PORTLAND, Ore. – The battle between the two teams at the bottom of the Western Conference ended in a stalemate as the Portland Timbers and FC Dallas played to a 1-1 draw on a hot, steamy Sunday afternoon at JELD-WEN Field.
A goal by FCD forward Scott Sealy in the 51st minute – beautifully assisted by midfielders Brek Shea and David Ferreira – had Dallas in line for their second consecutive victory over Portland before a Zach Loyd red card and a late Jack Jewsbury golazo brought the hosts level.
OPTA CHALKBOARD: Loyd's card opens door for Timbers
After a dour first half that didn’t see much except some rough challenges and one sterling save each from Troy Perkins and Kevin Hartman, things came to life just on the other side of halftime.
HIGHLIGHTS: POR vs DAL
After Julian de Guzman fluffed a perfect look two minutes in, Ferreira, Shea and Sealy combined to give the visitors the lead four minutes later. Shea, making his first appearance since July 18, snuck past a flat-footed Portland backline to get onto the end of Ferreira’s perfectly weighted through ball. He then squared for Sealy, who had a simple tap-in for his second goal of the season.
Less than 60 seconds later, however, FCD were down to 10 men when Loyd was send off for dragging down Portland’s Franck Songo’o, his second yellow of the game. At that point, it became the Kevin Hartman show.
The veteran ‘keeper posted a series of highlight-reel saves in the second half, turning away Songo’o in the 62nd, Bright Dike in the 68th and Danny Mwanga in the 78th minute. But the Timbers continued to press, and Jewsbury was in the right place at the right time to get onto the end of a Hartman punch-out, lacing a left-footed volley that evened the score in the 79th.
The result left Dallas three points ahead of the Timbers and two behind Colorado for 7th place in the West. FCD host Colorado next Saturday.
Portland remain in the conference cellar with 20 points from 23 games, but snapped their five-game losing streak. They’ll have next weekend off before traveling to Toronto on Aug. 15.
Dan Itel covers the Timbers for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at dcitel@hotmail.com.
MLSsoccer.com Men of the Match
Rank |
Player |
What We Saw |
1 |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/kevin-hartman"><span style="font-size:12px;">Kevin Hartman</span></a> |
Vintage performance from one of the league's elder statesmen. Deserved a shutout, but was once again let down by his teammates' indiscipline |
2 |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/bright-dike"><span style="font-size:12px;">Bright Dike</span></a> |
The big man didn't get a goal, but he changed where the game was played for Portland and carved out acres of space on Jewsbury's stunner |
3 |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/david-ferreira"><span style="font-size:12px;">David Ferreira</span></a> |
When he wasn't being kicked to pieces he was the best, most dangerous player on the field. You could write poetry about the through ball on Sealy's goal |
