SEATTLE – The Portland Timbers advanced to the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Championship after defeating Seattle Sounders FC 4-2 on penalties after extra time in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals at CenturyLink Field Sunday night.
Following 90 minutes of regulation that saw both teams even at 3-3 on aggregate and another 30 minutes of extra time with each team scoring a goal to make it 4-4 (with no away goal tiebreaker in play for extra time), it was Timbers winger Dairon Asprilla who played the hero with the game-deciding penalty kick in the fifth and final frame. The Colombian also scored a key goal in the first half of extra time and contributed an assist in the match. Sebastián Blanco also scored for the visitors in the 78th minute.
- MATCHCENTER: Stats
- MATCHCENTER: Boxscore and Chalkboard
Individual tickets for Portland’s home playoff match of the Western Conference Championship go on sale to the general public Friday at 1 p.m., and will be available for purchase online or by phone at (888) 736-6849. A limited-window, online presale will take place Friday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Pacific) for Timbers and Portland Thorns FC Annual Members and members of the club’s Annual Members Waiting List. Group tickets can be purchased by calling (503) 553-5555.
Match Moments
21' - CHANCE (POR) - Forward Jeremy Ebobisse received the ball on the edge of the area and dribbled to the end line. He cut a pass back to Andy Polo who fired a shot just wide of the near post.
60' - CHANCE (POR) - After weathering pressure, the Timbers broke forward in the 60th minute. Diego Valeri pinged a ball to Ebobisse in the box. He settled it, turned and fired but Seattle's Stefan Frei made the save.
64' - SAVE (POR) - On a Seattle corner into the box, the ball fell in a scramble and Sounders defender Kim Kee-hee headed it towards teammate Kelvin Leerdam. Portland goalkeeper, Jeff Attinella alertly sprung to punch the ball away from danger.
68' - GOAL (SEA) - A Seattle cross came into the box that Attinella came off his line for and initially got a hand to. However, the ball came loose and Sounders forward Raúl RuidÃaz collected it and scored to give Seattle a 1-0 lead in the game and take the lead on the away goal tiebreaker on aggregate.
78' - GOAL (POR) - The Timbers tied it up at 1-1 and took the lead 3-2 on aggregate in the 78th minute. Jorge Villafaña curled in a ball that found Dairon Asprilla. Asprilla settled it before laying it off to an open Sebastián Blanco who rifled it into the lower left corner.
90+2' - CHANCE (POR) - With Seattle pushing forward, Portland managed to get out on a counter with Valeri leading the way. He sent a ball through to the speeding Lucas Melano who's shot forced a fingertip save from Frei.
90+3' - GOAL (SEA) - Ruidiaz scored his second goal of the match when he hit a hard shot past a diving Attinella to give Seattle a 2-1 lead in the game but tie the series at 3-3 on aggregate.
90+5' - CHANCE (POR) - Valeri served in a free kick that Larrys Mabiala headed on frame but a leaping Frei made the save.
93' - GOAL (POR) - In overtime, Asprilla gave Portland a 4-3 lead on aggregate when he leapt high on the back post to hit a thumping header past Frei. Valeri set up the goal with a gorgeous 20-yard cross from the far side..
97' - GOAL (SEA) - Nicolás Lodeiro tied the game at 4-4 on aggregate with a penalty kick in the 97th minute of the first overtime. The penalty was awarded after a hand ball was whistled on Blanco in the box.
116' - CHANCE (POR) - Valeri curled in a corner kick that Lawrence Olum headed on frame. Frei, however, made the save.
PENALTIES
POR - Melano - GOAL (right side)
SEA - Ruidiaz - GOAL (left side)
POR - Valeri - GOAL (left side)
SEA - Bruin - MISS (left post)
POR - Blanco - GOAL (left side)
SEA - Alonso - SAVE (by Attinella)
POR - Ridgewell - SAVE (by Frei)
SEA - Bwana - GOAL (right side)
POR - Asprilla - GOAL (middle)
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Portland will square off against either No. 1 seed Sporting Kansas City or No. 6 Real Salt Lake in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs on Sunday, Nov. 25, with the lower-seeded team playing host to the first leg. Sporting and Salt Lake, tied on aggregate after a 1-1 result in the first leg, play leg two on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 12pm PT on ESPN.
Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs | Western Conference Semifinals – Leg 2
Portland Timbers (4) vs. (2) Seattle Sounders FC
Nov. 8, 2018 – CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Wash.)
Goals by Half 1 2 ET1 ET2 F (PKs)
Portland Timbers 0 1 1 0 2 (4)
Seattle Sounders FC 0 2 1 0 3 (2)
Scoring Summary:
SEA: Ruidiaz, 68
POR: Blanco (Asprilla), 78
SEA: Ruidiaz, 90+3
POR: Asprila (Valeri), 93
SEA: Lodeiro (penalty kick), 97
Shootout Summary
1 POR: Melano – Goal
1 SEA: Ruidiaz – Goal
2 POR: Valeri – Goal
2 SEA: Bruin – Missed
3 POR: Blanco – Goal
3 SEA: Alonso – Saved
4 POR: Ridgewell – Saved
4 SEA: Bwana – Goal
5 POR: Asprilla – Goal
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Flores (caution), 41
SEA: Alonso (caution), 70
POR: Valeri (caution), 96
SEA: Ruidiaz (caution), 114
Lineups:
POR: GK Attinella, D Powell (Valentin, 103), D Mabiala, D Ridgewell, D Villafaña, M Flores (Olum 83), M Chara, M Polo (Asprilla, 72), M Valeri ©, M Blanco, F Ebobisse (Melano, 89)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Clark, D Tuiloma, D Cascante
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Blanco, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Six players tied, 1); FOULS: 16 (Chara, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 3
SEA: GK Frei, D Leerdam (Bwana, 85), D Torres, D Kee-hee, D Tolo, M Alonso ©, M Svensson, M Shipp (Bruin, 80), M Rodriguez (McCrary, 106), M Lodeiro, F Ruidiaz
Substitutes Not Used: GK Meredith, D Francis, M Delem, M A. Roldan
TOTAL SHOTS: 21 (Ruidiaz, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Ruidiaz, 2); FOULS: 17 (Three players tied, 3); OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 14; SAVES: 4
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referees: Ian Anderson, Eduardo Mariscal
4th Official: Robert Sibiga
VAR: Chris Penso
Attendance: 39,542
Weather: Clear, 53 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
