PORTLAND, Oregon (Sunday, Nov. 22) – FC Dallas got an important away goal from David Texeira in the 62nd minute, but will head home to Toyota Stadium with a two-goal deficit after falling, 3-1, to Portland tonight in front of a sold-out crowd at Providence Park.
Jesse Gonzalez was called upon in the opening seconds of the match, when Lucas Melano came free in the right corner of the area, cut back to avoid a defender and looked poised to put Portland up, 1-0. The young goalkeeper stood tall and was able to make the save with his right arm before Kellyn Acosta cleared the ball away from danger.
Three minutes later Gonzalez made his second save of the match, again against Melano. The midfielder made a similar run through Dallas’ back line and was rewarded with a chance from a tight angle. Melano tried to beat Gonzalez high over his shoulder but the 6-4 goalkeeper deflected the shot up, off the crossbar and collected the loose ball to keep the score, 0-0, in just the fourth minute.
FC Dallas settled in and built some possession through the next 15 minutes of the match, culminating in the team’s first chance of the game in the 21st minute. After earning a throw-in deep in Timbers’ territory, Zach Loyd tossed a long throw in to Texeira. The forward won the ball and got it back to Mauro Diaz, who cracked a hard shot on goal, directly at goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey.
Portland roared back and took a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. The goal was scored on a corner kick played in by Darlington Nagbe. Dairon Asprilla won a header at the front of the six-yard box and redirected a pass to the back post for Liam Ridgewell. The center back powered the ball past Gonzalez for the first goal of the game.
Dallas answered in the 29th minute with a chance created by Michael Barrios on the left flank. The Colombian flew by his defender, gained the end line and set the table for Texeira. The Uruguayan attempted to flick the ball on goal with his heel, but could not connect.
Portland gained a 2-0 advantage in the 53rd minute on a goal scored by Asprilla. The play began with a ball played in to Fanendo Adi. Matt Hedges knocked the forward off the ball but the loose ball ended up at the feet of Asprilla. The midfielder took a step around a defender and crushed a right-footed shot that curled around Zach Loyd and tapped the underside of the crossbar before settling into the far side netting.
FC Dallas answered in the 62nd minute on a play orchestrated by Diaz. The midfielder played a perfect through ball to the feet of streaking right back Je-Vaughn Watson. The defender played a ball in to the feet of Texeira with his first touch and the forward did the same, chipping a shot into the back corner of the net from inside the six-yard box.
Veteran Nat Borchers added another bit of insurance for the Timbers in the 91st minute, pouncing on a loose ball in the box off a Nagbe corner kick to make it 3-1 in favor of Portland.
