Red Bulls beat Timbers 2-0 to clinch playoff spot

New York Red Bulls consolidated their grip on an MLS Cup place after beating Portland Timbers 2-0 at Providence Park to return top of the Eastern Conference. Winless in their last three, they’ll be desperate to earn all three points at home. Kickoff for that match is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, with coverage on Univision.

Red Bulls goalie Luis Robles made several excellent saves to keep his ninth clean sheet of the season.

Timbers notes: Portland (11 wins, 9 losses, 8 ties, 41 points) entered the weekend in sixth place in the Western Conference, tied with Sporting Kansas City one point behind Seattle and one point ahead of San Jose.

The two sides last met in May 2014 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ, where the away side Timbers knocked off the Bulls 2-1 with a two-goal performance by Argentine forward Maximiliano Urruti. “We showed that this team has heart and belief in what they are and who they are”.

Fanendo Adi leads Portland with 10 goals.

Jesse Marsch had some choice words for his squad after its defeat against the Revs midweek.

“The Timbers are a good team, especially at home”. The latter was key in thwarting a number of New England attacks, most notably when he dropped back from the wall on a Lee Nguyen free kick to deflect it wide of the goal.

“We’ll have guys ready to go”. Captain Dax McCarty and Connor Lade will be absent due to yellow card accumulations, and while the call-up of Matt Miazga to the US Under-23 national team may not directly affect RBNY’s match against the Timbers, it will certainly a major challenge that Marsch faces once October rolls around.

The match was one of many firsts and accomplishments for the Red Bulls. Using one of their games in hand, the Red Bulls traveled to Gillette Stadium, where they promptly lost to the New England Revolution, 2-1.

New York got a second just before the end of the half.

Ten minutes, later the final whistle blew, and the Red Bulls secured a spot in the MLS Playoffs.