Goals by second-half substitutes Giuseppe Rossi and Sam Johnson pulled Real Salt Lake back from a late two-goal deficit to secure a 4-4 draw against the Portland Timbers at Providence Park Saturday night.
The eight-goal thriller was an open, attacking affair throughout, with highlight-reel goals for both sides.
Real Salt Lake looked dead and buried when Felipe Mora put the Timbers in front 4-2 in the 85th minute, but Rossi spun at the edge of the six-yard box to give the visitors late life in the 90th minute with his first MLS goal.
That was followed by Johnson’s dramatic equalizer in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.
It was the third time RSL rallied to level in the match.
Diego Chara capitalized on a defensive gaffe to put the Timbers in the sixth minute, picking off an attempted pass from Andrew Putna to Pablo Ruiz at the top of the RSL 18-yard box, stepping around the goalkeeper and walking in his 10th career MLS goal.
The response from the visitors was a positive one, with Real Salt Lake leveling in the 19th minute as Corey Baird slammed home at the back post after the ball pinballed around the front of goal following an Albert Rusnak free kick.
The Timbers showed their set piece prowess just two minutes later with Jaroslaw Niezgoda connecting on a Diego Valeri corner kick and heading in off Maikel Chang to again put the Timbers in front, 2-1.
Damir Kreilach revisited his famed karate kick goal of the 2018 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs with his equalizer three minutes into the second half.
Sebastian Blanco put Portland back in front with a solo effort in the 70th minute, followed by Mora’s goal five minutes from full time before two even later goals from Real Salt Lake to cap a breathtaking match.
Goals
- 6’ — POR — Diego Chara | WATCH
- 19’ — RSL — Corey Baird | WATCH
- 21’ — POR — Jaroslaw Niezgoda | WATCH
- 48’ — RSL — Damir Kreilach | WATCH
- 70’ — POR — Sebastian Blanco | WATCH
- 85’ — POR — Felipe Mora | WATCH
- 90’ — RSL — Giuseppe Rossi | WATCH
- 90’+4’ — RSL — Sam Johnson | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: On the road, Real Salt Lake came up off the deck three times to level after defensive mistakes that would sink most teams. Oh, and they did so with 29 shots! For the Timbers, who had a two-goal lead with five minutes left, this is surely two points lost.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: So many to choose, but Johnson’s 94th-minute leveler takes the cake.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Baird scored RSL’s first equalizer in the 19th minute and then helped set up Rossi and Johnson to ensure Real Salt Lake secured a road point.
Next Up
- POR: Wednesday, September 2 vs. LA Galaxy (10:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada)
- RSL: Wednesday, September 2 vs. Seattle Sounders (9:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada)
