Photo by Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports

By SBI SOCCER 

The Portland Timbers’ fight for the playoffs was boosted a valuable three points Saturday against an Eastern Conference contender.

Led by a Fanendo Adi brace, the Timbers took down the Columbus Crew, 2-1, Saturday at MAPFRE Stadium. With the win, the Timbers pick up the team’s 44th point of the season, enough to stay off the chasing San Jose Earthquakes for another week.

Tied going into the halftime break, Adi restored his side’s advantage with his second finish of the night just four minutes into the second stanza. Running a quick counter-attack, Rodney Wallace received the ball on the left side before pushing a cross towards the center of the box. Adi’s run allowed him a first-time finish, sliding and shooting to best goalkeeper Steve Clark again to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.

The game’s first goal came in the 28th minute, as Adi scored the Timbers’ first-ever goal in Columbus. Receiving the ball at the top the box, midfielder Darlington Nagbe chipped a pass past a pair of Crew defenders and into the path of Adi. The Timbers forward finished first-time, smashing a shot past Clark.

Kei Kamara’s equalizer came 15 minutes later, with the Crew forward netting his 22nd goal of the season.

Having earned a corner kick, Federico Higuain was played right into the near corner of the six-yard box. Kamara rose up unattended to smash a header past Adam Kwarasey, leaving the scoreline level going into the locker room.

The Timbers continued to be the more likely team to score, forcing a number of saves out of Clark throughout the game. The goalkeeper’s best stop came in the 37th minute, as Clark pushed a Diego Valeri chip up and over the bar for one of his saves on the evening.

Despite the Timbers having a majority of the play, the Crew rebounded well after going down a goal and appeared to have leveled the scoreline in the 64th minute. Ethan Finlay seemed to have fired an equalizer past Adam Kwarasey, but the Crew winger’s effort was waved offside as the Timbers’ lead remained.

From there, the Crew continued to push, but failed to breakdown a stout defense as the Timbers picked up three valuable road points in the playoff chase.

Following the win, the Timbers’ postseason push continues next Saturday in a clash with Sporting KC, while the Crew are set to visit the New York Red Bulls that same day.