December 11, 2021 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Portland Timbers News Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – Playing in their third MLS Cup final, the Portland Timbers received a goal from Felipe Mora – the latest game-tying goal in MLS Cup history – to level the score at 1-1 in the 94th minute but fell 4-2 in a penalty-kick shootout against New York City FC in front of a sold-out crowd at Providence Park on Saturday afternoon.
Postseason Success
Portland appeared in its third MLS Cup final in seven seasons (2015, 2018, 2021). It marked the Timbers first time hosting MLS Cup after playing on the road in 2015 against Columbus Crew SC and Atlanta United FC in 2018. Notably, Portland is the 10th team in league history to reach MLS Cup at least three times. Saturday’s match was the fourth final Portland has played in since becoming a club in 1975 (1975 Soccer Bowl, 2015 MLS Cup Final, 2018 MLS Cup Final). Portland has made five consecutive trips to the MLS playoffs, including seven total appearances (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021).
MLS Cup Appearances
A total of nine players made their MLS Cup debuts: Claudio Bravo, Dario Zuparic, Josecarlos Van Rankin, Yimmi Chara, George Fochive, Santiago Moreno, Cristhian Paredes, Felipe Mora and Jaroslaw Niezgoda. Dairon Asprilla, Diego Chara and Diego Valeri appeared in their third MLS Cup with the Timbers. Diego Chara is the only Timbers player to start in all three MLS Cup finals for the club. Sebastián Blanco and Larrys Mabiala made their second appearances in an MLS Cup with Portland. Blanco and Mabiala both started in MLS Cup 2018 against Atlanta. Steve Clark played in his second MLS Cup. It was Clark’s first with Portland after he started for Columbus in MLS Cup 2015 against the Timbers. Mora is the third different player to score a goal for Portland in MLS Cup, joining Valeri (2015) and Rodney Wallace (2015).
Penalty-Kick Shootouts
The penalty-kick shootout was the seventh in a competitive match in all eras of the club, joining 2007 USL Playoffs vs. Atlanta Silverbacks, 2010 U.S. Open Cup third round vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 2015 MLS Knockout Round vs. Sporting Kansas City, the 2018 MLS Western Conference Semifinals vs. Seattle and the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament Round of 16 against FC Cincinnati and the first round of the 2020 playoffs against FC Dallas. It was Portland’s fifth penalty-kick shootout in its MLS era and the club’s fourth shootout in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Notably, it was the fifth MLS Cup to be decided by penalty kicks.
Goal-Scoring Plays
NYC – Valentín Castellanos (Maximiliano Moralez), 41st minute: Maximiliano Moralez sent in a free kick from the far right wing and Valentin Castellanos connected with a header, sneaking the ball just inside the right post.
POR – Felipe Mora, 94th minute: Yimmi Chara headed the ball into the center of the box and Jarsolaw Niezgoda unleashed a shot that was blocked by NYCFC in the box. Felipe Mora pounced on the loose ball and fired it into the bottom right corner.
Notes:
Portland appeared in its third MLS Cup final in seven seasons (2015, 2018, 2021).
Saturday’s match was the fourth final the Timbers have played in since becoming a club in 1975 (1975 Soccer Bowl, 2015, 2018, 2021 MLS Cup Final).
It marked the Timbers first time hosting MLS Cup after playing on the road in 2015 against Columbus Crew SC and Atlanta United FC in 2018.
Portland is the 10th team in league history to reach MLS Cup three or more times.
Over the club’s long history, the Timbers advanced to the semifinals of a competitive tournament for the 13th time as a club this year. Portland also accomplished the feat in the 1975 NASL Playoffs, the 1978 NASL Playoffs, 1989 WSL Playoffs, the 2007 USL Playoffs, the 2009 USL Playoffs, the 2013 U.S. Open Cup, the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs, the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, the 2019 U.S. Open Cup and the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020, before this year.
Steve Clark appeared in his second MLS Cup game. It was his first appearance with the Timbers in MLS Cup. Clark was the starting goalkeeper for Columbus Crew SC in 2015 against Portland.
Sebastián Blanco and Larrys Mabiala made consecutive MLS Cup starts. Both started in MLS Cup 2018 against Atlanta United FC.
Dairon Asprilla, Diego Chara and Diego Valeri are the only three players to appear in all three MLS Cup matches for Portland.
Diego Chara is the only player to start in all three MLS Cup matches for the Timbers.
Asprilla earned his first start in an MLS Cup. He appeared as a substitute in 2015 and 2018.
Nine players made their MLS Cup debuts for Portland: Claudio Bravo, Dario Zuparic, Josecarlos Van Rankin, Yimmi Chara, George Fochive, Santiago Moreno, Cristhian Paredes, Felipe Mora and Jaroslaw Niezgoda.
Mora scored the latest game-tying goal in MLS Cup history. The goal was Mora’s second of the 2021 playoffs. He scored in back-to-back postseason matches to conclude the campaign.
Blanco, Mabiala and Mora each finished the postseason with two goals for Portland.
Mabiala was the first Timbers defender to score twice in a single postseason, scoring against Minnesota in Round One and Colorado in the quarterfinals.
In 2021, Portland outscored its opponents 7-2 in four playoff matches, including a margin of 6-2 at home.
The match was the seventh meeting all-time between the Timbers and NYCFC across all competitions, and the first meeting since the quarterfinal round of the MLS is Back Tournament on Aug. 20, 2020.
The Timbers won 17 games during the regular season, tied for the second-most in MLS in 2021 – as the top four teams in the Western Conference all won the same total of games, behind the New England Revolution’s total of 22. NYCFC won 14 games, tied for sixth-most in the league and second-most in the Eastern Conference.
Portland won 11 games in league play at Providence Park in 2021 – tied for the second-most home victories in the league, behind the New England Revolution’s 12 home wins. The Timbers scored 35 goals in home games for the season, tied for second in MLS – behind only NYCFC’s total of 37.
Today marked the first time Providence Park has hosted an MLS Cup final.
Providence Park is the second stadium to host NASL Soccer Bowl and MLS Cup, joining RFK Stadium.
Providence Park is the only stadium to host both an NWSL and MLS final.
The 1977 Soccer Bowl at Providence Park also hosted a New York Team with the Cosmos defeating the Sounders, 2-1, in the last competitive match of Pele’s career.
The only older stadium to host MLS Cup was the Rose Bowl (built in 1922) which hosted MLS Cup in 1998.
Among MLB/NBA/NFL/NHL/MLS, the only older venues at the time of hosting their league championships are Fenway Park (106 years, 1912-2018) and Wrigley Field (102 years, 1914-2016).
MLS Cup 2021
Portland Timbers vs. New York City FC
Dec. 11, 2021 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F ET1 ET2 F PKs
Portland Timbers 0 1 1 0 0 1 (2)
New York City FC 1 0 1 0 0 1 (4)
Scoring Summary:
NYC: Castellanos (Moralez), 41
POR: Mora, 90+4
Shootout Summary
1 NYC: Castellanos – Goal
1 POR: Mora – Save
2 NYC: Morales – Save
2 POR: Valeri – Save
3 NYC: Moralez – Goal
3 POR: Moreno – Goal
4 NYC: Magno – Goal
4 POR: Paredes – Goal
5 NYC: Callens – Goal
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Van Rankin (caution), 59
NYC: Rodríguez (caution), 80
NYC: Johnson (caution), 88
POR: D. Chara (caution), 90
NYC: Medina (caution), 90+1
Lineups:
POR: GK Clark, D Van Rankin (Valeri, 89), D Mabiala, D Zuparic, D Bravo, M Fochive (Paredes, 62), M D. Chara, M Blanco (Moreno, 62), Y. Chara, M Asprilla (Niezgoda, 84), F Mora
Substitutes Not Used: GK Ivacic, D Tuiloma, D Bonilla, D McGraw, M Loria
TOTAL SHOTS: 19 (Mora, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Mora, Paredes, 2); FOULS: 16 (D. Chara, 6); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 6
NYC: GK Johnson, D Chanot, D Callens, D Thórarinsson (Amundsen, 90+1), D Gray, M Sands, M Morales, M Moralez, M Medina (Magno, 90+5), M Rodríguez (Tajouri-Shradi, 80), F Castellanos
Substitutes Not Used: GK Barraza, M Rocha, M Zelalem, M Acevedo, F Thiago, F Heber
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Castellanos, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Moralez, 2); FOULS: 18 (Castellanos, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 4
Referee: Armando Villarreal
Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson, Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
4th Official: Fotis Bazakos
VAR: Chris Penso
AVAR: Cory Richardson
Attendance: 25,218
Weather: Rain, 46 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
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