The Portland Timbers would have one of their most impressive wins of their eight years in Major League Soccer with a 3-0 defeat of New York City FC on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Providence Park. Sebastián Blanco, Fanendo Adi, and Larrys Mabiala would all tally for the Timbers while Jeff Attinella would record the first 2018 Timbers shutout in goal.
It was just five minutes in when the Timbers would produce the first good scoring chance of the match, when Andrés Flores found Sebastián Blanco alone at the far post, but Blanco’s one-timer was wide left. Nine minutes later it was Diego Valeri with a good look, but his shot from eight yards out was tipped wide by New York goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
In the 26th minute, the Timbers would finally break through when a long cross from Flores was headed on a high arc towards the far corner by Blanco. New York Defender Alexander Callens appeared to misjudge the shot and also appeared to keep Johnson from getting to the ball, and it slipped just under the crossbar and into the net to give the Timbers a 1-0 lead.
Twelve minutes later the Timbers doubled their lead when Valeri’s low cross was slightly deflected by Johnson, but fell right to the feet of Fanendo Adi who tapped in from two yards out to put the Timbers up 2-0. In the 40th minute, New York’s David Villa had a good look from inside the Timbers box, but his shot was tipped just wide left by Timbers goalkeeper Jeff Attinella. The half would end with the Timbers holding a 2-0 lead.
In the 66th minute, the Timbers would widen their lead again when a corner kick from Valeri was headed home by an unmarked Larrys Mabiala from seven yards out, and the Timbers had their first three goal lead of the 2018 season.
New York’s Villa had a good run into the Timbers box in the 89th minute, but was stopped by a good defensive play by Liam Ridgewell to preserve the shutout win, the first for the Timbers since a 4-0 win over DC United last October.
Jeff Attinella had four saves to earn the shutout, while Sean Johnson had one save for the visitors.
