The Portland Timbers showcased an impressive performance, led by Felipe Mora’s two goals, to clinch a 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake in the MLS Wild Card match. Mora opened the scoring with a strike in the 23rd minute of the first half and sealed his brace in the 35th minute. Kamal Miller added to the scoreline with a header in the 81st minute. Although Real Salt Lake managed to find the back of the net through Justen Glad’s header in the 39th minute, their efforts fell short this evening.
A highlight of the match was Miller’s goal in the 81st minute after receiving a precise pass from Ariel Lassiter, demonstrating the strong attacking capabilities of the Timbers.
Real Salt Lake’s William Agada notably hit the post in the 72nd minute, missing a crucial chance to equalize the game.
Despite having multiple opportunities, Real Salt Lake’s efforts were lacking in precision; they recorded 23 shots with 15 on target, but only one struck the post while six were off target.
Felipe Mora was undoubtedly the star of the match, netting two goals and taking five shots on target. Meanwhile, Kamal Miller was pivotal in defense, scoring a goal and clearing 11 dangerous balls.
Coach Phil Neville deployed a 4-3-3 formation for Portland, featuring James Pantemis in goal; Juan Mosquera, Kamal Miller, Finn Surman, and Jimer Fory in defense; David Ayala, Diego Chará, and David da Costa in midfield; and Antony Alves, Felipe Mora, and Kristoffer Velde in attack.
On the other side, Pablo Mastroeni’s squad set up in a 4-5-1 formation with Rafael Cabral guarding the net; DeAndre Yedlin, Justen Glad, Brayan Vera, and Alexandros Katranis in defense; Noel Caliskan, Braian Ojeda, Zavier Gozo, Diego Luna, and Diogo Gonçalves in midfield; and Victor Olatunji as the striker.
The match referee was Guido Gonzales Jr.
With this victory over Real Salt Lake, the Timbers have earned their place in the Conference Quarterfinals of the MLS.
Substitutions for Portland Timbers
- 77’ 2T – Antony Alves replaced by Ariel Lassiter, David Ayala for Cristhian Paredes, and Braian Ojeda for Jesús Barea
- 85’ 2T – Felipe Mora substituted by Kevin Kelsy and David da Costa for Joao Ortiz
- 89’ 2T – Kristoffer Velde replaced by Omir Fernández
Substitutions for Real Salt Lake
- 45’ 2T – Noel Caliskan off for Emeka Eneli
- 64’ 2T – Victor Olatunji off for William Agada and Zavier Gozo off for Rwan Cruz
- 88’ 2T – DeAndre Yedlin replaced by Johnny Russell
Cautions for Real Salt Lake:
- 22’ 1T Noel Caliskan (Unsporting behavior)
- 28’ 2T Brayan Vera (Unsporting behavior)
- 34’ 2T DeAndre Yedlin (Unsporting behavior)
- 38’ 2T Diego Luna (Unsporting behavior)
- 43’ 2T Alexandros Katranis (Unsporting behavior)