Armenteros scores twice, Timbers win 6th straight

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Samuel Armenteros scored twice and the Portland Timbers extended their franchise-record winning streak to six with a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.

Armenteros flicked Sebastian Blanco’s pass around defender Danny Wilson and then beat him to it for a chip finish that opened the scoring for Portland (6-3-2) in the 29th minute.

Julio Cascante gave one back to Colorado (2-7-2) in the 31st with an own goal on a stab attempt to clear away Edgar Castillo’s cross.

Armenteros made it 2-1 in the 37th minute, heading back Tim Howard’s attempt to punch away Blanco’s cross.

Diego Valeri settled Blanco’s diagonal cross and slotted one past Howard in the 57th minute to make it 3-1.

Yannick Boli cut Colorado’s deficit to one with a penalty kick in the ninth minute of stoppage time but referee Sorin Stoica blew the final whistle before allowing play to resume.

Colorado has lost six in a row, its longest such streak since losing seven straight in 2014.

TIMBERS 3, RAPIDS 2

Portland 2 1—3

Colorado 1 1—2

First half—1, Portland, Armenteros, 2 (Blanco), 29th minute. 2, Colorado, Cascante 1 (own goal), 31st. 3, Portland, Armenteros, 3 (Blanco), 37th.

Second half—4, Portland, Valeri, 5 (Blanco), 56th. 5, Colorado, Boli, 1 (penalty kick), 99th.

Goalies—Portland, Jeff Attinella; Colorado, Tim Howard.

Yellow Cards—Gashi, Colorado, 3rd; Wilson, Colorado, 23rd; Valeri, Portland, 38th; Mabiala, Portland, 62nd; Nicholson, Colorado, 87th; Boli, Colorado, 88th; Flores, Portland, 92nd.

A—17,424 (18,061)

Lineups

Portland—Jeff Attinella; Julio Cascante, Larrys Mabiala, Alvas Powell (Bill Tuiloma, 79th), Zarek Valentin; Sebastian Blanco, Diego Chara, Andres Flores, Cristhian Paredes (David Guzman, 84th), Diego Valeri; Samuel Armenteros (Fanendo Adi, 76th).

Colorado—Tim Howard; Nana Boateng (Joe Mason, 66th), Edgar Castillo, Tommy Smith, Danny Wilson (Yannick Boli, 46th), Deklan Wynne; Shkelzen Gashi (Axel Sjoberg, 46th), Enzo Martinez, Sam Nicholson, Jack Price; Dominique Badji.