San Diego FC Wins Inaugural Playoff โGame, Defeats Portland Timbers 2-1
SAN โฃDIEGO (AP) – In a historic night for the franchise, San Diego FC secured โคa 2-1 victoryโค overโข the Portland Timbers in the opening โขgame of their best-of-three frist-round MLS Cup playoff series on Sunday. Onni Valakari and Anders โขDreyer โฃeach found the net in the first half,โ propelling the top-seeded expansion club โฃto a crucial win in their first-ever postseason appearance.
Valakari broke the deadlock in โขthe 23rd minute,โข capitalizing on a shot from Manu Duah that โฃdeflected off the โคright post. It marked the firstโ goal of the regular โseason for valakari, who finished with four total. Seven minutes later, Dreyer extended San Diego’s lead to 2-0 with a header, assistedโฃ by rookie defender Luca bombino. Dreyer, in his debut season, proved a potentโค offensive force with โฃ19 goals and 19 assists throughout the year,โค while Bombino contributed fourโฃ assists inโ 26 appearances.
Portlandโ responded in the 36th minute with a goal from first-year defender Kristoffer Velde -โฃ his first career goal. The assist came from Antony Alves Santos, his first in playoff action, and veteran Diego Chara, 39, recorded his first postseason assist in 24 appearances, all โwith the Timbers.
The Timbers pressedโ for an equalizer in the second half, but were thwartedโฃ by San Diego’s defense and goalkeeper CJ dos Santos. Antonyโค had a one-on-one prospect โฃin the 61st minute, sending his shot left, and Kamal Miller headed over the crossbar just two minutes later.
Portland’sโ comeback efforts were further โขhampered โwhen defender Jimer Foryโ received two yellowโฃ cards in โคspeedy succession,resulting in a red card and forcing the โขTimbers to play a man down โfrom theโ 66thโ minute onward.
Dos Santos finished with two saves in his first postseasonโ start. Portland’s James Pantemis was busy, turning away six shots in his third playoff start and fifth overall appearance.
The series now shifts to Portland on Saturday,โ where san Diego previouslyโข earned a dominant 4-0 victory on October 18th.The teams also played โto a 0-0 draw in San Diego in late August.
Portlandโ reached the postseason for the firstโ time since 2021 and eighth โtime having defeated Real Salt Lake 3-1โ in โthe wild-card round on Wednesday. The Timbers previously lifted theโ MLS Cup in 2015. San Diego, meanwhile,โ enjoyed a remarkable inaugural season, โขwinning the Western Conference and now looking to continue their playoff run.
