BAY LAKE – In a day with two draws, a 10-man Portland Timbers FC managed the day’s only win. The Timbers claimed a 2-1 victory over LA Galaxy in the final game on Monday at the MLS is Back tournament at ESPN Wide World of Sports.
A stunning run from Sebastian Blanco, sneaking in off his defender’s shoulder to collect a pinpoint pass from Diego Valeri, set up the opener just before the hour mark. Blanco took his time and waited for the perfect moment to leave Jeremy Ebobisse with a simple finish to put Portland up.
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Seven minutes later it was two, thanks to Blanco again. This time he did it on his own, using his pace to get to the ball first and get past Giancarlo Gonzalez before putting it in the back of the net.
Galaxy was given a window with 15 minutes to play when Dario Zuparic received a second yellow card. Chicharito scored his long-awaited first MLS goal two minutes from time when he evaded his defender and slid home Gordon Wild’s cross.
It could have come sooner as the Mexican record goal-scorer saw his 12th-minute penalty saved by Steve Clark. The frustrating night was added to in the 81st minute when Wild had the ball in the back of the net only for the referee to overrule the goal after reviewing the video.
In the opening match of the day, DC United came from 2-0 down in the 80th minute to salvage a draw with Toronto FC.
The Canadian side went for the match from the opening whistle but late on capitulated late on to the 10-man DC.
It was Federico Higuain who had the most significant impact, despite only coming on off the bench. With six minutes to play, the debutante chipped the keeper to pull his side back in the match. In the first minute of stoppage time, he laid off the crucial assist. Higuain crossed for Frederic Brilliant, who headed home the equalizer.
Toronto nearly took the win back in the 96th minute. On a hat trick, Ayo Akinola was able to get a header away only to be denied by a stunning Bill Hamid save.
A phenomenal first half from the Reds had given them the lead. Akinola had the brace in the first half, scoring from distance and a tap-in.
Things seemed over in first-half stoppage time when DC was reduced to ten-men after Junior Moreno picked up his second yellow card. But the side showed incredible grit to come back and claim the win.
In the other match, Los Angeles FC managed a big second half to come back and achieve a 3-3 draw with Houston Dynamo.
Trailing 3-1 at halftime, it seemed LAFC had missed its chance, but some weak Dynamo defense let it back in the match in the 63rd minute. A through ball found Diego Rossi allowing him to slam it out of the reach of Marko Maric.
Six minutes later, the black and gold were on level terms after the Dynamo failed to deal with a set-piece. That allowed Latif Blessing to set up Brian Rodriguez to score his first goal in LAFC colors.
Memo Rodriguez had Houston 3-1 up at halftime thanks to a brace. He scored in the 9th minute through a swerving shot before poking in Zarek Valentin’s cross home in the 30th minute.
Between those two goals, Bradley Wright-Phillips leveled the scores with a 19th-minute tap-in. Houston made it three through Alberth Ellis’ header in first-half stoppage time at the end of a Darwin Quintero free-kick, which was allowed thanks to a video review reversing the original offside flag.
Photo Courtesy: Devin L’Amoreaux and Jared Martinez
Florida Soccer Report 