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San Diego FC’s Western Conference playoff aspirations took a significant blow Wednesday evening, suffering a 3-1 defeat to the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. The loss came just days after the club secured a dramatic victory against LAFC, with Anders Dreyer converting a penalty kick in the final moments at BMO Stadium.
The Timbers dominated the matchup, their seventh meeting against San Diego in just two seasons. Kristoffer Velde opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a powerful long-range strike that eluded goalkeeper CJ dos Santos. Gabriel Pirani equalized for San Diego in stoppage time before halftime with his inaugural goal for the club, but the respite proved brief. Ariel Lassiter restored Portland’s advantage early in the second half, and midfielder David Da Costa sealed the result with a curling shot from outside the box in the 68th minute.
The setback leaves San Diego struggling in the playoff picture. Following 20 matches, the club sits outside a Western Conference playoff spot with 24 points accumulated through six wins, six draws, and eight defeats. Portland’s victory completed a regular-season sweep over their expansion rivals, improving their all-time head-to-head record to three wins apiece with one draw.
San Diego returns home this weekend to face the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night, looking to bounce back during what promises to be a crucial stretch of their season.
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Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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