Timbers, RSL Forced to Settle With a Draw

Sunsets are always magical at Rio Tinto. Photo: Kali Korbis

Saturday night, Real Salt Lake was wondering if they could have done better with their chances to protect three points at home while the Portland Timbers wondering if they could have returned home to Portland with three themselves, as they conceded a 2-1 lead at Rio Tinto Stadium to draw 2-2 against Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah.

With Nagbe out on international duty, the Timbers started Ned Grabavoy on the left wing, while Zarek Valentin and Jermaine Taylor swapped positions at left and right back. Ben Zemanski started next to Diego Chara as the Timbers’ defensive midfielders. Real Salt Lake made one change from their win against NYC FC, bringing in Tony Beltran in at right back.

The Timbers’ set piece defending was exploited and found themselves in an early deficit, as Real Salt Lake found Juan Martinez at the back post on a corner kick in the 17th minute. The Real Salt Lake striker hit a thumping header over Valentin and left Jake Gleeson with little chance to save it, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in Sandy.

Real Salt Lake nearly found a second, as Martinez found himself making a run into the Timbers’ penalty area off a cheeky backheel pass from Luke Mulholland. The striker did his own back heel pass, which Jermaine Taylor struggled to clear. Joao Plata found a shot, but it went straight to Gleeson to the Timbers’ relief.

The Timbers took advantage of poor possession from Real Salt Lake in the 29th minute. Jermaine Taylor hit a perfect one-touch pass off mishandled pass from the hosts. It found Fanendo Adi, who powered his way past Justen Glad and slotted it past Nick Rimando, giving the Timbers the equalizer. It was Adi’s third goal against Real Salt Lake this season.

The visitors found themselves in the lead through Lucas Melano. Diego Valeri played a one-two pass with Adi, which found him open to take a shot inside RSL’s penalty area. It hit the woodwork but came to Melano’s feet, whose shot beat the Real Salt Lake goalkeeper on the near post, giving the Timbers’ a 2-1 lead heading into the second half.

The hosts came out aggressively in the second half, dominating the tempo and possession. They eventually found a much deserved equalizer in the 70th minute when they were awarded a penalty. Jermaine Taylor made contact on RSL’s Yura Movsisyan in the box. He took the penalty and hit it perfectly to Gleeson’s right, giving the Timbers’ keeper helpless to stop it.

In the 74th minute, Movsisyan could have given Real Salt Lake the lead, as he took advantage of the Timbers’ poor clearance and hit a powerful looping shot. However, Jake Gleeson came up big for the visitors and parried away the shot to keep the score at 2-2.

The Timbers found themselves with an opportunity to take the lead. In the 85th minute, Timbers subs Jack Barmby and Darren Mattocks found themselves linking up on the attack, with the Jamaican international breaking past the backline on a through ball from the Englishman. His shot went past Rimando on the far post and into the back of the net. However, to the Timbers’ disbelief, the goal was disallowed as the linesman had called offsides on the Timbers winger. Replays showed that Mattocks looked to be onside.

Real Salt Lake had one more chance in the waning minutes of the game, as the hit a long ball past the Timbers’ defense. Plata looked to have picked out Olmes García on the counter with a well-hit long pass from the right wing. However, Diego Chara made an acrobatic clearance that kept RSL from coming out with three points.

In the end, both teams had to settle with a point after hard-fought match at Rio Tinto Stadium. But each team were left to rue the chances they had of coming away with all three points on Saturday night.