Timbers, FC Dallas play to 1-1 tie
Portland's Sebastian Blanco scored just two minutes into the second half to tie the match and Jake Gleeson made a point-blank save in the 86th minute to keep it that way as the shorthanded Timbers and FC Dallas played to a 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon at Toyota Stadium in the north Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas.
FC Dallas' Roland Lamah continued his early-season scoring prowess when he found the net in the 36th minute. Working directly in front of the box but in traffic, Lamah gathered in a nifty back-heel pass from Jacori Hayes, switched to his left foot and steadied the ball before unleashing a low shot to the left of Portland goalkeeper Jake Gleeson.
It was his third goal in the past two games for Lamah.
Portland wasted no time tying the match after halftime as Blanco scored in the 47th minute after an assist from Fanendo Adi. Blanco took a pass from Adi on the right side of the box, and dribble back toward the middle of the field before lifting a shot over the head of Dallas netminder Jimmy Mauer.
The Timbers played the final 14-plus minutes of the match with just 10 men after Lawrence Olum was sent off after receiving his second yellow card for a handball.
FC Dallas outshot the Timbers 12-11 though Portland owned a 6-2 edge in shots on target. FCD also forged first-half advantages in total passes (490-326), passing accuracy (83 percent-79 percent), possession percentage (61 percent-39 percent), and duels won (46-31).
FC Dallas has lost just one of its past 14 home matches in MLS play (six wins, seven draws) and has won six of the 10 matches played against the Timbers in Frisco, with four others ending in a draw.
Portland remains on the road for the fourth of five games to start the season when it plays at Chicago on March 31. FC Dallas has next week off before hosting Colorado on April 7.
--Field Level Media
