Football
ESPN staff 7y

Minnesota hangs on to beat Portland as D.C. United rallies to beat Atlanta

Expansion club Minnesota United held on for a 3-2 win against 2015 champions Portland Timbers on Wednesday night, in a match where both teams finished with 10 men.

The hosts got off to a perfect start when Amobi Okugo redirected a Minnesota cross through the six-yard box into his own net to put Portland down 1-0.

However, the Timbers levelled before the break from the penalty spot, with Diego Valeri finishing from the spot after drawing a foul from Minnesota keeper Bobby Shuttleworth in the area.

Christian Ramirez fired Minnesota back in front to start the second half. Kevin Molino picked him out in the Portland penalty area with an inch-perfect through ball that sliced open the defense for Ramirez to volley in over Jeff Attinella's head.

But Portland again found an equalizer, this time through a Minnesota own goal, as Francisco Calvo redirected a Timbers cross past Shuttleworth with an outstretched boot.

Abu Danladi, the top pick in this year's draft, then took center stage. The former UCLA Bruin first put Minnesota back in front from close range, slotting home from a poorly punched ball by Attinella to make it 3-2.

Danladi then became entangled with Portland's Sebastian Blanco at midfield, with both players kicking out at each other while on the ground to earn a pair of straight red cards.

Scott Sutter scored from a set piece on the final play of second-half stoppage time to give Orlando City a 1-1 draw with the Seattle Sounders.

After the Lions were awarded a free kick on the left flank outside the penalty area, Kaka drove it toward the top of the six-yard box and Sutter headed it past Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei for his first goal of the season.

Will Bruin had scored in the 21st minute for the Sounders, when Nicolas Lodeiro gained control of the ball just over midfield on the left side and dribbled toward the box. He sent it ahead to Bruin, who got around Orlando City defender Jonathan Spector. From 12 yards in front, Bruin shot it under the outstretched right arm of goalkeeper Joe Bendik and into the left corner for his fifth of the year.

The Lions were without leading scorer Cyle Larin for the second straight game. Larin, with eight goals for the season, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence last Thursday. He also missed last Saturday's 3-3 draw at home against Montreal.

D.C. United rallied from a goal behind to beat Atlanta United 2-1 at RFK Stadium.

Julian Gressel opened the scoring for Atlanta, getting on the end of a nice counter-attacking move that left him wide open in front of the D.C. net to tap home a perfectly squared Miguel Almiron assist.

But the hosts struck back in the 23rd minute when Alec Kann slipped while clearing the ball from his goalmouth and the ball went right to Luciano Acosta, who cut inside to his right foot and fired home.

Patrick Nyarko put the hosts in front after the break, settling a headed pass from Ian Harkes with his chest and blasting a volley past Kann.

With time winding down, Bill Hamid preserved the win for D.C. by just getting his fingertips on a Josef Martinez free kick that had taken a wicked deflection and was heading into the goal before the keeper palmed it to safety.

Jack McBean scored two goals to double his career total and the LA Galaxy beat the Colorado Rapids 3-1 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

McBean opened the scoring in the fifth minute from a Colorado turnover deep in its own territory, as he picked up a loose ball and blasted a shot past Rapids keeper Tim Howard, but Dillon Serna tied it in the 37th minute for Colorado, who had won three in a row.

McBean then gave the Galaxy a 2-1 lead in the 63rd minute, streaking down the center of the box, taking a centering pass from Joao Pedro and flicking a shot with the back of his heel past goalkeeper Tim Howard. 

Romain Alessandrini capped the scoring with a penalty kick in the 71st minute for the Galaxy, who are now unbeaten in their last eight games.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.

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