Portland, South Africa - The Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes battled to a 1-1 draw in a match filled with late drama at Providence Park. A late equaliser from substitute Preston Judd denied the Timbers a chance to avenge their recent U.S. Open Cup loss to the Earthquakes.
The Timbers took the lead in the 71st minute thanks to a well-worked goal by defender Juan Mosquera, his first of the season. Mosquera latched onto a clever pass from forward Felipe Mora and powered his shot past Earthquakes goalkeeper Daniel, sending the home crowd into raptures. The goal seemed enough to secure a victory for the Timbers, who currently sit fourth in the Western Conference with 30 points.
However, the Earthquakes refused to give up. In the dying moments of the match, a hopeful long-range effort from San Jose defender Vitor Costa proved too difficult for Timbers goalkeeper James Pantemis to handle, as he spilled the shot, and Judd was on hand to pounce on the rebound and slot the ball into the net, levelling the score.
Second Half Sparks
The first half of the match was relatively quiet, but the second half exploded with action. Timbers forward Antony, their leading goal scorer, appeared to suffer a leg injury following a robust challenge in midfield and was replaced by Omir Fernandez in the 50th minute.
Just two minutes later, San Jose midfielder Ian Harkes was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle on Timbers midfielder Diego Chara. Despite the contact appearing minimal, the yellow card could not be reviewed by the video assistant referee (VAR), leaving the Earthquakes with ten men.
Missed Opportunities
Earlier in the game, San Jose forward Amahl Pellegrino squandered a golden opportunity to put his team ahead, blasting the rebound over the bar after a powerful shot from Beau Leroux had forced Pantemis into a sprawling save. The Timbers also had two goals ruled out for offside during the match.
Despite the draw, the Timbers extended their unbeaten run at home to an impressive nine matches. The Earthquakes, with 23 points, will be reasonably satisfied with a point on the road against a strong Portland side.