HOUSTON – The Houston Dynamo forwards brought their finishing shoes to BBVA Compass Stadium Saturday night combining for three goals in a 3-1 win over the Portland Timbers.
Will Bruin led the barrage, scoring twice to help the Dynamo to victory. Bruin opened the scoring in the ninth minute in easy fashion. After Giles Barnes earned a free kick on the left sideline, returning captain Brad Davis sent the set piece across the box to the edge of the six-yard box. The Dynamo striker ran past the stationary Jorge Villafana into wide open space and headed down an easy goal for his third of the season and an early 1-0 lead.
The 6-foot-2 forward capped the night with a cheeky chip after a long ball from Jermaine Taylor found him running on goal. With goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey off his line, Bruin floated his shot over the ‘keeper’s outstretched arms and into goal to cap the night’s scoring.
Bruin’s outburst bookended a goal from his partner-in-crime Barnes who capitalized on a wise decision by second half sub Alexander Lopez to deliver the winner. Moments after coming into the game Lopez found himself with space on the right side of the box and touches to take. Instead of shot through a crowd Lopez laid it off to a wide open Barnes and the red-hot forward hit it with pace from 12 yards out to take the decisive lead.
It was Barnes' club leading sixth goal of the season. Houston (4-4-4) improves to 16 points while the loss keeps the Timbers (3-4-4) on 13. Portland has now followed all three of their wins with a loss.
Fanendo Adi provided the Timbers lone goal of the night just three minutes after the half. After a collision at midfield between Diego Chara and Luis Garrido, playmaker Diego Valeri picked the ball up and played a well-weighted ball into the path of the big forward. He held off DaMarcus Beasley and deflected a shot off Tyler Deric’s boot and into goal to tie the score at 1-1 in the 48th minute.
The game was played at a methodical pace early as neither team looked to break and struggled to keep the ball at times. Portland dominated possession throughout but much of their work came well away from goal and they struggled to generate chances, ending the game with just one shot on target.
After scoring his first goal it looked as if Bruin would bag another one just a few minutes later. In the 14th minute Bruin headed home another Davis free kick but the goal was waved off as referee Edvin Jurisevic blew the whistle prior to the ball being put in play and showed Adi a yellow card for a foul.
Both teams are on the road next week with the Dynamo facing the LA Galaxy and Timbers traveling to face Toronto FC.
