PORTLAND-The Claret and Cobalt came into Saturday night’s matchup with the defending MLS Cup Champion Portland Timbers with 4 points in their first 2 MLS games and hoping to return to Salt Lake City with 7 points heading into their bye week. It looked that way to begin the match as Joao Plata put RSL on the board in the 16th minute off of a set-piece goal at the top of the 18-yard box as he beat the keeper to his right. The Claret and Cobalt would then go down to 10-men as Captain Kyle Beckerman was sent to the locker room on a straight red card after a hard tackle. The club would go to the locker room with a 1-0 lead at the half.
The second 45′ would look a lot better, at least in the first 15 minutes as forward Yura Movsisyan would beat former RSL center back Nat Borchers on a break away goal to put RSL up 2-0 in the 58th minute. Portland began to get desperate for goals as they kept pressing forward and was able to put one past Nick Rimando as Fanendo Adi would strike in the 79th minute to put the Timbers within striking distance. As Portland kept pressing, the referee caught Jamison Olave hitting a Portland player in the face forcing the official to point to the spot and send the RSL center back to the showers with a straight red card. Adi would then pick up a brace in the 84th minute with the equalizing Penalty Kick.
The Claret and Cobalt will be without the services of Jamison Olave and Kyle Beckerman for their next match against Sporting KC on April 2nd.
Goals:
16′ Joao Plata (3rd goal in MLS play)
58′ Yura Movsisyan (1st goal this season)
79′ Fanendo Adi (4th goal)
84′ Fanendo Adi (PK) (5th goal)
Disciplinary:
31′ Kyle Beckerman (Red)
68′ Fanendo Adi (Yellow)
76′ Alvas Powell (Yellow)
83′ Jamison Olave (Red)
87′ Sunny (Yellow)
90+5′ Juan Manuel Martinez (Yellow)
