David Da Costa, Kristoffer Velde and Vincent Janssen scored goals as the Portland Timbers recorded a big result with a 3-1 victory over the visiting Houston Dynamo on Sunday night.
Janssen assisted on Portland’s first two goals, and Da Costa set up Janssen on the third with a corner kick as the Timbers won their third consecutive match. Portland (12-14-7, 43 points) moved into eighth place in the Western Conference, ahead of the Colorado Rapids and Seattle Sounders, who have the same point total.
The Timbers have scored nine goals during their winning streak. Portland will look to clinch a playoff spot when it visits Austin FC next Saturday on Decision Day.
Austin Bouzat scored for the Dynamo (14-10-9, 51 points), who slipped to fifth place in the West. Houston had already clinched a playoff berth.
Houston scratched goalkeeper Jonathan Bond after pregame warmups, while neither leading scorer Guilherme (16 goals, 10 assists) nor key player Hector Herrera was active for the match.
Blake Gillingham made his first start and second appearance in goal this season for the Dynamo. He made three saves. Portland’s James Pantemis wasn’t called upon to make any.
The Timbers held a 17-9 edge in shots and put six on target, compared with one for Houston.
Portland had a big chance in the 10th minute, but a wide-open Janssen headed the ball over the net.
In the 25th minute, Janssen had the ball on the right and sent a centering pass to Da Costa, who ripped a close-range, left-footed shot into the upper-left corner.
Velde had an opportunity for the Timbers in the 37th minute but sent his right-footed shot over the net.
In the 65th minute, Janssen collected the ball in midfield and sent a pass ahead to a streaking Velde, who was behind two Houston defenders. Velde dribbled into the box and easily sent a right-footed shot past Gillingham into the right corner for a 2-0 lead.
Six minutes later, Portland turned the ball over in its own end. Duncan McGuire fed Bouzat at the top of the box, and he sent a left-footed shot along the ground into the right corner.
The Timbers restored their two-goal advantage in the 78th minute when Da Costa took a corner kick and sent it toward the front of the net. Janssen positioned himself in Gillingham’s path and headed the ball into the net.
–Field Level Media
