 2021 vs. Houston Dynamo FC).
• Moreno tallied his first assist of the season and fifth overall for the Timbers. 
• Y. Chara recorded his first goal of the year and 11th since joining Portland.
• Y. Chara also registered his first assist of the campaign and 16th in his career for the Timbers.
• Tonight’s match was the third time Y. Chara has tallied a goal and assist in a single game for Portland.
• Y. Chara led the team with four chances created.
• Aljaz Ivacic registered fives saves. 
• All 13 players who appeared for the Timbers tonight are returners from the 2021 season. 
• Portland debuted its Heritage Rose secondary jersey in tonight’s match.