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Four-goal first half extends Portland’s home unbeaten streak to six straight

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers scored four first-half goals to beat Nashville SC by a score of 4-1 on Sunday night at Providence Park. Jonathan Rodríguez netted a brace while Felipe Mora and Eryk Williamson added a goal each to help Portland secure three points and extend its home unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1). The Timbers (9-8-6, 33pts) finished the weekend in fifth place of the Western Conference standings.

Record-Setting Goals
Tonight was the third time Portland has scored four first-half goals in an MLS match and the second time this season. Notably, tonight’s four goals in the first 29 minutes of the match is the fastest the club has accomplished the feat. Portland became just the sixth team in MLS history to score four goals within the first 29 minutes of a match, and first to do so since 2020. Jonathan Rodríguez finished the night with two goals and an assist, his most goal contributions in a match this season. Rodríguez’s two goals bring his season tally to a team-high 11. Felipe Mora registered his 10th goal of the campaign tonight, making Portland the only team in the league to have three players with 10 or more goals each (Rodríguez – 11, Mora – 10, Evander – 10). It marks the first time in club history the Timbers have had three players each score double digit goals in a single season.

Finding Their Form
Tonight’s victory cemented the Timbers in fifth place of the Western Conference standings with a 9-8-6 record and 33 points. Portland is unbeaten in eight of its last nine matches overall (6-1-2) and remains undefeated in its last six straight games at Providence Park (5-0-1). The Timbers have scored in 20 of 23 matches this season, while registering multiple goals in 17 games.

Goal-Scoring Plays
POR – Felipe Mora (Jonathan Rodríguez), 18th minute: After winning the ball at midfield, Jonathan Rodríguez took off on a direct run down the left side of the field. Just outside the 18-yard-box, Rodríguez played a low ball across the box to Felipe Mora, who took a touch and used his right foot to slide the ball into the bottom-left corner. 

POR – Jonathan Rodríguez (Juan Mosquera, Eryk Williamson), 21st minute: Eryk Williamson delivered a low cross into the box that Juan Mosquera got a foot on and passed it onto Jonathan Rodríguez waiting on the far side of the box. Rodríguez took a touch before using his right foot to slot the ball into the bottom-right corner of the net.

POR – Jonathan Rodríguez (Santiago Moreno, Miguel Araujo), 24th minute: Santiago Moreno sent a cross-field switch from the midfield to Jonathan Rodríguez into the left half-space. After bringing the ball down with his right foot, Rodríguez dribbled to the top of the box before dispatching a shot with his right foot that found the bottom-right side of the net.

POR – Eryk Williamson (Santiago Moreno), 29th minute: After winning the ball on the right side of the midfield, Santiago Moreno dribbled down the right wing before sending a low cross into the path of Eryk Williamson into the center of the box. Williamson used his left foot to touch the ball past Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis and into the back of the net.

NSH – Sam Surridge (Shaq Moore, Alex Muyl), 82nd minute: After a brief spell of possession at the top of the 18-yard box, Alex Muyl slipped a ball to Shaq Moore on the right side of the box. Moore played a ball across the box for Sam Surridge, who slotted the ball into the back post.

Notes

• Portland is unbeaten in its last six games at Providence Park (W5, D1).
• This season, the Timbers have registered 45 goals through 23 matches, which is currently second-most in the Western Conference and third-most in MLS.
• The Timbers have scored in 20 of 23 matches this season, while registering multiple goals in 17 games.
• Tonight was the third time Portland has scored four first-half goals in an MLS match, and the second time so far this season.
• The four goals scored in 29 minutes set a new club record for the fastest time to score four goals in its MLS history.
• Notably, the Timbers became the sixth team in MLS history to score four goals within the first 29 minutes of a match, and the first since 2020.
• Felipe Mora scored his 10th goal of the season. 
• Mora has scored double digit goals in a single season for the second time in his MLS career (2021 – 11G).
• Jonathan Rodríguez scored two goals in tonight’s match, bringing his season total to a team-best 11. 
• It marked Rodríguez’s second brace this season (5/15 vs. SJ).
• Scoring twice within two minutes and 14 seconds, Rodríguez netted the quickest Timbers brace since 2022, when Santiago Moreno did so in 1:35.
• Rodríguez also tallied an assist in tonight’s match, his fifth of the 2024 campaign. 
• Three goal contributions (2G, 1A) in a match are a season best for Rodríguez.
• Three Portland players have scored double-digit goals in the same season for the first time in club history (Rodríguez – 11, Mora – 10, Evander – 10). 
• The Timbers are the first MLS team to have three players with 10 or more goals each since 2022.
• Eryk Williamson recorded two goal contributions tonight (1G, 1A).
• Williamson’s goal came as his second this year and his assist as his third of the 2024 campaign.
• Williamson’s assist marked the 20^th of his MLS career, tied for seventh most in club history. 
• Santiago Moreno registered two assists in the match. His nine assists this season are second most on the team behind Evander (11).
• With 5:37 between assists, Moreno achieved the second-fastest brace in the club’s MLS history, only behind Vytas Andriuskevicius, who assisted twice in 2:34 on 8/23/2017.
• Juan Mosquera tallied his fifth assist of the 2024 campaign.
• Miguel Araujo recorded his first career goal contribution for the Timbers with an assist tonight.
• Making his Timbers debut in the 85th minute, Adolfo Enriquez became the second Timbers Academy player to make his first team debut this season, joining Sawyer Jura.

Next Game
The Timbers next face Real Salt Lake on Saturday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific). A broadcast will be available on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app in English and Spanish as well as local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).

Video Highlights
Highlights of the match can be downloaded by clicking here.

Portland Timbers (9-8-6, 33pts) vs. Nashville SC (6-8-8, 26pts)
July 7, 2024 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Goals by Half                1          2          F 
Portland Timbers           4          0          4
Nashville SC                  0          1          1

Scoring Summary:
POR: Mora (Rodríguez), 18
POR: Rodríguez (Mosquera, Williamson), 21
POR: Rodríguez (Moreno, Araujo), 24
POR: Williamson (Moreno), 29
NSH: Surridge (Moore, Muyl), 82

Misconduct Summary:
NSH: Anunga (ejection), 35
NSH: Kallman (caution), 90+4

Lineups:
POR: GK Pantemis, D Bravo, D Zuparic (McGraw, 62), D Araujo, D Mosquera (E. Miller, 62), M Chara ©, M Ayala (Antony, 45), M Williamson (Enriquez, 85), M Moreno (Paredes, 76), F Mora, F Rodríguez

Substitutes Not Used: GK Muse, D Mabiala, F Fogaça 

TOTAL SHOTS: 18 (Rodríguez, Mora, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Rodríguez, 3); FOULS: 10 (Chara, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 2

NSH: GK Willis, D Lovitz (Bauer, 45), D Maher, D Zimmerman © (Kallman, 73), D Moore, M Anunga, M Yearwood (Sejdic, 63), M Surridge, M Muyl, F Mukhtar (Boyd, 79), F Ajago (Bunbury, 63)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Panicco, D Skinner, D Washington, M Davis

TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Mukhtar, Surridge, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Surridge, 2); FOULS: 11 (Muyl, 3); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 3, SAVES: 4

Referee: Jon Freemon
Assistant Referees: Chris Wattam, Eduardo Jeff
Fourth Official: Brandon Stevis
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.
Weather: Sunny, 88 degrees
Attendance: 20,616

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

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