Portland Timbers defeated Querétaro 1-0 at Providence Park and took one step forward in the Leagues Cup. With the goal in the first half of the match for Cristhian Paredes, the team took the three points, remaining undefeated in the tournament, as well as keeping the streak of not allowing the opponent's team to score, for the second time in a row after the 4-0 triumph in the game against Atlético de San Luis, which took Portland to the first position in the table among MLS teams in this first stage.
However, Querétaro terminated the tournament without gaining even one point, as the team is currently last in the table in the Liga MX table.
Directed throughout the entire first whistle
Portland had entered as favorites and made no hide of the same since the onset. Breakthrough had, at last, been achieved in the 36th minute. After one of the attempts of the corner kick by Ariel Lassiter, the heading chance of Zac McGraw took the rebound off one of the defenders right to Paredes, who was centrally placed in the box.
He drove the ball powerfully in the net to score for his team. Querétaro's night got worse ere the break when Jonathan Perlaza had fouled Omir Fernández and was himself booked with the yellow card. His protest earned him placing the ball on the ground, earning himself his second yellow card as well as the red card.
Second half built on defensive control
Afternoon session according to defense control Having the man advantage with the score going in their favor, Portland had the pace of the game in the latter half in their control. Lassiter continued to hustle in the background, providing crosses as well as shots, as the defense maintained the opposing Querétaro team at arm's distance away from threat.
Their opportunity in the latter half was in the 64th minute when Fernando González took a free kick inches wide to the right. Canadian goalkeeper James Pantemis made two valuable saves during the course of the game for himself to earn another clean sheet — the third in succession in all games.