Nagbe leads Portland Timbers to 2-1 win over Vancouver

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Darlington Nagbe scored a spectacular goal early and Darren Mattocks added his first of the season as the Portland Timbers defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 on Saturday.

Nagbe’s highlight reel strike came in the 18th minute, when he received a pass 30 yards from goal and danced away from two Vancouver defenders. Moving toward the penalty area, he shrugged off a challenge by Kendall Waston, who has an 8 inch and 50 pound advantage. Nagbe finished the play by blasting a right-footed shot from 20 yards out over Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted and off the bottom of the crossbar for his second goal of the season.

Portland (5-2-1) , which leads the Western Conference, doubled its lead in the 39th minute, with Nagbe involved again. His threaded pass found Diego Valeri on the right wing, who then drove a cross into the Vancouver penalty area. Mattocks was racing into the area and met the cross, driving the ball past Ousted from 5 yards out.

Mattocks was filling in for co-leading scorer Fanendo Adi, who was suspended for the game.

Fredy Montero halved the lead midway through the second half for the Whitecaps (2-4-1) when he cleaned up a rebound on his own missed penalty for his fourth goal.

Portland’s win was marred by a hip injury to star midfielder Valeri, who was stretchered off the field in the 80th minute.