Match Recap & Highlights: Portland Timbers 2 - 1 San Jose Earthquakes

The Timbers pick up a potentially seismic win against the Earthquakes as the playoffs draw closer and closer.

The Portland Timbers (10-9-11) took care of business at home with a 2-1 midweek victory against Jeremy Ebobisse and the San Jose Earthquakes (10-10-10). The win takes the Timbers’ record to 4-1-1 under Miles Joseph, and keeps the club firmly in the playoff hunt.

Recap

Miles Joseph made four changes from the side that beat Austin FC 2-1 away from home on Sunday night — bringing in Franck Boli, Sebastian Blanco, Bryan Acosta, and Juan Mosquera for Felipe Mora, Yimmi Chara, Dairon Asprilla, and Eric Miller.

After a relatively tame first half, Cristhian Paredes opened the scoring deep into first half stoppage time on the feed from Acosta. Evander made it 2-0 in the 58th minute with a scruffy tap-in, before Hoppe did the same two minutes later in front of the Timbers Army. Portland had more chances to seal the win in the second half, but in the end the two goals were enough for the Timbers to take all three points.

Highlights

25’ The first dangerous shot on target came through Evander via a free kick. The Brazilian lined one up after Boli had been barged over outside the box, producing a smart stop from Daniel in the San Jose net.

32’ Paul Marie was cautioned for dragging back Santi Moreno, who had recovered the ball with a lot of green grass in front of him.

35’ Carlos Gruezo was shown San Jose’s second caution of the match for a late foul on Evander.

42’ Cristhian Paredes was shown a card for a very mundane foul, which will keep him out of the Timbers’ weekend match against the Colorado Rapids.

45+3’ GOAL TIMBERS, 1-0 The absolute perfect end to the half for the Timbers saw Paredes tap a first-time cross from Bryan Acosta into the back of the net from close range on the counter. An excellent goal for the Timbers to take into the break.

Halftime: The Timbers led San Jose 1-0 after 45 minutes.

53’ Claudio Bravo struck a powerful, low shot straight into the arms of Daniel after San Jose failed to clear an attempted pass from Franck Boli.

58’ GOAL TIMBERS, 2-0 Evander doubled the Timbers’ lead with a goal not too dissimilar to the one he scored in the previous win against Austin FC. A methodical buildup saw Paredes find Sebastian Blanco on the left side of the box, and Chucky’s deflected shot found its way to Evander, who only had to tap the ball into the net.

60’ GOAL EARTHQUAKES, 2-1 An immediate response for the visitors came through Matthew Hoppe, who turned a spilled save from Bingham home inside the six-yard box.

64’ SUBS Antony, Yimmi Chara, and Felipe Mora entered the match for Blanco, Evander, and Boli.

78’ SUB Dairon Asprilla replaced Santi Moreno.

88’ Felipe Mora had a chance to ice the game for the Timbers, but sent a curling right-footed strike wide of the far post.

90’ Six minutes of stoppage time were added to the end of the second half (which turned into eight plus…).

Full Time: The Timbers killed the game off well and held on for a massive 2-1 over San Jose.

Final Thoughts

The first half was exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Timbers under interim head coach Miles Joseph: compact defending, high-pressing, and clinical on the counter attack. Paredes made up for his suspension-earning yellow with a timely stoppage time goal, set up perfectly by my MotM Bryan Acosta.

“He’s just one of those players that when he became available, it was basically a must-have,” said Miles Joseph of Bryan Acosta postgame. “He represents a lot of what the Portland Timbers are.”

The second half was more of the same, with Evander doubling the lead before a sloppy piece of defending from Portland allowed San Jose a route back into the match through Hoppe.

UP NEXT: The Timbers host Western Conference cellar dwellers the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night in another must-win match. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT.