PORTLAND, Ore. – Nat Borchers, Maximiliano Urruti and Diego Chara opened their 2015 accounts to lead the Portland Timbers to their first win of the season, 3-1 over FC Dallas on Saturday night at Providence Park.
To complete the night of firsts, FC Dallas tasted defeat for the first time this season after entering the game as Western Conference leaders. They now sit in second with 10 points from five games, despite getting a momentary equalizing goal from Tesho Akindele.
Urruti’s 62nd-minute strike broke a 1-1 deadlock after Borchers and Akindele traded first-half corner-kick goals, giving Portland six points from their first five games. Chara's finish removed all suspense just minutes before the final whistle.
Portland controlled much of the game while the visitors managed without injured star playmaker Mauro Diaz and forward Blas Perez, who came on as a second-half substitute. But both teams' first-half goals were a result of forgettable defending on both ends.
First, Borchers stood unmarked on the back post on a Jorge Villafana corner kick in the 23rd minute, allowing the Timbers’ big center back to square up an easy header goal.
Dallas struck back in the 30th minute on a Michel corner kick that Atiba Harris flicked on to Akindele at the back post for an equally easy finish.
Neither team had many other chances in the first half although Urruti hit the back of the net in the 25th minute. However, the strike was waved off for offside.
The Timbers’ second-half game-winner was created by the playmaking ability of Darlington Nagbe. He made a long run to the edge of the FCD box and played to Dairon Asprilla on the right corner. The Colombian substitute sent a sizzling cross into the area that was redirected into the goal by Urruti for a 2-1 lead.
Dallas nearly snagged another equalizer in the 86th minute on a bouncing header from Zach Loyd in the middle of the box, but Timbers goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey was just able to nudge it over with a leaping save as the ball hit the crossbar on its way out of danger.
And then just seconds later following a corner-kick clearance, Chara broke free for a one-on-one with FC Dallas ‘keeper Chris Seitz and calmly slotted inside the far post to put the game away.
FC Dallas return home to play host to the Colorado Rapids on Friday night (7 pm ET, UniMás), while Portland welcome expansion side Orlando City SC to the Rose City for a nationally televised Sunday affair (5 pm ET, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes).
