Portland Timbers’ Dairon Asprilla (#27) celebrates his game winning goal with a somersault during a match against the San Jose Earthquakes in Providence Park on Saturday JUL 23, 2022. (Portland Timbers)

by Marko Ukalovic

PORTLAND, Ore. —The Portland Timbers scored two goals in the second half to overcome a one-goal halftime deficit to defeat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 on Saturday evening at Providence Park.

San Jose has lost two in a row and sit in 13th place in the Western Conference with just 22 points. Portland moved up to seventh place with the three points and are unbeaten in their last seven matches.

Portland (7-6-9-30 points) scored the game winning goal in the 71st minute when Santiago Moreno sent a cross inside the box to an unmarked Dairon Asprilla who headed the ball past the outreach of ‘Quakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski for his fifth goal of the season.

San Jose (5-9-7-22 points) drew first blood just before halftime. In the 42nd minute, off of a free kick, Cristian Espinoza received a pass inside the box from Jackson Yueill. Espinoza’s shot was initially saved by Timber’s goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic. However, Larrys Mabiala clearing attempt went over to Benji Kikanović who tapped home the ball into an empty net for his third goal of the season.

Kikanović has scored or assisted in four of the team’s five matches thus far during the month of July.

“We can score but sometimes defensively I don’t know if we don’t concentrate enough, I couldn’t tell you what it is but it’s on every single one of us. We need to tighten up everywhere really, not just the back. It sucks for JT [Marcinkowski] because he’s making saves doing what he can, we’re all trying to do what we can, but we’re giving up goals. We just need to come together and figure it out,” Kikanovic said.

The Timbers took control of the second half not long after it began, controlling the tempo of play.

Portland scored the equalizer in the 53rd minute. Diego Chara connected on a nice give and go with Eryk Willamson. Chara’s shot from just outside the box deflected off of Jaroslaw Niezgoda and into the back of the net for the Polish striker’s team leading eighth goal of the season.

“We had a very good first half,” said ‘Quakes interim head coach Alex Covelo. “We had our chances to score here which is not easy. At halftime we were talking about that point, a critical point where the opponent is trying to push and pass that moment, and we needed to be ready to hold that part and control the game. They were going to press more and find more balls in behind. When we were going through that moment, they scored off a rebound and then we started to suffer a little bit.”

San Jose came within inches of scoring their own equalizer in the 89th minute. Paul Marie set up Espinoza on the right side just outside the box. Espinoza’s shot bounced off the left post after Ivacic got a piece of the shot as he extended his hand out spoiling the Earthquakes chance.

Ivacic finished the match stopping six of the seven shots on target to earn the victory. Marcinkowski made three saves on five shots on target in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished the match with nine corner kicks. Portland had three.

San Jose is now 9-17-4 all-time vs. the Portland Timbers, including a 0-12-4 record on the road.

The Earthquakes are now 5-5-4 in MLS play under interim head coach Alex Covelo.

The Quakes led at halftime of a road match against the Timbers for just the third time in 16 visits to Portland.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts Real Salt Lake on Saturday 7/30 at 7:00pm at Pay Pal Park.