Felipe Mora Double Leads Timbers Over Rsl And Into Mls Playoffs’ Next Round

Felipe Mora’s first-half brace halted an extended barren spell and helped assistance nan Portland Timbers to a 3-1 triumph complete visiting Real Salt Lake successful nan Western Conference wild-card crippled connected Wednesday night.

Kamal Miller’s precocious header gave eighth-seeded Portland immoderate security arsenic nan Timbers sealed a first-round bid gathering pinch Western Conference No 1 San Diego FC. The best-of-three group will statesman Sunday successful Southern California.

James Pantemis made six saves to sphere nan victory, conscionable Portland’s 2nd successful its past 11 games.

Justen Glad’s header precocious successful nan first half gave RSL a lifeline. However, Salt Lake saw its winless playoff streak extended to 8 matches (three losses, 5 draws) aft sneaking into nan ninth and last West spot via results connected nan last time of nan regular season.

Mora hadn’t scored successful his past 23 regular-season games, aliases his erstwhile 12 appearances successful each competitions, only to travel done pinch arguably his biggest capacity successful a Timbers shirt.

His first extremity came pursuing a series that could’ve turned into a reddish paper for Salt Lake.

Ultimately, referee Guido Gonzales Jr. showed restraint successful allowing RSL’s Noel Caliskan to stay successful nan crippled alternatively than rumor nan subordinate a 2nd booking successful arsenic galore minutes for Caliskan’s precocious tackle of Diego Chara.

Mora was first to nan ensuing, outswinging free footwear from nan correct side. While Salt Lake goalie Rafael Cabral saved nan first effort, nan rebound fell kindly to nan striker for a debased decorativeness successful nan 24th minute.

Mora’s 2nd extremity came from a akin series 11 minutes later. This clip Kristoffer Velde sent successful nan inswinging work from nan right, but again Mora followed his ain rebound of a saved header pinch a composed finish.

Glad answered pinch his header of Diogo Goncalves’ transverse 4 minutes later to springiness Salt Lake immoderate momentum heading into half-time.

After nan break, nan visitors were nan amended side. William Agada’s sensational 73rd-minute bicycle footwear struck nan crossbar. A infinitesimal later, Brayan Vera thought he’d tied it pinch an exceptional free footwear that snuck wrong nan near post, only for it to rightly beryllium ruled retired because Rwan Cruz illegally interfered pinch Portland’s protect wall.

Miller sealed nan consequence successful nan 82nd infinitesimal erstwhile he snuck to nan backmost station unmarked to caput successful substitute Ariel Lassiter’s clever diagonal ball.