Timbers’ run of 6 wins ends with 1-1 draw against the Galaxy
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Diego Valeri scored on a penalty kick early in the second half to lift the Portland Timbers into a 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy on Saturday.
The tie snaps Portland’s six-game winning streak. The Timbers (6-3-3) have not lost since April 8 at Orlando.
The six consecutive wins was a club record and matches Orlando’s streak for the longest in Major League Soccer this season. It also matched the second-longest winning streak in the league since 2000 – when the league started recording draws. Sporting Kansas City won seven straight in 2012.
Portland, coming off a victory at Colorado last weekend, was winless in its first five games of the season, earning just two overall points. All of games were played on the road because of construction at Providence Park.
The Galaxy (5-7-2) was coming off a 3-2 loss in Dallas on Wednesday night. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored both goals in the loss, the first in the 69th minute and the second in stoppage time.
Ibrahimovic started against Dallas and was a substitute against the Timbers. He did not warm up pregame, joining the bench shortly before game-time. He entered the game in the 72nd minute to the boos of the Portland crowd.
Ibrahimovic came to the Galaxy in late March from Manchester United, where he played for two seasons. The 36-year-old made 53 appearances with the English club, scoring 29 goals.
In nine appearances for the Galaxy this season, Ibrahimovic has five goals and three assists.
There would be no late heroics against the Timbers.
The Galaxy took the early lead with a left-footed goal from Chris Pontius in the 20th minute. Still trailing at the half, the Timbers tied it with Diego Valeri’s penalty kick in the 57th minute. It was the reigning league MVP’s team-leading sixth goal of the season.
But the Timbers were hurt in the 63rd minute when Diego Chara was handed a yellow card, which means he’ll be suspended for next weekend’s game against Sporting Kansas City.
Portland’s best change to preserve the winning streak came in the 83rd minute with Bill Tuiloma’s header, but Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham deflected it outside of the post.
The Galaxy were short-handed with forward Ola Kamara (Norway), Giovanni and Jonathan dos Santos (Mexico) all on World Cup duty. The Timbers were missing David Guzman (Costa Rica) and Andy Polo (Peru).
