Blanco, Fogaca each score twice, Timbers rout Sporting 7-2
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Sebastian Blanco and Nathan Fogaca each scored twice in the second half and the Portland Timbers routed Sporting Kansas City 7-2 in a wild match Saturday night.
Bill Tuiloma, Marvin Loria and Santiago Moreno also scored to help the Timbers (3-3-6) snap a four-match winless streak. It was the most goals the Timbers had ever scored in a single game.
Johnny Russell and Marinos Tzionis scored for Sporting. Kansas City (2-7-3) is winless in seven games.
The Timbers were up just 1-0 after the first half, before breaking the game open with six goals in the second. They join five other MLS teams in the history of the league to score six in a half. The six goals came on just 11 shots.
'œIt's just an absolute capitulation after that, to concede six goal schools in one half of a game - I'm trying to choose my words carefully here - it's not even embarrassing. It's so far beyond that. It's just a complete disgrace. As a professional, individually and as a team, that second half was so unacceptable in so many levels," Russell said.
Both teams struggled to start the season, with just two wins apiece going into the game at Providence Park.
Kansas City played to draws in its previous three MLS games, but coming off a 4-2 mid-week victory over FC Dallas in U.S. Open Cup play.
Portland was 0-1-3 in its previous four games. The Timbers also fell 2-0 to LAFC in the Open Cup earlier this week.
'œI felt so happy, not only for the result, but for the performance, at home, with our people, who deserve this,'ť Blanco said. 'œThis season's start was very difficult for us, we couldn't find the result. But we had good games, unfortunately we didn't score many goals this season. So today we scored all of the goals.'ť
Tuiloma scored in the 12th minute on a header off a free kick from Eryk Williamson. It was the versatile defender's third goal of the season.
The Timbers doubled the lead early in the second half when Blanco scored on a well-placed flick from Cristhian Paredes. Blanco added another goal in the 51st.
Fogaca, a Brazilian forward making his first MLS start for the Timbers, scored in the 56th. Sporting's Russell caught the celebrating Timbers off-guard with a goal just a minute later.
Fogaca added his second goal in the 69th with an assist from Blanco. It was the first time in club history that a player has scored twice in his Timbers debut.
'œIt was a great night, great emotions. So I'm very happy. Two goals, this was a dream,'ť Fogaca said. 'œI need to continue to work, work hard, and get goals.'ť
Portland's Josecarlos Van Rankin was sent off after his second yellow and the Timbers played with 10 men the rest of the way. Tzionis scored on a header soon thereafter for Sporting.
Kansas City's Robert Voloder also got a red card in the 78th. Sporting coach Peter Vermes was shown a yellow card late in the match.
Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia couldn't stop Loria's left-footed blast in the 88th minute. Moreno added a goal in stoppage time.
It was the Timbers' 100th win at Providence Park since joining MLS.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports