Forward Maximiliano Urruti scored the game-winning goal early in the second half and the Portland Timbers defense recorded its third straight shutout at home to defeat the LA Galaxy, 1-0, before a sellout crowd of 20,674 under a steady rain at JELD-WEN Field on Sunday afternoon. The Timbers (12-5-13, 49pts) are in third place in the Western Conference, and, with the win, moved four points ahead of the Galaxy (13-11-6, 45pts) and Colorado Rapids tied for fourth in the conference standings. Portland, unbeaten in its last four games, is currently two points back of first place in the conference and the lead for the Supporters' Shield. Urruti scored in the 52nd minute off a corner kick by Will Johnson to crack the deadlock early in the second half. The Timbers defense held the Galaxy without a shot on goal in the second half to preserve the 1-0 margin and extend the club's home unbeaten streak to 13 games - the second-longest home unbeaten streak in MLS this season. Portland's defense registered its league-leading ninth shutout at home and its 12th of the season, overall. Galaxy forwards Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan were held to a combined one shot attempt; Donovan had a run of seven straight games with either a goal or an assist come to an end. The Timbers, with their 12th win of the regular season, set a new MLS club mark for wins in a single season. Portland finished the 2013 season series against the Galaxy with an unbeaten 2-0-1 record. Urruti's first MLS goal, and first as a member of the Timbers, came off a corner kick from the left side by Johnson. The ball was played at the near post and found Urruti cutting back across the goal towards the ball. With an out-stretched foot, Urruti poked the ball between Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo and the near post. Portland goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts logged two saves, both on shots by midfielder Gyasi Zardes in the first half, to secure his league-leading 11th shutout of the season. Ricketts is now the Timbers' MLS career leader in shutouts with 13. In second-half stoppage time, an offside call against the Galaxy denied a goal-scoring opportunity for Keane on a Donovan free kick. The Timbers visit Vancouver Whitecaps FC in one of their final road matches of the regular season on Sunday, Oct. 6, at BC Place at 5 p.m. (Pacific). The match will be televised live on ROOT SPORTS, with radio broadcasts available on 750 The Game and in Spanish on La Pantera 940AM. Notes: - The Timbers, in third place in the Western Conference, moved four points ahead of the LA Galaxy and Colorado Rapids, tied for fourth place, in the standings with the victory. - Portland extended its home unbeaten streak to 13 games (10-0-3), tied for the second-longest, active home unbeaten streak in MLS this season. - The Timbers recorded their 12th win of the season, setting a new MLS club mark for wins in a single season, and eclipsing the previous record of 11 set back in 2011. - The 20,674 on hand Sunday was the Timbers' 49th consecutive sellout at JELD-WEN Field since joining MLS in 2011. - Portland posted an unbeaten 2-0-1 record, conceding just one goal, in the 2013 season series against the Galaxy. - The Timbers finished the month of September unbeaten with a 2-0-2 record; it's the fourth unbeaten month the club has recorded during the 2013 season. - The Timbers improved to 8-0-2 at home against Western Conference opponents in 2013; the club is 10-1-4 at JELD-WEN Field overall on the season. - According to Elias Sports Bureau, the goal scored by forward Maximiliano Urruti in the second half was the Timbers' sixth set-piece goal in four home games in the all-time MLS series against the Galaxy. - The Timbers are unbeaten in 15 games this season (10-0-5) when scoring the first goal of the game. - The Timbers improved to 3-0-0 in day matches at JELD-WEN Field this season. - Urruti's first MLS goal in the 52nd minute was Portland's 31st goal scored in the second half this season, which ranks second-most in MLS. - The Timbers have scored 13 times in the opening 15 minutes of the second half, which leads MLS. - Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts matched his MLS career-high with his league-leading 11th shutout of the season. He also recorded 11 shutouts during the 2010 season with the Galaxy, the same season in which he won MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and was named to the MLS Best XI. - Portland has recorded three straight shutouts at home, and picked up its league-best ninth home shutout on Sunday against the Galaxy. - Ricketts, in just 37 matches with the club, tied the Timbers MLS career mark in wins with his 14th win. He also set a new Timbers MLS record with his 13th career shutout with the club. - Defender Jack Jewsbury played in his 280th career MLS regular-season match. - Forward Darlington Nagbe made his 43rd consecutive MLS Start on Sunday against LA.
