Portland, Oregon: Timbers Beat Houston Dynamo 3-1 to Move Above Playoff Line at Providence Park

The Portland Timbers took their playoff fight back into their own hands on Sunday night, beating Houston Dynamo FC 3-1 at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, behind a goal and two assists from Vincent Janssen. David Da Costa and Kristoffer Velde each scored and set up a goal as Portland won its third straight match.

The result pushed Portland above the playoff line and into eighth place in the Western Conference with 43 points from a record of 12 wins, 14 losses and 7 draws. Houston stayed fifth on 51 points with a record of 14 wins, 10 losses and 9 draws, even with St. Louis City on points and ahead on tiebreakers, according to the Dynamo.

Da Costa strikes first, Velde doubles it

Portland scored in the 25th minute. Janssen slipped a pass through the Houston back line into the left side of the box, and Da Costa took a touch onto his left foot and drove the shot into the top of the net, the Timbers reported. Houston goalkeeper Blake Gillingham, who replaced Jonathan Bond in the starting lineup during warmups, had denied Da Costa at close range shortly before the goal, according to the Dynamo.

The second goal came in the 65th minute. Janssen played a long ball over the top from midfield and Velde ran onto it, dribbled into the box and finished into the bottom right corner. It was Velde's team leading 11th goal of the season.

Houston answered in the 71st minute. Diadie Samassekou intercepted a pass in the Portland half and found Duncan McGuire, who played the ball to Agustin Bouzat at the top of the box. Bouzat hit a left footed shot that found the inside of the far post, his second goal of the season.

Janssen heads in the third

Portland restored the two goal margin seven minutes later. Da Costa delivered a corner from the left side and Janssen met it with a header in the middle of the six yard area for his fifth goal of the season, sealing the 3-1 result in front of an announced crowd of 22,936. The official box score credited Portland with 17 shots to 10 for Houston, and 6 shots on goal to 1.

The Timbers have now scored three goals in three straight games and have 60 goals this season, tied for the third most in the club's MLS history and the second most in the Western Conference, the club said. Portland finished its home schedule at 9 wins, 4 losses and 4 draws, and defender Finn Surman was named the Supporters' Player of the Year for a second straight season. Portland is unbeaten in four matches, and the three straight wins are its first run of that length since June 2024.

Decision Day decides the last places

Portland closes the regular season at Austin FC on Saturday, November 7, and a win there would secure a third straight playoff berth, MLS reported. Three points separate the six teams from seventh to 12th in the West, all chasing the final three playoff spots, the Timbers said. Houston hosts St. Louis City the same day at Shell Energy Stadium.