Two goals in five minutes settled it
Chicago were ahead inside nine minutes and two up by the 14th. Everything after that was Portland chasing.
Andrew Gutman drove a ball down the middle of the pitch and Robin Lod took it in stride, beating James Pantemis with his left foot for his fourth goal of the season. It was the first shot either side had managed. Five minutes later Robert Lewandowski saw a close-range effort blocked by Kamal Miller, Maren Haile-Selassie pounced on the loose ball and rolled it across to Dje D’Avilla, whose strike glanced off Pantemis’ left hand on the way in. First goal of the year for D’Avilla.
The Fire then handed the ball over and lived with it. Portland kept more than 60 percent of possession and finished with 11 shots to Chicago’s seven. Chicago won this on efficiency rather than control: three attempts before the break, two of them in the net. Portland had five in the same period and put none on target.
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Portland’s unbeaten run dies in the 85th
The Timbers had not lost a match since May 23. That streak ended on Sunday night in their first outing under Marti Cifuentes, appointed during the two-week Leagues Cup break. Their first shot on target arrived in the 56th minute, Antony Alves Santos striking from just outside the box and finding Chris Brady’s hands.
Finn Surman gave them something in the 85th, meeting a Brandon Bye delivery with a header past Brady for the first MLS goal of his career. Four minutes into second-half stoppage time Omir Fernandez lined up the equaliser and Sam Rogers got a body in front of it.
Brady made one save all evening. Pantemis made two and collected the ball from his own net twice.
Where it leaves both clubs
Chicago sit on 32 points from a 10-6-2 record, a second straight win since league play resumed. Portland stay on 24 points at 7-9-3, a two-game winning streak gone and a new coach still working out what he has inherited. Eight points now separate them.
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