FRISCO, Texas — Logan Farrington scored his ninth goal of the season in the 45th minute and Joaquín Valiente added a second in the 87th as FC Dallas beat the Portland Timbers 2-1 on Saturday night at Toyota Stadium.
It was Dallas’ third win in a row. D210SPORTS reported it is the club’s first three-match winning streak since a run between Oct. 28 and Nov. 4, 2020. Dallas finished the week at 12-6-7 with 43 points, third in the Western Conference, and The Associated Press reported the club has won five of its last six.
Logan Farrington And Shaq Moore Combine Before Halftime
Shaq Moore lofted a ball over the Portland back line in the 45th minute. Farrington beat the defense to it, finished low past James Pantemis from inside the penalty area, and the flag stayed down.
Moore’s assist was his second of the season, after his first in the Texas Derby against the Houston Dynamo. 3rd Degree credited him with nine defensive contributions. He completed 84% of his 31 passes.
“I noticed their defense was stepping up high and I wanted to get that run in behind,” Farrington told reporters afterward, in comments reported by 3rd Degree’s Chris Winters. “I didn’t have a great first chance, but as a striker all you need is one chance. Shaq Moore played a great ball in behind, and all I had to do was place it low, and it went in.”
FC Dallas coach Eric Quill made one change in defense, with Nolan Norris starting at left center back in place of Osaze Urhoghide, who was suspended for yellow card accumulation. Goalkeeper Daniel made his first start since a hamstring injury in late July, and he finished with 4 saves, including a stop in the 68th minute after two Portland players got in behind. Petar Musa started on the bench, still building minutes back from a shoulder injury.
Farrington hit the post in the 74th.
Eric Quill On The Playoff Race And FC Dallas’ Home Stretch
Musa came on in the 77th, and ten minutes later a Dallas press put the ball at his feet inside the box. His shot was blocked, but he recovered the rebound and crossed to Valiente at the back post for his second goal of the season. Valiente was making his 17th start, and D210SPORTS reported the goal extended his goal-contribution streak to four matches.
Portland got one back in the third minute of stoppage time. A deflection dropped to Ariel Lassiter inside the box, and he poked it in from close range. Pantemis, making his 25th start of the season, finished with 3 saves.
“Everybody’s contribution has mattered to the results,” Quill said. “When you have a variety of guys and the collective group contributing like that, they’re bought in. Everybody has a stake in the game, and they’re having fun. It’s fun when everybody’s contribution is helping propel the club.”
Dallas played three matches between Sept. 5 and Sept. 12, one of them Wednesday night in Minnesota, and first kick Saturday came with temperatures near 97 degrees. D210SPORTS reported Quill’s comments afterward.
“They found a way to do it,” Quill said. “I’m extremely proud to be their coach.”
Norris is a Fort Worth native who joined the FC Dallas academy at 12 and signed as the club’s 35th Homegrown player in November 2022.
“We all have the same goal,” Norris said.
Seven matches remain before Decision Day on Nov. 7.
“We want home-field advantage in the playoffs because that gives you a statistical advantage to move on,” Quill said. “We want to play in front of our fans, so that’s the goal, to be in those spots. I want to chase first. That’s how I’m wired, and we have plenty of time to do it.”
Portland fell to 9-11-5, and 2-7-2 on the road. Over their previous five MLS matches the Timbers had gone 2-1-2.
Dallas stays home next weekend, hosting Austin FC at Toyota Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7:30 p.m. CT. It is the second of three straight home matches, and the match streams on Apple TV.
