The Portland Timbers played a very strong Club América side on Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, and though they went down just before halftime on a penalty kick, they increased their offensive pressure in the second half, and it paid off literally on the last kick of the game when Felipe Mora converted a penalty kick to give the Timbers a 1-1 draw with Club América going into the away match in Mexico next Wednesday. Roger Martínez had the lone goal for the visitors.
Scoring chances in the first half were slim, but Club América would have the first good scoring chance of the match when Roger Martínez fired a low shot from 20 yards out that goalkeeper Jeff Attinella had to dive at full stretch to tip just past the bar.
The game appeared headed for a goalless first half when Claudio Bravo committed a foul in the box in the 45th minute, and the referee pointed at the spot. Martinez converted easily to make the score 1-0 Club América at the break.
The Timbers began to attack more effectively in the second half, and in the 50th minute it nearly paid off in a spectacular way when Dairon Asprilla defeated three defenders to curl a remarkable shot from a tight angle which rattled off the crossbar. In the 57th minute it was Yimmi Chará with the chance off a long pass from his brother, but the shot was just wide right.
In the 79th minute, Asprilla had another good chance from close-in, but Club América goalkeeper Memo Ochoa made a nice diving save on the shot from close range.
It appeared the Timbers were heading from a frustrating single goal loss when at the very end of stoppage time, Timbers midfielder Marvin Loría, may have been fouled in the Club América box, but it appears the actual infraction was a handball on a shot shortly afterwards from Bravo, and the referee pointed to the spot.
Felipe Mora took the penalty and slipped it just inside the right post to level the game at 1-1, which was the last kick of the match. The second leg of the quarterfinal is next Wednesday, May 5 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Jeff Attinella had five saves for the Timbers while Memo Ochoa had three saves for Club América.
MATCH RECAP | Portland Timbers 1, Club América 1 | April 28, 2021 | Timbers website
HIGHLIGHTS | Portland Timbers vs. Club América | April 28, 2021 | Timbers website
