Sporting Kansas City, New York Red Bulls past New England Revolution also land MLS play-off spots; Philadelphia Union go three points clear at the top of the Eastern Conference ahead of Toronto FC
Thursday 29 October 2020 09:27, UK
Jaroslaw Niezgoda scored two first-half goals as the Portland Timbers clinched a spot in the play-offs with a 5-2 victory over LA Galaxy on Wednesday.
It is the fourth straight season that the Timbers have made the post-season while Galaxy have lost eight of their past nine games and are sitting in last place in the Western Conference.
The Timbers went up early on when Niezgoda headed home towards the far post in the sixth minute. He got his second in the 19th minute, giving him seven goals on the season. Portland captain Diego Valeri then converted a penalty on the half an hour mark.
Galaxy closed the gap to 3-1 with Pavon's first goal less than a minute into the second half, but Eryk Williamson scored in the 60th minute and Andy Polo's stunning volley in the 74th added to Portland's lead. Yimmi Chara finished with three assists.
Pavon added his second in stoppage time, giving him nine goals this season.
Roger Espinoza scored and Sporting Kansas City clinched a play-off berth with a 1-0 victory over FC Cincinnati.
Sporting KC also moved into the Western Conference lead. Cincinnati lost their third straight match and are eliminated from play-off contention.
Espinoza's shot from close range deflected off goalkeeper Spencer Richeys left foot in the 57th minute.
Aaron Long scored in the 89th minute to lift New York Red Bulls past New England Revolution 1-0. Both teams clinched playoff spots later when FC Dallas beat Inter Miami.
Long put away a half-volley from the top of the six-yard box after Tim Parkers re-directed a corner kick by Alejandro Romero Gamarra. Ryan Meara made two saves for his third shutout of the season.
Valentin Castellanos provided the creative spark for New York City FC as they defeated Toronto 1-0 at the Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in Connecticut.
In the 51st minute, Jess Medina latched onto a rebound to score after goalkeeper Quentin Westberg could only push Castellanos' fierce shot back into the danger area.
Cory Burke scored on a header in the 65th minute and the Philadelphia Union beat the Chicago Fire 2-1 to go three points ahead of Toronto at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference.
Kacper Przybylko scored a penalty for Union in the 28th minute. Robert Beric tied it in the 42nd minute after a pass from Djordje Mihailovic.
Goalkeeper Andre Blake blocked Berics left-footed shot from a difficult angle in the 64th minute. Beric also missed a header from close range in the 76th.
Chris Wondolowski scored twice as San Jose Earthquakes beat Real Salt Lake 2-0.
Cristian Espinoza fired a shot that hit the left post and Wondolowski tapped in the rebound from close range in the 16th minute. Shea Salinas later crossed to Wondolowski, who tapped in his sixth goal of the season in the 74th minute.
Wondolowski, who has 165 career goals and is the MLS all-time leading goalscorer, ended an 11-game scoreless streak.
Diego Rossi and Eddie Segura scored the goals in a 2-1 Los Angeles FC victory at home to Houston Dynamo.
Rossi, despite missing three games on international duty with Uruguay, has an MLS-leading 13 goals this season and LAFC have won back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Kenneth Vermeer misplayed the ball as he came off his line and Ariel Lassiter, the 26-year-old son of former MLS star Roy Lassiter, tapped in from point-blank range in the 46th minute to cap the scoring.
Houston are winless, with three losses, in their last five games.
Daryl Dike had a goal and an assist to continue his strong rookie campaign while Chris Mueller scored a free-kick as Orlando City beat Atlanta United 4-1.
The 20-year-old Dike took a pass from Ruan Gregorio Teixeira, turned and fired a right-footer inside the post to open the scoring in the 29th minute, scoring his sixth goal this season. Tesho Akindele and Matheus Aias also scored for Orlando City. Erick Torres netted the reply for Atlanta.
Robin Lod scored and an own goal by the Colorado Rapids helped Minnesota United to a 2-1 win. Minnesota have now won back-to-back games and are unbeaten in their last six games.
On the counter-attack, Ethan Finlay played an arcing cross that Colorado's Lalas Abubakar attempted to clear but slipped under the crossbar for an own goal in the 89th minute to give Minnesota the lead.
Lod ran onto a pass from Emanuel Reynoso and side-footed home from the top of the area to open the scoring in the 44th minute. Andre Shinyashiki tied it for the Rapids in the 69th.
Julian Gressel scored as DC United boosted their playoff hopes by beating Columbus Crew 1-0.
Yamil Asad sent a pass to Gressel, whose shot deflected off a defender and into the net in the 32nd minute.
Ryan Hollingshead scored in the 82nd minute, helping FC Dallas beat Inter Miami 2-1.
Bryan Reynolds crossed to Hollingshed, who fired a shot from close range that beat goalkeeper John McCarthy. Franco Jara, who has five goals in the last 11 games for Dallas, scored on a penalty kick in the 60th. Rodolfo Pizarro scored in the 33rd minute for Miami.
