Sebastián Blanco‘s two goals early in the second half pulled the Portland Timbers ahead for good in a 3-1 win over Minnesota United and earn them a trip to the Western Conference Simi-finals. Larrys Mabiala opened the scoring for the Timbers while Franco Fragapane opened the game with what would be the lone goal for the visitors.
The home side would gave a good early chance when a Cristhian Paredes shot was just wide, but it would be the visitors that would make their first chance pay off, when in the 11th minute, Robin Lod played Romain Métanire through on a nice run, and the Minnesota defender played a nice pass across the goal face to a wide-open Franco Fragapane, who finished easily and the visitors had a 1-0 lead. In the 25th minute Minnesota had another good scoring chance when a nice free kick by Emanuel Reynoso required a diving save from Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark.
Neither team really threatened for much of the remainder of the half, but in the last five minutes of the half, the Timbers had a barrage of great chances. In the 42nd minute, a free kick by Yimmi Chará ended up bouncing high above defender Larrys Mabiala, who attempted a bicycle kick that was only kept out of the net by a nice shoulder save by defender Bakaye Dibassy. After Minnesota could not clear the ensuing corner kick, it ended back up on the foot of Yimmi Chará, whose hard shot was pushed just wide left by goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair. But then shortly afterwards, as the Timbers maintained the pressure, a cross from near the sideline by Claudio Bravo found the head of Mabiala, who rose above the crowd of defenders to put the ball just inside the right post and into the net, and the Timbers had drawn level at 1-1. This would be the score at the break.
It wouldn’t take long for the Timbers to jump into the lead in the second half, when less than a minute after the break, Bravo’s cross into the box was not cleared well, and Sebastián Blanco would have an open chance, and he made no mistake as he blasted his shot low inside the left post, and the Timbers had jumped out to a 2-1 lead.
With Minnesota pushing more players forward to try to find the equalizer, the Timbers would get more counterattacking chances, and the first came in the 61st minute when Dairon Asprilla led an attack that resulted in Paredes sliding a pass across to Yimmi Chará who just missed the tap-in chance at an open net, though it appeared the sideline judge was going to call the play offside had he converted.
But just four minutes later, the Timbers would get their third goal when Josecarlos Van Rankin hade a clean steal near midfield, then moved upfield under little pressure before dropping a pass to Blanco, who measured up a beautiful shot from 25 yards out that curled left to right and off the right post and into the goal, and the lead was now 3-1.
The Timbers packed in thier defense to protect the lead and had a few good counterattacking chances that didn’t pay off, but they did nearly sneak a late goal in when late substitute Diego Valeri stumbled around the Minnesota keeper and nearly put in a final shot from the turf, but his shot slipped just wide left. It would be the final play as the referee blew the whistle seconds later, and the Timbers had the 3-1 victory and move on to the next round of the playoffs, which will be Thanksgiving day on the road against the Colorado Rapids.
Steve Clark recorded five saves for the Timbers, while Dayne St. Clair recorded one save for Minnesota.
MATCH RECAP | Blanco brace barrels Portland Timbers to 3-1 playoff win over Minnesota United | Timbers Website
HIGHLIGHTS | Portland Timbers come back to win 3-1 over Minnesota | Nov. 21, 2021 | Timbers Website
