Real Salt Lake 0 - 0 Timbers
Final
  for this game

RSL, Timbers settle for scoreless draw

Oct 18, 2014 - 4:20 AM Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake shared the spoils in an entertaining scoreless draw on Friday at Providence Park.

Caleb Porter's team entered the match one point behind Vancouver Whitecaps FC for the fifth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and while the club would have preferred all three points, one point moves them into fifth place via the goal difference tiebreaker.

Real Salt Lake has already booked its place in the postseason party, but coming away with a point gives FC Dallas the opportunity to jump ahead of RSL into third place. As it stands, RSL remains in the third position with 53 points.

Portland was on the front foot early with a chance in the 18th minute as Rodney Wallace had a go at goal from inside the penalty area, but RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando came up with the stop.

RSL responded with an opportunity in the 37th minute as Robbie Findley got his head to a cross and directed it toward the bottom right corner, but Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, got down on the full stretch to keep it out.

Portland upped the pressure in the second half and created its best chance on the hour mark as Darlington Nagbe collected a cross right in front of goal and fired it with pace, but Rimando came up with a spectacular point-blank save to keep the Timbers off the scoreboard.

The home side had another excellent chance to break the deadlock in the 74th minute as Nagbe blocked a clearance and galloped the other way down the left side of the field on goal. Nagbe hesitated with his strike, which allowed Chris Wingert to come in with an outstanding sliding tackle.

The fourth official's board indicated four minutes of additional time, but neither side could muster a winning tally and the teams were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.






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