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       #Post#: 18--------------------------------------------------
       SOCCER
   DIR By: The Referee
       Date: August 2, 2020, 10:26 am
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       Portland Timbers fight back to defeat New York City FC
       Reuters:
       Diego Valeri and Andy Polo each scored after entering the match
       as substitutes, and the Portland Timbers overcame an early
       deficit to complete a 3-1 victory over New York City FC in the
       last MLS is Back Tournament quarterfinal near Orlando on
       Saturday night.
       Sebastian Blanco also scored and had an assist for the Timbers,
       who have not conceded a non-penalty-kick goal in either of their
       games in the knockout phase.
       Portland will face the Philadelphia Union in a semifinal on
       Wednesday night, after Philadelphia defeated Sporting Kansas
       City 3-1 on Thursday. The winner will advance to the Aug. 11
       final against either Orlando or Minnesota.
       Jesus Medina scored a first-half penalty kick to give NYCFC an
       early lead. New York exits the tournament having lost three of
       its five matches, after forcing Portland goalkeeper Steve Clark
       into just two saves.
       Valeri entered at halftime and broke a 1-all tie 20 minutes
       later. He controlled a diagonal pass into the penalty area,
       played a quick square ball to Jaroslaw Niezgoda, ran onto
       Niezgoda's return pass and struck a first-time shot past Sean
       Johnson.
       Polo required only a minute after his 75th-minute entrance to
       put the game out of reach. With several options to play a pass
       during an attack, Polo instead opted for a ferocious 25-yard
       curling shot from the left side that skimmed off a diving
       Johnson's fingertips on its way inside the far post.
       Before halftime, New York led for 16 minutes until Blanco struck
       an opportunistic equalizer, when Maxime Chanot deflected Jose
       Villafana's low cross from the left. Blanco collected the
       half-clearance about 15 yards from goal, then curled a
       right-footed shot beyond Johnson's dive and inside the right
       post.
       Medina opened the scoring in the 27th minute after drawing the
       penalty kick himself, when he went to the ground after tangling
       with Portland defender Larrys Mabiala.
       Robert Sibiga ruled a foul and awarded the kick, and Medina
       stepped up and drove a left-footed shot to the left of Clark,
       who had guessed to his right.
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