Football
Associated Press 8y

Keane, Zardes help LA Galaxy end Portland Timbers' unbeaten streak

Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes scored in the opening 11 minutes as the LA Galaxy beat Portland 2-1 on Saturday to snap the Timbers' nine-game undefeated streak.

Zarek Valentin scored for the Timbers, who were stung when they lost veteran defender Nat Borchers to what appeared to be a left ankle injury late in the first half. Borchers was a key piece to the Timbers' team that won the MLS Cup last season.

It was the Galaxy's fourth straight victory in Major League Soccer play, and fifth overall. Los Angeles is third in the Western Conference, while Portland is in sixth.

The Timbers were already without defender Liam Ridgewell, who has a strained right calf and will also miss the MLS All-Star Game against Arsenal next week in San Jose.

The Galaxy were without defender Ashley Cole because of a sore hamstring, and midfielder Steven Gerrard, who has a leg injury.

Sebastian Giovinco scored three goals and added an assist to break out of an eight-game scoring drought in Toronto FC's 4-1 victory over D.C. United.

The Italian star put in a show in front of 26,349 fans on a steamy night at BMO Field. Two goals came on free kicks 18 minutes apart in the first half, with the third coming in second-half stoppage time as he poked home Mark Bloom's cross to up his goals total to 11 this season.

Giovinco had not scored in league play in more than two months -- 70 days to be exact -- since scoring twice in a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on May 14.

Marky Delgado also scored for Toronto. Jared Jeffrey scored D.C. United's lone goal.

Didier Drogba broke out with a hat trick to lead the Montreal Impact to a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union.

The 38-year-old Ivorian striker hadn't scored since May 28. He returned last week after missing three games with a thigh injury.

Ignacio Piatti returned after sitting out a one-game suspension to score a goal and add two assists. Recent signing Matteo Mancuso, who went in for Drogba in the 79th minute, added his first MLS goal.

Kevin Molino scored in the 65th minute and assisted on Cyle Larin's goal in the 70th to help Orlando City draw 2-2 with Columbus Crew SC.

Orlando City pulled within one when Kaka's corner resulted in a loose ball scramble in front of the goal that Molino finally punched it in. Five minutes later, Molino's wide cross found Larin for a header from the top of the six-yard box.

Tony Tchani and Ola Kamara scored the first-half goals for Columbus.

Je-Vaughn Watson scored with a header in the 85th minute as the New England Revolution beat the Chicago Fire 1-0.

The Revolution had a flurry of attempts leading up to the goal and Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson made three saves in the two minutes prior.

But Johnson came off his line to defend Chris Tierney's corner and failed to clear it with his outstretched hand while Watson connected and sent the header into the empty net.

Bobby Shuttleworth earned his fifth shutout of the season for New England.

Victor Ulloa scored the tying goal on a long-distance shot as FC Dallas held on for a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids.

FC Dallas maintained its three-point lead over Colorado in the Supporters' Shield race, while the Rapids stayed undefeated at home.

Ulloa gathered a deflected clearance in an open space about 30 yards from goal and drilled a right-footed shot that curled away from goalkeeper Tim Howard and into the upper right corner of the goal.

Marlon Hairston opened the scoring for Colorado in the 44th minute when he blocked Atiba Harris' clearance attempt and followed the deflection into the 18-yard box for the finish.

The start of the game was delayed nearly an hour because of lightning.

Vancouver's David Ousted and Houston's Joe Willis made four saves each as the Dynamo and Whitecaps played out a scoreless draw.

The Dynamo's best chance came in the 71st minute when Boniek Garcia's left-footed shot crashed the inside of the left post, bounced along the goal line but went out past the other post.

Vancouver's Erik Hurtado found the back of the net in the 84th minute, but the goal was disallowed because of a hand ball.

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