Match Recap: San Diego FC Falls 3-1 to Portland Timbers at Providence Park

Newcomer Gabriel Pirani scored his first goal with SDFC to tie the match before halftime, but Portland regained the lead in the second half with goals from Kristoffer Velde, Ariel Lassiter and David Da Costa to secure the victory in the Western Conference matchup. 

Velde scored on a counterattack that started on SDFC’s side of the field, finishing with a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area in the 29th minute. Pirani tied the match 1-1 late in the first half, but it was Portland who added a pair of second half goals scored by Lassitter and Da Costa, despite SDFC owning possession for most of the match.  

Up next, SDFC returns home to face Colorado Rapids on Saturday, Aug. 22 at Snapdragon Stadium on Native American Heritage Night presented by Sycuan Casino Resort, with kickoff set for 7:30 PM. Tickets for the Aug. 22 match are available at SanDiegoFC.com/Tickets. 

Goal Scoring Plays:  

POR – 1-0 – Kristoffer Velde (Cole Bassett) 29thth minute: Velde finished a Portland counterattack with a right-footed shot from about 25 yards out to the left of CJ Dos Santos’s net to open the scoring. 

SD – 1-1 – Gabirel Pirani (Lewis Morgan, Onni Valakari) 45+1: Pirani tied the match with a left-footed shot that rolled past James Pantemis into the left side of the net from just outside the penalty area to finish a series of passes for SDFC before the shot.  

POR –2-1– Ariel Lassiter (Jimer Fory, Kristoffer Velde) 51st minute: Lassiter tapped in a ball from inside the six-yard box as he charged into the ball on a low cross from Jimer Fory from left to right.  

POR – 3-1– David Da Costa (Kristoffer Velde) 68th minute: Da Costa bent a right-footed shot to the right of Dos Santos’ net to extend the home team’s lead. Da Costa took a ball from Velde on the right of the penalty box, moved to his left and fired his shot.