San Jose Earthquakes Overcome Portland Timbers with 3-1 Victory
Preston Judd scored twice in the opening 12 minutes as the San Jose Earthquakes marked their first win in 20 visits to Portland during the MLS era, defeating the Timbers 3-1 on Saturday night.
Daniel Munie also found the net, while Jack Skahan provided two assists for the Earthquakes (10-3-2, 32 points). The team entered the match with a record of 0-14-5 at Providence Park since Portland joined the league in 2011. Goalkeeper Daniel De Sousa Britto made six saves, helping San Jose end a four-match winless streak (0-2-2) in MLS play and remain tied with Vancouver at the top of the Western Conference as the league heads into a six-week break for the FIFA World Cup.
Antony Alves Santos scored for Portland (4-8-2, 14 points), while goalkeeper James Pantemis made four saves during the match.
Judd opened the scoring in the second minute during a counterattack. Beau Leroux intercepted the ball just outside his own penalty area and sent a forward pass to Skahan. Skahan dribbled over midfield and delivered a precise pass to Judd on the right wing. With two defenders approaching, Judd paused at the top of the 18-yard box and executed a right-footed shot into the lower left corner of the net.
The Earthquakes doubled their lead in the 12th minute when Nick Fernandez intercepted the ball on the right wing, approximately 35 yards from the Portland goal, initiating a 3-on-2 counterattack. Fernandez set up Judd just inside the top of the penalty area, and Judd fired a 16-yard shot into the upper right corner, marking his team-leading 11th goal of the season.
Portland managed to reduce the deficit in the 18th minute following a free kick in their own half. Jimer Fory passed to David Da Costa, who threaded a ball to Antony on a breakaway. Antony slipped a low shot past a charging De Sousa Britto from just outside the top left of the 6-yard box.
The Earthquakes reestablished their two-goal lead in the 24th minute after a corner kick on the right wing. Skahan regained possession following a short corner taken by Benji Kikanovic and sent a low pass toward the goal. Munie redirected the ball past a sprawling Pantemis from a sharp angle just outside the right post.