That scenario seemed unlikely when Krisztian Nemeth scored early in overtime to put the visitors up 2-1.
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Step forward Sporting’s Saad Abdul-Salaam, who could have secured a 6-5 shootout win – instead his effort struck one post and rolled agonisingly across the goalline to hit the other upright.
“My heart stopped for a couple of seconds there”, Kwarasey said.
In what ended up as the “greatest penalty kick shootout in MLS history” a MLS-record 22 players stepped to the penalty spot. “I never practice penalties”. Kansas City missed chances to end it in both the sixth and seventh round.
But when all was said and done, the Timbers had survived.
Nagbe registered a first-half brace and added an assist in the Timbers 4-1 win over the Colorado Rapids on Sunday at Providence Park. Adi might not be the best Nigerian striker at the moment but he is surely the best in form Nigerian striker now as far as consistency in goal scoring remains the yard stick in measuring strikers performance world wide. It arrived in the form of Jamil Walker, a little-used rookie who scored twice during a furious comeback that was capped off by a sudden-death victor in extra time from another unlikely hero, Brazilian forward Rodrigo Faria.
Portland opened the scoring in the 57th minute courtesy of Rodney Wallace, when a Nat Borchers header at the top of the box fell free in the area.
With time running out in the first knockout round, Kansas netted a dramatic equaliser as Kevin Ellis rose highest to head in Graham Zusi’s deep cross. The KC keeper stayed in the match until the 84th minute, when he went took a knee and had to be replaced by Kempin.
The rest, for Timbers faithful, was wild and unforgettable.
Sporting KC went unbeaten in five trips to Cascadia clubs in 2015 (0-0 at Seattle, 1-0 at Vancouver, 0-0 at Portland, 1-0 at Portland and now 2-2 at Portland). Vancouver visits Portland on Sunday with the second match in British Columbia on November 8.
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Portland appeared to be easing to the win as they held off the Kansas attack for long spells, but a twist arrived with just three minutes of normal time remaining.
