By Canadian Press

Timbers extend unbeaten streak with 1-0 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps

Sep 27, 2020 | 9:25 PM

PORTLAND, Ore. — Felipe Mora’s goal led the Portland Timbers to a 1-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday.

The victory extends the Timbers’ (7-4-3) unbeaten streak to four games. The Whitecaps (5-9-0) have lost two outings in a row.

Strikers Fredy Montero and Lucas Cavallini had a number of chances for Vancouver but ultimately couldn’t even the score after Mora’s tally in the fifth minute.

Goalie Bryan Meredith stopped six shots in his second game for the ‘Caps, and Steve Clark had three saves for the Timbers to collect his third clean sheet of the year.

Despite playing the Timbers in Portland, the Whitecaps were technically the home team Sunday night. All three Canadian Major League Soccer clubs are playing the remaining games of the season in the U.S. and Portland is the ‘Caps “home base.”

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On the TV broadcast, white and blue Whitecaps banners were superimposed over the seats in Providence Park and sounds of a cheering ‘Caps crowed were piped in over the sound system.

The odd situation didn’t impact the Timbers offence.

Just five minutes in, Eryk Williamson took a free kick, sending the ball into the danger area. Mora got his head on it, redirecting it in past Meredith to put the Timbers on the scoreboard.

An earlier marker off a set piece was Vancouver’s downfall in an ugly 6-0 loss to Los Angeles FC on Wednesday. The Whitecaps crumbled after Dejan Jakovic scored off a corner kick two minutes in. It was the first of four goals the squad conceded in just 14 minutes.

The Whitecaps kept their composure after Mora’s early tally on Sunday, and even had a good chance for a quick response.

In the seventh minute, Ali Adnan lofted a high ball into the Timbers box where Andy Rose tried to head it in. His shot caught the far post instead.

Portland controlled 58 per cent of possession through the first half, but Vancouver stayed strong defensively and tested the Timbers in tight.

The Whitecaps’ press to level the game continued early in the second.

Cristian Dajome got a beautiful cross to a diving Lucas Cavallini in the 52nd minute but the Canadian striker’s ball went just wide of the Portland net.

Vancouver coach Marc Dos Santos was forced to make a change midway through the second frame after defender Cristian Gutierrez went down after getting tangled up with a Timbers defender near the Portland net. Trainers came out to look at Gutierrez’s foot before he was helped off the field and replaced by David Milinkovic.

Diego Valeri looked poised to increase Portland’s lead in injury time with a blast from the top of the penalty box, but a diving Meredith made the stop to keep the score 1-0.

Sunday marked the Whitecaps’ fifth game in 15 days.

Many of the club’s players and staff plan to head back to Vancouver for a couple of days of rest and quarantine before facing the Sounders in Seattle on Oct. 3.

NOTES: Portland did not start a single designated player. … Fredy Montero wore the captain’s armband for the Whitecaps. The team’s usual captain, Russell Teibert, sat out with an undisclosed injury.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2020.

The Canadian Press