Midfielder Diego Valeri scored five minutes into the second half, finding the back of the net in a second straight match, as the Portland Timbers battled back to earn a point on the road in a 1-1 draw against Chivas USA at the StubHub Center on Saturday night. The Timbers (10-5-13, 43pts) remain in playoff contention in fifth place in a tightly contested Western Conference, just six points back of first place with six games remaining in the regular season, including four at JELD-WEN Field. Trailing 1-0 at the break, the Timbers found the equalizer in the 50th minute, as Valeri, a halftime substitute, tallied his seventh goal of the season five minutes into his shift. Valeri's goal ignited a second-half performance by the Timbers in which they controlled the run of play and finished the match with the advantage in shots (12-9), corners (4-3) and held nearly 61 percent of the possession. Chivas USA (6-15-8, 26pts) found the game's opening goal against the run of play in the 23rd minute on a header by midfielder Bryan de la Fuente. Defender Carlos Borja served in a cross from the left corner and de la Fuente's shot from the center of the area deflected off the top of the right post and in for his second goal of the season and a 1-0 lead for Chivas USA. A quick build up by the Timbers, initiated by midfielder Darlington Nagbe up the middle of the park, led to Valeri's goal in the 50th minute. Portland worked the ball into the area and forward Jose Valencia would lay the ball off for a shot by Valeri at the top of the box that found its way inside the left post. The Timbers found rhythm in the second half, attempting eight of their 12 shots in the half. Forward Rodney Wallace nearly found the go-ahead goal in the 60th minute, but his volley from inside the box, off a cross by Valeri, just missed wide of the right post. Forward Ryan Johnson then had a shot from inside the left corner of the area deflected wide of the left post three minutes into second-half stoppage time. Portland's defense held Chivas USA to just four shot attempts in the second half; Chivas USA did not take a shot in the first 26 minutes of the second half. Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts finished with two saves, one coming in the eighth minute on a shot by Carlos Alvarez from just outside the area. The Timbers, trying to pull level, attempted three shots over the final minutes of the first half. Defender Pa Modou Kah had a header off a corner kick by midfielder Will Johnson in the 44th minute that was saved by Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy. The Timbers return home to play host to the Colorado Rapids on Friday, Sept. 20, at JELD-WEN Field in a nationally televised match on NBC Sports Network; kickoff at 7 p.m. (Pacific). The matchup between playoff contenders will also feature radio broadcasts on 750 The Game and in Spanish on La Pantera 940 AM. Notes: - Combined with other results around the league, the Timbers kept pace in a tight playoff race in the Western Conference with the draw against Chivas USA. Portland sits in fifth place, six points back of first place, with games in hand over second-place Real Salt Lake and third-place Colorado Rapids. - With the draw, the Timbers set a new MLS club record for points earned in a single season with 43, surpassing the club's points total (42) during its inaugural MLS campaign in 2011. The Timbers have six regular-season matches remaining in 2013. - The Timbers captured their first road points in the all-time MLS series against Chivas USA, having lost in both of the previous meetings at the StubHub Center since 2011. It was the first draw played between to two clubs in seven meetings. - Midfielder Diego Valeri, working his way back from an adductor strain suffered Aug. 30 at Real Salt Lake, scored in a second straight match for the Timbers, tallying his seventh goal of the season. He has factored in 11 of Portland's last 16 goals (3g, 8a). - Valeri's goal in the 50th minute marked the Timbers' 30th goal this season scored in the second half. The club's second-half scoring output ranks second-most in MLS and the Timbers are just the second club this season to score 30 or more second-half goals. - Valeri's strike was also the club's 12th goal scored this season in the opening 15 minutes of the second half, which leads MLS. - Portland's second-half strike was the club's 18th goal scored on the road this season, fourth-most in the league. The Timbers scored 20 combined goals on the road through their first two MLS campaigns. - The Timbers own the second-best winning percentage (.375) in the league when allowing the first goal of the match. - Six of the Timbers' 12 shots against Chivas USA came from inside the penalty area. - Midfielders Darlington Nagbe and Diego Chara both made their 80th MLS starts for the Timbers, joining midfielder Jack Jewsbury as the only Timbers MLS players with 80 or more league starts for the club. - Nagbe made his 42nd consecutive start for the Timbers, dating back to the 2012 season. - Chara is the only member of the Timbers to have started all seven matches of the all-time MLS series against Chivas USA. - Acquired Monday in a trade with Toronto FC, forward Maximiliano Urruti made his Timbers debut Saturday, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute. - Forward Jose Valencia made his second career MLS start on Saturday against Chivas USA. - Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts returned to the Starting XI for Portland, returning earlier in the week from his call-up with the Jamaica National Team for recent World Cup qualifiers. Ricketts' next start will be the 130th of his MLS career.
