PORTLAND – Inconsistent play at Providence Park is one reason the Portland Timbers are desperate for wins as the Major League Soccer season winds down.
Wednesday’s 3-0 win over visiting San Jose was only the fifth victory this season at home for Portland. But it was a comprehensive effort. And it was important.
The win pushed Portland two points ahead of Vancouver and – at least temporarily – into playoff position. The Timbers (11-9-12, 45 points) have two games left while the Whitecaps have three, including a match on Friday at Seattle.
Diego Valeri scored twice in the second half, and Rodney Wallace gave Portland a lead just before halftime as the Timbers took care of business against a short-handed San Jose club.
Anything but a win on Wednesday would have significantly lengthened the odds of the Timbers reaching the playoffs for a second year in a row. With two matches left, at home against Real Salt Lake and at FC Dallas, Portland still has plenty of work ahead – and might still wind up outside the playoffs if Vancouver wins its three remaining games.
“We’re two steps away. We’re not there yet. We’re nowhere near close to being there. So we’ve got to keep fighting,” Timbers coach Caleb Porter said. “And we’re a team that plays our best when we’re hungry and our backs are against the wall. So we’ve got to keep in that mindset.”
One significant difference between the Timbers who started the season sluggishly and the team that is working feverishly to make the playoffs is Wallace. The left wing player missed the first half of the season recovering from a knee injury suffered in last season’s playoffs but has been a difference maker and an Earthquakes killer.
His goal from a sharp angle off a passing combination involving Fanendo Adi and Darlington Nagbe put Portland up 1-0 in the 42nd minute. On Saturday, Wallace scored twice in the second half to rally the Timbers to a 2-1 win at San Jose.
In the 50th minute, it was Wallace who drew the foul in the penalty area that earned the penalty kick that Valeri cashed in for a 2-0 Timbers lead.
In the 74th minute, Valeri scored his team-leading 11th goal of the season – he is the first Timbers MLS player to score at least 10 goals in a season. He found the open net after San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch made a diving save on a Wallace shot that came on a counter attack.
“I am very happy, but this is for the team,” Valeri said about becoming the first Timbers player to score more than 10 goals in a season.
San Jose (6-14-11), which was eliminated from playoff contention when Portland beat it on Saturday, played without several key players who are with their national teams. Among the missing for the Quakes were top scorer Chris Wondolowski with the United States national team and and center back Victor Bernardez of Honduras.
Timbers right back Alvas Powell is with the Jamaican national team. Michael Harrington played right back on Wednesday.
Portland has won three of its last four including two wins over San Jose in five days. The loss in that stretch was at Toronto after the Timbers led 2-0. Porter said that loss led to a close examination of how his team manages game situations. The coach praised his team’s approach after Wednesday’s win.
“I thought we were very mature in the first half” not to over commit to the attack,” Porter said. “I thought we were very mature second half how we shut the game down.”
Remaining games – Timbers: host Real Salt Lake on Oct. 17, at FC Dallas on Oct. 25. Whitecaps: at Seattle on Friday, at San Jose Oct. 18, host Colorado on Oct. 25.
