The Portland Timbers opened their 2023 Major League Soccer season on a chilly night at Providence Park against Sporting Kansas City. It would be Juan David Mosquera with the lone goal for the Timbers in a 1-0 win. David Bingham had the shutout in goal.
The Timbers nearly got on the board in the 5th minute when Evander and Jarosław Niezgoda pressured Kansas City goalkeeper John Pulskamp causing a loose ball that Marvin Loría was able to jump on, but his shot was saved nicely by Pulskamp.
But about a minute later Juan David Mosquera was able to run down a long ball just inside the touchline and wrestle it away from defender Ben Sweat. Mosquera then played a nice give-and-go with Yimmi Chará and had a good look from close in. His low shot was deflected but not stopped by Pulskamp, and slipped into the net, giving the Timbers an early 1-0 lead.
In the 24th minute, Sporting Kansas City would have two excellent chances by midfielder Erik Thommy, the first a shot from 10 yards out that was stopped by a nice reaction save from David Bingham, then 10 seconds later Thommy had another nice chance with a chip shot that Bingham did well to retreat and tip over the crossbar. The Timbers held a 1-0 lead at the break.
In the 60th minute, off a corner kick, Sporting’s Roger Espinoza did well to head a tight-angle shot that slipped just wide of the post. Then in the 73rd minute the Timbers had a nice fast break passing sequence between Evander and Nathan Fogaça, who dropped the ball to a trailing Loría, getting a nice chance that was stopped nicely by Pulskamp.
In the 77th minute, Kansas City’s Dániel Sallói had a great chance to equalize when pass was headed to him only about 10 yards out, but his shot was smothered nicely by Bingham.
The visitors would have their best scoring chance of the night off a corner kick in the first minute of stoppage time, which was met nicely by William Agada, but his headed shot would slip just wide right. Fogaça would give the Timbers another chance to add to their lead on a breakaway chance saved about a minute later, But the lone goal early in the match was enough to secure a 1-0 win.
David Bingham would record four saves in earning the shutout, while John Pulskamp would record three saves for Sporting Kansas City.
Timbers defeat Sporting Kansas City 1-0 in home opener | Timbers website
