San Diego FC extended its unbeaten run to five matches and secured its place in the MLS Cup Playoffs despite an underwhelming performance in a 0-0 draw against the visiting Portland Timbers on Saturday night.
San Diego (16-7-5, 53 points) officially secured its postseason place in its expansion season based on MLS results that went final earlier Saturday.
Still, the hosts earned points while C.J. dos Santos made two stops to keep his third clean sheet in four matches for a team that remains atop the Western Conference table but fell one point behind the Eastern Conference’s Philadelphia Union in the Supporters’ Shield race.
Portland (10-9-8, 38 points) kept its second clean sheet in three away matches to keep hold of sixth place in the Western Conference. James Pantemis needed to make only one stop to keep his fourth clean sheet and the Timbers’ seventh.
Kristoffer Velde and Matias Rojas started for Portland in their respective MLS debuts after completing their respective moves to the Timbers earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Leo Duru made his maiden appearance off the bench for San Diego after his move on loan from Blackburn Rovers.
San Diego leading scorer Anders Dreyer thought he had scored his 14th goal in the 31st minute when he got on a break and finished low past Pantemis. But Dreyer was ruled offside after referee Rosendo Mendoza was summoned to consult the video monitor.
San Diego otherwise failed to finish off chances from a first half they dominated, outshooting the Timbers 6-3 in the opening 45 minutes but directing only one of those efforts on target.
Portland was much stronger after the break and arguably the better side, albeit without much in the way of a serious threat. Ariel Lassiter’s long free kick forced dos Santos into a diving stop in the 71st minute.
Mendoza pointed to the penalty spot in the 90th minute when he judged Dario Zuparic had handled the ball in the box, but again reversed a decision in Portland’s favor after consulting replays that showed the ball clearly struck Zuparic’s thigh and not his arm.
–Field Level Media
