Forward Darlington Nagbe scored the game-winning goal and goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts made seven saves to help the Portland Timbers defeat first-place FC Dallas 1-0 before a sellout crowd of 20,674 at JELD-WEN Field on Saturday afternoon, extending the Timbers' MLS-club record unbeaten streak to 13 matches. The Timbers (6-1-8, 26pts) move to within two points of Western Conference-leader FC Dallas (8-3-4, 28pts) with the win. Timbers head coach Caleb Porter is now tied with former D.C. United head coach Tom Soehn for the longest unbeaten streak by a first-year MLS head coach in league history at 13 matches. Soehn accomplished the feat during the 2007 MLS campaign. Two of the top clubs in MLS, the Timbers and FC Dallas exchanged chances throughout the match, combining for 37 shots, 15 of which were put on goal. Nagbe tallied the decisive goal early in the second half, scoring the Timbers league-best 19th second-half goal on a well-placed curling shot from inside the penalty area in the 52nd minute. The two goalkeepers, Ricketts and FC Dallas' Raul Fernandez combined for 14 saves. Ricketts registered a season-high seven saves to help the Portland backline shut out FC Dallas for the first time this season and record a fifth straight shutout in league play at JELD-WEN Field. The Timbers have not allowed a goal at home in league play in 480 minutes, dating back to March 9. Nagbe scored his fifth goal of the season, midfielder Kalif Alhassan recorded his third assist of the season, defender Pa Modou Kah made his JELD-WEN Field debut and midfielder Diego Chara attempted a team-high two shots on goal for the Timbers. Fernandez matched a season-high with seven saves, midfielder Jackson paced the team with four shots as FC Dallas was handed just its second loss in its last 13 regular-season matches. Nagbe staked the Timbers to a 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute on his second goal in his last three regular-season matches. On the left side, Alhassan played the ball into the near side of the penalty area for Nagbe with his back to goal. Nagbe took a shot as he turned his defender, curling the ball by Fernandez and inside the far post. Portland had a chance at the lead denied by the woodwork in the 15th minute. Midfielder Diego Valeri bounced a header from near the right post and the ball got by the reach of Fernandez but struck the crossbar. In the second half, forward Frederic Piquionne had a low driven shot ring off the base of the right post in the 59th minute. Ricketts recorded four of his saves in the first half, with the first coming four minutes in on a bouncing header by FC Dallas midfielder Fabian Castillo. In first-half stoppage time, Ricketts dove to push a firm shot by Jackson from the right side of the penalty area wide of the left post. He also stood firm on his post late in the match to punch away an effort by defender Zach Loyd in the 80th minute. Fernandez was called into action late in the first half, as a scramble in the box off a free kick led to a shot by Chara from inside 10 yards. Fernandez was able to keep Chara's shot from crossing the goal line with an out-stretched hand on a diving effort near the right post and the ball was cleared from danger. In the 68th minute, Fernandez pushed a firmly hit half volley by Valeri from just inside the box over the goal. Chara had a pair of breakaway chances in the second half just two minutes apart. In the 75th minute, Chara's shot from the left side of the box was steered wide of the right post by Fernandez with a diving save. Minutes later, Chara tried to pick out the bottom right corner of the goal and the ball rolled just wide. The Timbers visit the LA Galaxy on Wednesday, June 19, at the StubHub Center at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). Portland's lone road match against the Galaxy will be televised live on KPTV and in Spanish on EstrellaTV, with radio broadcasts available on 750 The Game and in Spanish on La Pantera 940AM. Notes: - The Timbers are unbeaten in their last 13 regular-season matches, marking the longest unbeaten run in MLS this season and is a Timbers MLS-club record. The MLS record for longest unbeaten streak is 19 games set by FC Dallas in 2010. - With a record of 6-1-8 (26pts), the Timbers are two points back of Western Conference-leader FC Dallas and are tied with the Montreal Impact for the third-highest point total in MLS. - Timbers head coach Caleb Porter is tied with former D.C. United head coach Tom Soehn for the longest unbeaten streak by a first-year MLS head coach in league history at 13 matches; Soehn accomplished the feat during the 2007 MLS campaign. - The Timbers are unbeaten against FC Dallas at JELD-WEN Field (2-0-1) and are 2-2-3 in the all-time MLS series against the Hoops. - With the win, the Timbers improve to 5-2-3 in daytime matches at JELD-WEN Field as an MLS side. Portland is unbeaten (4-0-3) in its last seven home day matches since 2012. - Portland's defense has recorded its fifth straight shutout at JELD-WEN Field in league play and has not conceded a home goal in 480 minutes dating back to March 9 against Montreal. - The Timbers have allowed just one goal in its last seven home matches across all competitions. - The Timbers are unbeaten (5-0-3) when scoring the first goal of a match this season. - Forward Darlington Nagbe's goal in the 52nd minute was the Timbers' 19th second-half goal this season, which leads MLS, and was the club's league-high ninth goal scored in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. - Nagbe's strike was his fifth of the season and fourth in the last eight games. He is now tied with midfielder Will Johnson for the club's lead in goal-scoring. - With two goals this season against FC Dallas, Nagbe has scored three of his five goals against clubs currently among the top-five in MLS; he also scored against New York on March 3. - The Timbers currently lead MLS in goal-scoring with 25 goals on the season. - The Timbers' next league goal will be their 100th MLS goal since joining the league in 2011. - Midfielder Kalif Alhassan tallied his third assist of the season and the second in the last five league games. - The Timbers welcomed back goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, defender Futty Danso and forward Ryan Johnson from international duty with their respective countries. All three players played in the match against FC Dallas. - Ricketts recorded a season-high seven saves against FC Dallas to record his sixth shutout of the season; he's just one clean sheet back of league-leader Bobby Shuttleworth of New England. - Ricketts' seven saves matched a Timbers MLS single-game record, achieved three times previously. - With the clean sheet against FC Dallas, Ricketts has a current individual shutout streak of 216 minutes (May 18-25; June 15), which is his third different individual shutout streak of 200 or more minutes this season. He missed the June 8 match at Chicago while on international duty. - Defender Pa Modou Kah made his JELD-WEN Field debut in the match against FC Dallas.
They were both killing it. Somehow I had missed Rickett's best one until I watched highlights afterwards. I think my stream must have cut out during that shot. Chara's 1v1 should have finished them off. That ball from Nagbe was sick. Too bad it didn't even result in a shot on goal.
