Armenteros feels right at home in Timbers Army
Villa has a day on his “day” as New York City FC blanks Rapids
PORTLAND, Ore. — To celebrate his first MLS goal, Portland’s Samuel Armenteros headed straight for the Timbers Army.
Armenteros got the deciding goal in the 81st minute for a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles FC on Saturday. It was the Timbers’ fifth straight win.
The 27-year-old striker, who had entered the game as a sub, bounded up the stairs behind the goal and straight into the arms of the cheering supporters in Providence Park’s north end.
“To tell you the truth I didn’t even look at the ball, I just focused on the shot and it went to fast,” said Armenteros, a native of Sweden who joined the Timbers earlier this year. “I just reacted to what the fans were screaming.”
Carlos Vela tied the match for LAFC in the 74th minute after Cristhian Paredes scored for the Timbers to open the second half.
The Timbers (5-3-2) are 4-0 at home after starting the season winless for five straight matches on the road because of construction at Providence Park. Expansion LAFC (6-3-2) dropped just its third match on the road this year.
NYCFC 4, RAPIDS 0: In New York, David Villa had two goals and an assist on “David Villa Day” and New York City FC extending the 2-6-2 Rapids’ losing streak to five.
It was NYCFC’s first home game after the Spanish forward scored his 400th goal in all competitions on April 29.
NYCFC (7-2-3) opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Yangel Herrera intercepted a clearance attempt and fed it back to Maximiliano Moralez, who connected with Villa for the finish.
WHITECAPS 2, FC DALLAS 2 (tie): In Frisco, Texas, Kei Kamara scored from the spot in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time and Vancouver (4-5-4) tied FC Dallas (4-1-5).
Kamara’s low, hard blast to the left went through with a deflection off goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer. Maurer was called for the penalty for a takedown of Anthony Blondell as Vancouver (4-54) was making a last-ditch effort to tie it.
Reggie Cannon opened the scoring for FC Dallas (4-1-5) in the 40th minute with his first MLS goal.
CREW 1, REVOLUTION 0: In Foxborough, Mass., Lalas Abubakar scored in the 85th minute lift Columbus past New England.
Zack Steffen had six saves for his sixth shutout of the season for the Crew (7-3-3). The Revolution dropped to 5-4-2.
UNION 4, REAL SALT LAKE 1: In Chester, Pa., Marcus Epps and Borek Dockal scored in the first half and Philadelphia added two more in the second to beat Real Salt Lake.
Ilsinho and Keegan Rosenberry also scored for the Union (4-5-2). Damir Kreilach scored for Real Salt Lake (4-6-1).