Timbers rally to tie Earthquakes 3-3

PORTLAND — Kalif Alhassan scored in the 86th minute to give the Portland Timbers a 3-3 tie with the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday.

Portland (8-8-11) moved into sole possession of the fifth and final playoff position in the Western Conference, one point ahead of Vancouver. San Jose (6-10-0) is eight points behind the Timbers.

“It was another wild one,” Portland coach Caleb Porter said. “We certainly were entertaining here. The fans get their money’s worth.”

Alhassan ran onto a loose ball in the penalty area and slotted a shot past goalkeeper Jon Busch.

Alhassan tied it a minute after Chris Wondolowski scored his second of the game and 12th of the season for San Jose. Wondolowski rose above Portland’s defense to head in a looping cross.

“It was disappointing to go up 3-2 with very little time left on the clock and see it slip away,” San Jose coach Mark Watson said. “I know we’ve got a disappointed group of guys right now.”

San Jose took a 2-0 lead on goals by Wondolowski in the 21st minute and Cordell Cato in the 48th. Alvas Powell countered for Portland in the 54th, and Liam Ridgewell tied it in the 74th.

Wondolowski opened the scoring off a rebound, putting a left-footed shot past three defenders, and Cato made it 2-0 when he beat goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. Powell scored for Portland on a shot that deflected in off the far post, and Ridgewell jammed home a shot to tie it.

“It’s a four-team race for that fifth spot,” Porter said. “We got one point, but three points would have put a lot more pressure on the teams below us.”

TIMBERS 3, EARTHQUAKES 3

San Jose 1 2–3

Portland 0 3–3

First half–1, San Jose, Wondolowski 11, 21st minute.

Second half–2, San Jose, Cato 3 (Wondolowski), 48th. 3, Portland, Powell 2 (Valeri), 54th. 4, Portland, Ridgewell 2 (Valeri), 74th. 5, San Jose, Wondolowski 12 (Salinas), 85th. 6, Portland, Alhassan 1 (Powell, Valeri), 86th.

Goalies–San Jose, Jon Busch; Portland, Donovan Ricketts.

Yellow Cards–Johnson, Portland, 57th; Francis, San Jose, 76th; Salinas, San Jose, 81st; Powell, Portland, 88th; Bernardez, San Jose, 90th+; Wondolowski, San Jose, 90th+.

Referee–Allen Chapman. Assistant Referees–George Gansner. Paul Scott. 4th Official–Daniel Radford.

A–20,184 (20,000)

Lineups

San Jose–Jon Busch, Shaun Francis, Victor Bernardez, Jason Hernandez, Jordan Stewart (Ty Harden, 80th), Sam Cronin, Tommy Thompson, Shea Salinas, Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi (JJ Koval, 77th), Cordell Cato, Chris Wondolowski.

Portland–Donovan Ricketts, Alvas Powell, Liam Ridgewell, Pa-Modou Kah, Will Johnson, Diego Valeri, Darlington Nagbe, Jorge Villafana, Diego Chara, Fanendo Adi (Maximiliano Urruti, 71st), Gaston Fernandez (Kalif Alhassan, 61st).