Timbers Beat Chivas USA 3-0, Extend Unbeaten Run to Nine Matches

Midfielder Diego Valeri recorded one goal and two assists and forward Rodney Wallace registered a goal and an assist to help guide the Portland Timbers to a 3-0 win over Chivas USA before a sold-out JELD-WEN Field on Sunday afternoon, extending Portland's MLS-club record unbeaten streak to nine games.

The capacity crowd of 20,647 marked the 40th consecutive sellout at JELD-WEN Field since the Timbers joined MLS in 2011.

The Timbers claimed the lead just past the half-hour mark on Wallace's third goal of the season. Valeri then doubled the lead, 2-0, in the 70th minute and midfielder Will Johnson provided Portland's third goal in second-half stoppage time as the club matched its largest margin of victory as an MLS side in the 3-0 win.

Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts and the Timbers defense held Chivas USA to eight total shots, recording its fourth straight shutout at home and extending its home shutout streak to 390 consecutive minutes.

Portland (4-1-6, 18pts) moves ahead of Real Salt Lake and into second place in the Western Conference.

Valeri factored in all three goals and attempted a team-high four shots, Johnson set a new career-high with his fourth goal of the season and Wallace matched a career-high with his third goal on the campaign to help the Timbers extend their unbeaten run to an MLS-best nine games.

Goalkeeper Patrick McLain made four saves in his first MLS start and defender Steve Purdy had a team-best three shots as Chivas USA (3-5-2, 11pts) suffered its fourth loss in its last five games.

After a couple of close chances in the opening 30 minutes, the Timbers were able to break the deadlock in the 34th minute. Following a Chivas USA corner kick, goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts initiated a quickly played counter attack that went through Valeri and forward Ryan Johnson to send Wallace in on goal down the left channel. Inside the box, Wallace placed a shot over an on-rushing McLain and into an open goal.

Portland found its second goal of the match in the 70th minute. Maintaining possession in the final third, the Timbers were able to work the ball to forward Darlington Nagbe on the right side, who then played it into Wallace near the top of the box. Wallace slipped a pass into the box for Valeri, beating the offside trap, and Valeri beat McLain one-on-one for his third goal of the season.

Johnson capped the scoring two minutes into second-half stoppage time. Following a short corner from Valeri to midfielder Kalif Alhassan on the left side, Johnson took the ball around the top left corner of the penalty area and hit a curling shot into the bottom right corner of the goal. Johnson's goal was the Timbers' MLS-leading 14th second-half goal scored in 2013.

Two minutes before the opening goal by Wallace, Valeri had a shot from just beyond the top of the box hit off the crossbar; it was one of 12 first-half shot attempts for the Timbers.

The Timbers begin a three-match road stretch on Saturday, May 18, against Northwest-rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place; kickoff is 4 p.m. (Pacific). The Cascadia Cup matchup will be televised live on ROOT SPORTS, with local radio broadcasts available on 750 The Game and in Spanish on La Pantera 940AM.

Notes:

* The capacity crowd marked the 40th consecutive sellout at JELD-WEN Field since the Timbers joined MLS in 2011. * With the win, the Timbers extend their MLS-club unbeaten streak to nine matches, which is tied with FC Dallas for the longest in MLS this season. * The Timbers move into second place in the Western Conference with the victory, which is the highest the club has placed in the conference through 11 matches of a season. * The Timbers' record of 4-1-6 (18pts) is the club's best start to an MLS season through 11 matches. * Portland defeated Chivas USA for the second time (2-4-0) in the all-time MLS series between the two clubs; both wins have come at JELD-WEN Field. * The Timbers matched their largest margin of victory as an MLS side - three goals - in the win over Chivas USA, a mark first set twice during the 2011 season (3-0 win vs. LA Galaxy on Aug. 3, 2011; 3-0 win vs. New England on Sept. 16, 2011). * The Timbers scored three goals in a match for the third time this season, and with 18 overall on the campaign the club is tied with FC Dallas for the most goals scored in the Western Conference. * Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts and the Timbers defense recorded its fourth consecutive shutout at home and extended its current home shutout streak to 390 minutes - the longest home shutout streak in the club's MLS history. * The Timbers are 4-2-3 all-time in day matches at JELD-WEN Field as an MLS side, including an unbeaten 3-0-3 record since the start of the 2012 campaign. * With second-half goals from Diego Valeri and Will Johnson, the Timbers lead MLS with 14 goals scored in the second half. * Valeri recorded one goal and two assists against Chivas USA, matching the Timbers MLS record for points in a single game (4). He is tied for the league lead in assists with four. * Valeri logged two assists in a match for the second time this season, also achieving the feat in the 3-2 road win over Sporting KC on April 27. His pair of assists against Chivas USA marked the fifth time in Timbers MLS history in which a player has recorded multiple assists in a single game. * With three shots on goal, Valeri matched Portland's MLS mark for shots on goal in a single match; it's the third time this season in which he has recorded the feat (March 3 vs. New York; April 21 at San Jose) * Portland set a new MLS-club record with 12 corner kicks against Chivas USA. * Valeri took 11 corner kicks, setting a new record for individual corner kicks attempted in a single match by a Timbers MLS player. Jack Jewsbury held the previous mark at nine (achieved twice during the 2011 campaign). * Rodney Wallace and Darlington Nagbe become the third and fourth players, respectively, to record points in back-to-back matches this season. Wallace assisted on Nagbe's goal in the 1-1 draw at FC Dallas on May 8. * Wallace scored his third goal of the season in the first half, matching a career-high in goals first set during his rookie season in 2009 with D.C. United. * Midfielder Will Johnson scored his fourth goal of the season, which set a new career-high for goals in a season. He is tied with forward Ryan Johnson for the club lead in goal-scoring. * Chivas USA's two shots in the first half were the fewest shots by an opponent in a half this season. * With 19 shots against Chivas USA, the Timbers have recorded 10 or more shots in 37 consecutive home matches at JELD-WEN Field. * Chivas USA goalkeeper Patrick McLain made his first MLS start Sunday at JELD-WEN Field. McLain was a member of the Timbers U-23s inaugural team in 2009.

 

He was used strictly as a LB under John Spencer here. He played LM/LW with Costa Rica and showed better there. Once the Caleb Porter hiring was announced last year, under interim GW(out) They started to try Wallace up higher.

Has def paid off. Wallace has some defensive abilities, and very good speed, and crossing ability. And one of the few Timbers who is willing to give it a go from distance. Nice to see Wallace being used where he can succeed, as opposed to being a square peg in a round hole.

Short story long... you are correct