New York City got its first title in MLS history this Saturday, December 11 with a 2-4 victory on penalties after equalizing the Portland Timbers 1-1 in regulation time.
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Argentine Valentín Castellanos, the league’s top scorer, put City ahead in the 41st minute. And when everything seemed safe for the celestial team to become the first champion team in the history of New York, At 94 minutes the Chilean striker Felipe Mora appeared out of nowhere to establish the miraculous equalized.
In extension time of the final played at Providence Park, from the city of Portland (Oregon) the 1-1 was not altered. But with the breath of their fans in the stands, Venezuelan coach Giovanni Savarese’s Timbers seemed closer to the title.
The Chilean Mora opened the path to victory for Timbers eight days ago over Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference final, which was then tasked with propping up Colombian Santiago Moreno for a 2-1 final.
And today Mora passed to Villano as a hero because he missed the first shot in the penalty shootout, which enshrined goalkeeper and captain Sean Jhonson, who contained two pitches.
New York City, which won the Eastern Conference title last Sunday At the expense of the Philadelphia Union 0-2, today they seized the ball from the first bars.
In the first minute of the game, the Argentine Maximiliano Morlez he finished off a low ball that was stopped by goalkeeper Steve Clark.
It was in 41 that City opened the scoring. Morlez took a free kick on the right that in the second post Castellanos, with his forehead, made it 0-1.
City continued in the complement as the most active team on offense against Portland’s, who were slow to decipher the tactical drawing that drowned their offensive game from the wings.
Portland did not decline and pressed, and in the final minutes achieved the tie with only eight seconds left.
Pole Jaroslaw Niezgoda focused on Jhonson’s area. In the confusion, Mora released a dry shot that established the 1-1 in 94.
The extension changed command, with a first overtime that belonged to Portland and a second to City, although fatigue took its toll on both teams with few dangerous plays.
Timbers was the closest to defining the game before penalties with a pair of shots from Paraguayan Cristhian Paredes at 93, and at 112, which Sean Johnson neutralized.
In the series of penalties, by New York they converted Castellanos, Morlez, the Brazilian Talles Magno and Callens; the German Alfredo Morales failed.
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The shots from eleven meters were converted through Portland by Colombian Santiago Moreno and Paredes, while Mora and Argentine Diego Valeri erred.
Colombians were also on the payroll of the second Diego Chará, Yimmi Chará and Dairon Asprilla, as well as Santiago Moreno.
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