Felipe Mora's first-half double ended a long drought and helped lift the score. Portland Timbers to a 3-1 win over visiting Real Salt Lake City in Western Conference play on Wednesday night.
Kamal Miller's late header gave eighth-seeded Portland some insurance as the Timbers closed out their first-round series meeting with Western Conference No. 1 San Diego. The best-of-three match begins Sunday in Southern California.
James Pantemis made six saves to preserve the win, Portland's second in the last 11 games.
Justen Glad's header late in the first half gave RSL a lifeline. However, Salt Lake's playoff winless streak extended to eight games (three losses, five ties) after finishing ninth and last in the West on the final day of the regular season.
Mora failed to score in his final 23 games of the regular season or his previous 12 matches in all competitions, only to produce perhaps his best performance in a Timbers shirt.
His first goal came after an incident that could have resulted in a red card for Salt Lake City.
In the end, referee Guido Gonzalez Jr. showed restraint by allowing RSL's Noel Caliscan to remain in the game rather than handing the player a second booking in as many minutes for Caliscan's late tackle on Diego Chara.
Mora was the first to convert the ensuing free kick from the right flank. Although Salt Lake City goalkeeper Rafael Cabral saved the first shot, the rebound went to the striker for a low score in the 24th minute.
Mora's second goal came in a similar sequence 11 minutes later. This time Kristoffer Velde crossed from the right flank, but Mora again followed up his own rebound from a deflected header with a confident strike.
Glad responded with a header to Diogo Goncalves' cross four minutes later, giving Salt Lake City some momentum heading into the break.
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After the break, the guests played better. William Agada's sensational bicycle kick hit the crossbar in the 73rd minute. A minute later, Brian Vera thought he had equalized with an exceptional free-kick that curled in at the left post, but was rightly ruled out because Ruan Cruz had illegally interfered with Portland's defensive wall.
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Miller sealed the result in the 82nd minute when he made his way unmarked to the back post and headed in substitute Ariel Lassiter's deft diagonal strike.
