Daniel Salloi broke a tie in the second half to help Sporting Kansas City to a 4-1 win against the visiting Portland Timbers on Sunday.
The victory improved Sporting KC (3-8-4, 13 points) to 3-1-1 in May.
The Timbers (4-7-4, 16 points) lost their second straight match and are winless in their past three (0-2-1).
Portland struck first in the eighth minute. Claudio Bravo headed a Kansas City clearing attempt back into the box and the ball rolled off the back of Sporting defender Andreu Fontas over to Franck Boli near the spot, where the Timbers forward swept it into the net for a 1-0 lead.
Erik Thommy brought Sporting level in the 33rd minute when he maintained possession along the right boundary line before curling toward the top outside of the box for a long strike that found the far side of the net.
Salloi appeared to put Kansas City ahead 2-1 in the 43rd minute off a rebound at the left post, but the goal was overturned after video review confirmed a foul by Dany Rosero inside the box.
Boli had a pair of chances late in the half to put Portland back in front. His shot from the back post in the first minute of stoppage time just missed the net and, a minute later, Kansas City goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh tipped away his attempt from a tough angle.
Kansas City came close to taking the lead again in the 61st minute. Alan Pulido sent a short pass through the legs of defender Larrys Mabiala over to Salloi on the left side, but his shot was quickly stopped by Portland goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic.
The third time would be the charm for Salloi. In the 66th minute, Graham Zusi sent a cross from the right side to Salloi streaking into the 6-yard box, whose right-footed shot earned SKC a 2-1 lead.
SKC benefited from an own goal two minutes later to make it 3-1, when Mabiala directed a clearing attempt into his own net.
Felipe Hernandez got through the Portland back line inside the box to extend it to 4-1 in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.
–Field Level Media
