Santiago Moreno provided a viral Mother’s Day weekend moment, scoring a spectacular bicycle kick and then embracing his mom in the stands, in what proved the winning goal of the host Portland Timbers’ 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.
Moreno’s overhead kick was the second such bicycle goal scored against Sporting Kansas City in three games, after Kevin Denkey’s acrobatic tally in a 2-1 home win for FC Cincinnati on April 26.
Maxime Crepeau made three saves to keep his first clean sheet and the fourth of the season for Portland (6-3-3, 21 points). Kansas City was held scoreless for the third time, and the first since interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin took over for the fired Peter Vermes six matches ago.
Sporting (3-8-1, 10 points) mostly equaled the Timbers’ play, leading 11-9 in total shots and matching Portland with three shots on goal each, but SKC couldn’t produce its own special moment.
Moreno made his memorable impact in the 10th minute.
After David Da Costa and Antony combined in the left side of the penalty area, Da Costa chipped a short cross toward the penalty spot.
Moreno retreated from near the 6-yard box to keep the ball in the air with his left foot, then fired a stunning right-footed shot over his head, beyond the dive of John Pulskamp and inside the left post.
From there, Moreno jogged to the far sideline, where his mother shuffled down the stairs to meet him for an embrace by the front railing of the stands.
The goal was Moreno’s third of the season, making him the fourth Timbers player with three or more.
Sporting’s most dangerous player was veteran Daniel Salloi. Crepeau saved him in the 15th and 16th minutes, and then Salloi headed wide from a good position in the 25th minute.
Crepeau thwarted Salloi again from distance in the 61st, helping the Timbers snap a stretch of four consecutive MLS matches conceding multiple goals (11 total).
It was the Canadian international goalie’s third start, receiving the opportunity to win back the role from James Pantemis as he deals with a leg injury.
–Field Level Media
