Forward Omir Fernandez scored in the 92nd minute — his first goal with Portland — as the host Timbers rallied for a 1-1 draw with Minnesota United on Saturday night.
Fernandez, breaking in alone by the left post, roofed a left-footed shot off a cross by Juan Mosquera to salvage a point for the Timbers. The goal came just two minutes after Mosquera’s right-footed try from the right side of the box caromed straight down off the crossbar and landed inches in front of the goal line.
Maxime Crepeau finished with five saves for the Timbers (9-7-7, 34 points).
Anthony Markanich scored a goal and Dayne St. Clair made three saves for Minnesota United (11-5-8, 41 points). The Loons extended their road unbeaten streak to five matches (2-0-3) with the draw.
Minnesota, which would have moved into second place in the Western Conference with a victory, took a 1-0 lead in the 77th minute when Markanich headed in Julian Gressel’s long cross from near the right sideline into the far-right corner of the net for his sixth goal of the season and his fourth goal in his last five MLS games. It was Gressel’s third assist of the season.
Both teams had good scoring chances during a scoreless first half. Crepeau made a full-stretch, two-hand diving save to push a Joaquin Pereyra shot wide of the right post in the 24th minute, and Pereyra’s left-footed shot from the left side of the box in the 43rd minute just skimmed the crossbar.
Portland’s best chance before halftime came in the fourth minute of stoppage time on a 2-on-1 counter but St. Clair caught Felipe Mora’s right-footed shot from the center of the box off a Santiago Moreno crossing pass. The Timbers also survived what was originally called a hand ball on David Ayala in the box that would have resulted in a Minnesota penalty kick, but the call was later reversed following a video review.
–Field Level Media
