Daniel Rios Scores in Two Straight, But Portland Timbers Won't Go Away: 2-2 Draw at Saputo

It's been nearly three years since these teams last faced off, and Wednesday night in Montreal proved why this matchup matters. The Portland Timbers walked into Saputo Stadium and left with a 2-2 draw against CF Montreal, a result that feels different for both clubs heading into the back half of their seasons.

Rios Strikes Early, Kelsy Answers Back

Daniel Rios opened the scoring in the 11th minute for Montreal with a clean right-footed strike from the top of the box into the top right corner. It was his second goal in as many matches after netting the game-winner against Orlando City on Saturday in his first MLS start. The Mexican forward looked sharp early.

But Portland wasn't about to roll over. Kevin Kelsy responded just ten minutes later in the 21st minute, tapping in a Kristoffer Velde cross for his team-leading fifth goal of the season. Kelsy has been on fire lately with three goals in his past two matches, and his instinct in the box keeps the Timbers competitive even when they're on the road.

Montreal Takes the Lead, Portland Refuses to Quit

CF Montreal went ahead 2-1 just before halftime when Wikelman Carmona took a through ball from Matty Longstaff, outran a pair of Portland defenders, and buried a left-footed strike past goalkeeper James Pantemis. Montreal looked like they had control.

Then came the 77th minute. Cole Bassett's shot hit the post, but he was there for the rebound, sliding it past an out-of-position Thomas Gillier to tie the match at 2-2. That's the kind of grit that keeps a team alive on the road.

Montreal's Perfect Home Run Stalls

The draw extends Montreal's unbeaten streak at Saputo to four straight matches (3-0-1), though the inability to finish at home is a frustration. Montreal moves to 4-7-1 with 13 points. For Portland, this is huge. The Timbers sit at 4-6-2 with 14 points, and more importantly, they have points in consecutive matches for the first time this season. That's forward momentum. Their road record remains brutal at 1-5-1, but at least this result shows some character.

Montreal hosts Chicago on Saturday. Portland travels to Miami on Sunday. Both teams know they can't afford to let this moment slip away.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.