Valeri's two goals push Timbers past Sounders; NYCFC beats Impact
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PORTLAND, Oregon — Diego Valeri scored goals on either side of halftime to give the Portland Timbers a 3–1 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Sunday.
The win extended Portland’s MLS unbeaten streak to nine games (4–0–5).
Valeri’s first came on the brink of halftime, as he combined with Lucas Melano to move the ball down the left wing. Melano eventually threaded a pass through three Seattle defenders into the path of Valeri, who sent a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
The lead was doubled five minutes into the second half with Valeri’s ninth goal of the season. After receiving a cross-field pass from Jermaine Taylor, Valeri worked past defender Joevin Jones near the goal line and sliced a shot with the outside of his foot over Frei, off the far post, and in.
In the 59th minute, Seattle’s Chad Marshall headed in Andreas Ivanschitz’s corner kick for his third goal. But Portland restored the two-goal advantage five minutes later on Fanendo Adi’s goal.
Melano carried the ball from box to box before sliding a pass across to Adi, who chipped a shot over Frei for his 10th goal of the season.
Portland’s Jake Gleeson finished with five saves to earn his sixth win of the season.
Seattle has lost seven of its last 10 league matches (2–7–1) and was missing captain Clint Dempsey. The national team star was suspended after receiving a red card in Wednesday’s match against FC Dallas.
NYCFC 3, Impact 1
MONTREAL — David Villa and Jack Harrison scored in the first half and first-place New York City held on for a 3–1 victory over the Montreal Impact on Sunday night.
Frank Lampard, with his fifth goal in six games, added a late goal for New York City (9–6–6). NYC has won five of its last six matches, and improved to 6–3–1 on the road.
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Harry Shipp scored for Montreal (6–5–8). The Impact had a six-game unbeaten streak.
A full house of 20,801 at Saputo Stadium saw former Chelsea teammates Lampard and Didier Drogba play against one another for the first time, with NYC’s Villa and Andrea Pirlo in the match as a bonus.
Villa scored in the 35th, beating Victor Cabrera to a pass at the edge of the 18-yard box and scoring with a low shot. It was the Spaniard’s league-leading 13th and his fifth in five games against Montreal over two seasons.
Harrison struck in first-half injury time, dribbling past Ambroise Oyongo inside the area and scoring inside the far post.
Shipp got one back in the 55th on what looked like a pass from the left side intended for Drogba.
Union 2, Red Bulls 2
CHESTER, Pa. — Chris Pontius and C.J. Sapong scored goals about a minute apart to help the Philadelphia Union rally for a 2–2 tie with the New York Red Bulls on Sunday night.
Pontius poked a cross from Fabian Herbers into a wide-open net to tie it in the 68th minute.
Sacha Kljestan rolled a left footer, off the feed from Bradley Wright-Phillips, from just inside the top of the box to the far post to open the scoring in the 27th. Kljestan blasted a free kick, after Ilson Pereira was issued a yellow card for a foul on Felipe Martins, from just outside the top of the box to make it 2–0 in the 44th.
The Union (8–6–6) cut the deficit in half on Sapong’s penalty kick, after Pontius drew a penalty—and a yellow card—on Sal Zizzo in the 67th minute. It was Sapong’s sixth goal this season and his first since May 14.
The Red Bulls (8–9–4) have one win in their last six matches after winning four in a row.
