Houston Dynamo midfielder Rasheed Olabiyi, left, fights for the ball with Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Portland, Ore., Friday, August 21, 2015.
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Nagbe scored in the 76th minute and Melano tied it in the 86th with his first MLS goal – a half-volley finish that sent the stadium into delirium.
The Timbers continued to press, however, and eventually got past Deric when Nagbe struck with 14 minutes remaining after a one-two with Melano.
Portland had two solid appeals for penalties in the game, though both went unheeded by referee Ricardo Salazar.
The questions tactically for Caleb Porter revolve, as they most often have this season, around how Portland will set up and who the personnel will be up top.
A block in the box by Houston in the 22nd minute prompted a few cries of handball, and Timbers fans were even more frustrated when Garcia opened the scoring in the 40th minute. It was the first goal that the Timbers had conceded at home in 313 minutes. Houston hurried the other way, Bruin timed a run behind the defense perfectly and Brad Davis found him. In addition to the Timbers’ two goals, there were memorable almosts.
Kwarasey, who leads the league with 11 shutouts, had only allowed seven goals at home this season going into the match.
Goals from Boniek Garcia and Will Bruin put the visitors ahead, before Darlington Nagbe narrowed the scoreline for the Timbers in the final quarter-hour, and Lucas Melano scored his first goal in a Timbers jersey to bring the hosts level. Melano was credited with the assist. He was replaced by Kofi Sarkodie.
The visiting Dynamo were missing three key players, Giles Barnes, DaMarcus Beasley and Ricardo Clark, for the match due to injury.
It was the third meeting between the two teams.
Dynamo have four wins in their last ten Regular Season games including that impressive 3-0 victory over LA Galaxy, if they can perform like they did in that one, they have a great chance here. While we all have an area of focus assigned for us to gather thoughts and observations, we always add our comments about each aspect of the Timbers’ effort. The Timbers sit fourth in the Western Conference after posting their second straight 1-0 win, a stoppage-time nailbiter over Real Salt Lake last Saturday.
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Owen Coyle’s side come into the game after last weekends 2-0 defeat away at New England Revolution.
