Blanco, Fogaca each score twice, Timbers rout Sporting 7-2

Sun, May 15, 2022
Soccer News (AP)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Sebastian Blanco and Nathan Fogaca each scored twice in the second half and the Portland Timbers routed Sporting Kansas City 7-2 in a wild match Saturday night.

Bill Tuiloma, Marvin Loria and Santiago Moreno also scored to help the Timbers (3-3-6) snap a four-match winless streak. It was the first time that Portland scored seven goals in a game.

Johnny Russell and Marinos Tzionis scored for Sporting. Kansas City (2-7-3) is winless in seven games.

Both teams struggled to start the season, with just two wins apiece going into the game at Providence Park.

Kansas City played to draws in its previous three MLS games, but coming off a 4-2 mid-week victory over FC Dallas in U.S. Open Cup play.

Portland was 0-1-3 in its previous four games. The Timbers also fell 2-0 to LAFC in the Open Cup earlier this week.

Tuiloma scored in the 12th minute on a header off a free kick from Eryk Williamson. It was the versatile defender's third goal of the season.

The Timbers doubled the lead early in the second half when Blanco scored on a well-placed flick from Cristhian Paredes. Blanco added another goal in the 51st.

Fogaca, a Brazilian forward making his first MLS start for the Timbers, scored in the 56th. Sporting's Russell caught the celebrating Timbers off-guard with a goal just a minute later.

Fogaca added his second goal in the 69th with an assist from Blanco.

Portland's Josecarlos Van Rankin was sent off with a red card and the Timbers played with 10 men the rest of the way. Tzionis scored on a header soon thereafter for Sporting.

Kansas City's Robert Voloder got handed a red card in the 78th. Sporting coach Peter Vermes was also shown a yellow card late in the match.

Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia couldn't stop Loria's left-footed blast in the 88th minute. Moreno added a goal in stoppage time.

It was the Timbers' 100th win at Providence Park since joining MLS.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports