Timbers can’t keep up with red-hot Atlanta, fall 5-1

ATLANTA — Teenage defender Caleb Wiley scored again, Thiago Almada added a goal and two assists and Atlanta United added to the best start in club history with a 5-1 romp over the Portland Timbers on Saturday night.

Wiley took a pass from Almada and scored in the 25th minute to give Atlanta United (3-0-1) a 1-0 lead. Wiley, an 18-year-old, became the fifth youngest player to have a hand in three goals in last week’s 3-0 victory over Charlotte FC.

Atlanta United stretched its lead to 2-0 at halftime when Almada stuck a free kick in the upper right corner of the net in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Giorgos Giakoumakis scored in the 59th minute — with assists from Wiley and Luiz Araújo — to make it 3-0. Araújo stretched the lead to 4-0 when he took a pass from Almada and scored in the 75th minute.

Tega Ikoba got Portland (1-3-0) on the scoreboard in the 83rd minute with an assist from Diego Gutiérrez. The Timbers haven’t been shut out in their last 24 matches, a club record and the longest active streak in the league.

Almada scored in the 86th minute to cap the scoring. Derrick Etienne Jr. and Andrew Gutman had assists.

Atlanta United outshot the Timbers 18-9 with an 8-3 edge in shots on goal.

Brad Guzan made two saves for Atlanta United. Aljaz Ivacic stopped three shots for Portland.

It was the Timbers’ first trip to Atlanta since losing 2-0 in the 2018 MLS Cup Final. Portland falls to 1-3-2 all-time versus Atlanta. The Timbers picked up their first win in the series last season, a 2-1 victory in Portland.

ATLANTA 5, TIMBERS 1

Portland 0 1—1

Atlanta 2 3—5

First Half—1, Atlanta, Wiley, 3 (Almada), 25th minute; 2, Atlanta, Almada, 3, 45th+5.

Second Half—3, Atlanta, Giakoumakis, 1 (Wiley), 59th; 4, Atlanta, Araujo, 2 (Almada), 75th; 5, Portland, Ikoba, 1 (Gutierrez), 83rd; 6, Atlanta, Almada, 4 (Etienne), 86th.

Goalies—Portland, Aljaz Ivacic, David Matthew Bingham; Atlanta, Brad Guzan, Quentin Westberg.

Yellow Cards—Mabiala, Portland, 45th+3; Bravo, Portland, 61st; Williamson, Portland, 67th; McGraw, Portland, 68th; Sosa, Atlanta, 81st.

Referee—Ted Unkel. Assistant Referees—Corey Parker, Ian McKay, Jair Antonio Marrufo. 4th Official—Ben Pilgrim.

A—42,648.

Lineups:

Portland—Aljaz Ivacic; Claudio Bravo (Justin Rasmussen, 69th), Larrys Mabiala, Zac McGraw (Tega Ikoba, 78th), Juan David Mosquera (Pablo Bonilla, 82nd), Dario Zuparic; Diego Chara, Santiago Moreno (Marvin Loria, 69th), Eryk Williamson; Nathan Uiliam Fogaca, Jaroslaw Niezgoda (Diego Gutierrez, 78th).

Atlanta—Brad Guzan; Andrew Gutman, Brooks Lennon, Miles Robinson (Luis Abram, 89th), Juan Sanchez, Caleb Wiley (Derick Etienne, 73rd); Thiago Almada, Franco Ibarra (Santiago Sosa, 73rd), Amar Sejdic (Ajani Fortune, 77th); Luiz Araujo, Giorgos Giakoumakis (Miguel Berry, 77th).