KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Portland found a way to spoil Chance Myers' big night and Sporting Kansas City's roll-out of its new black third kit with blue argyle trim.
Make that three ways.
Myers recorded the first two goals of his career, including the third-quickest in club history, but the Timbers became the first club this year to hang three on Kansas City in Saturday night's 3-2 victory at Sporting Park.
Ryan Johnson had a goal and an assist for the Timbers (3-1-4), who extended their unbeaten streak to six matches and have won three of their last four. Sporting (4-3-2) lost back-to-back matches for the first time this year and have conceded five times over that span after giving up just three goals in their first seven matches.
Rodney Wallace delivered the game-winner in the 58th minute, after Diego Chara capitalized on a bad exchange in midfield. Chara slotted a through ball to a streaking Wallace, who shrugged off Myers and slipped the ball past Jimmy Nielsen.
That goal capped a series of comebacks in a match that appeared to be in hand for Sporting after the opening minute.
Just 40 seconds into the game, Myers ran onto Matt Besler's long throw-in and headed past Donovan Ricketts for the fastest goal ever at Sporting Park. Only Davy Arnaud (33 seconds in 2003) and Scott Sealy (36 seconds in 2006) had netted earlier in a match for Kansas City.
That lead didn't hold up long, though. After Jimmy Nielsen had to dive to parry away Wallace's blast, Ryan Johnson headed Diego Valeri's corner kick off Benny Feilhaber's head and into the roof of the net to equalize for the Timbers in the 24th minute.
Myers struck again just five minutes later, tapping the ball home after a long ball from Feilhaber and a short setup pass from center back Aurelien Collin. But in the 33rd, Johnson drove into the area and crossed to Darlington Nagbe. His tap-in was a formality, and the game was knotted at 2-2.
Opta Chalkboard: Portland do what most won't try, standing toe-to-toe with Kansas City at Sporting Park
Sporting generated several opportunities to equalize late, including Myers' header that went wide left in the 82nd minute, but could not convert. Donovan Ricketts preserved the win by saving Collin's stoppage-time header and then corralling a loose ball on the ensuing corner kick.
Jacob Peterson saw his first action for Sporting since offseason shoulder surgery, coming in as a 61st-minute sub for Feilhaber.
Portland next plays on Thursday at home against New England, while Sporting are at home to Chivas USA on May 5.
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
MLSsoccer.com Men of the Match
Rank |
Player |
What We Saw |
1 |
<span style="font-size:12px;"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/rodney-wallace" target="_blank">Rodney Wallace</a></span> |
Everyone will remember his cool finish on the game-winner; fewer, perhaps, will recall that his blast, barely saved by Jimmy Nielsen, set up a corner-kick equalizer in the first half. |
2 |
<span style="font-size:12px;"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/ryan-johnson" target="_blank">Ryan Johnson</a></span> |
With a goal and an assist, Johnson helped the Timbers recover from conceding just 40 seconds into the match. Battled gamely with Aurelien Collin all night. |
3 |
<span style="font-size:12px;"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/chance-myers" target="_blank">Chance Myers</a></span> |
With a win, he would have topped this list with the first two goals of his career. As it was, Portland found (and exploited) plenty of space behind the right back. |
