With an Armenteros brace, Timbers avoid the Rapids

After scoring his first MLS goal a week ago, Samuel Armenteros can’t stop.

The Swedish international scored twice in the first half. Add in two assists by Sebastian Blanco including a goal by Diego Valeri, and it all results in a 3-2 road win over the struggling Colorado Rapids.

Armenteros made the most of his first start since early April by being aggressive and drawing an early yellow on Danny Wilson in the 23rd minute. Armenteros would not have to wait long to get on the scoreboard. In the 29th minute, he received a ball in front of the box, spun his man, took a touch, and fired it past Colorado’s Tim Howard to put the Timbers up 1-0.

Colorado would answer three minutes later when Edgar Castillo was able to nutmeg Alvas Powell at the touchline and send in a cross which was inadvertently tapped in by Julio Cascante, who started in place of injured Liam Ridgewell.

Armenteros would put Portland back up five minutes later. Sebastian Blanco, blessed with time and space to the right of goal, lofted a cross that Armenteros was able to run onto and head into the net.

Early in the second half, Blanco again received the ball in space, this time in midfield after an errant touch from a Colorado corner fell to him fortuitously. He drove into the attacking third before playing a diagonal ball to Diego Valeri who took a couple of touches inside before placing a shot past a stranded Tim Howard.

Colorado seemed to pull one back in the dying moments when Yannick Boli found the back of the net. Upon video review, it was determined that Boli was in an offside position and the goal was overturned.

Colorado would indeed score another goal on a penalty kick after Julio Cascante collided with Dominique Badji in the box, five minutes into the six minutes allowed for second half stoppage time.

Cascante, in an immense amount of pain, laid on the field while being attended to by training staff. Stoica called for full time after the penalty and was immediately confronted by several Rapids players who believed they should have more time.

Alvas Powell also took a knock in the match, and was ultimately subbed off in the 79th minute for Bill Tuiloma after attempting to play through his injury. It is unclear what his or Cascante’s injury status is.

With the victory, Portland’s streak of consecutive wins reaches six. That ties Portland with Orlando City for the most consecutive wins this season. Which also ties Portland with a handful of other clubs for the second longest run of consecutive wins in league history since MLS abolished shootouts following the 1999 season.

Colorado, meanwhile, has now lost six in a row. The Rapids were held to four goals in this stretch, all scored in Colorado. It has not been a pretty start for new manager Anthony Hudson. The club is seemingly unable to find wins and cohesion as the team struggles to incorporate a new system and 15 new players.

Portland, with it’s second road win in as many games, will return to Providence Park to play the LA Galaxy on Saturday.