PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Adrien Hunou scored in the second minute and Minnesota United held on the rest of the way to defeat the Portland Timbers 1-0 on a steamy Saturday night.
The victory extended the Loons’ undefeated streak to six straight games. It was Minnesota’s first win on the road this season.
But the game was marred when the Timbers revealed afterward that midfielder Diego Chara was subjected to racial abuse on the field. Details about the incident were not immediately available.
“We are all in support of Diego Chara. But what happened to him today, the discriminatory word that was said to him, should not have a place anywhere,” an angry Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said afterward. “I’m extremely disappointed that it was not taken as serious as it should have been.”
The match was pushed back for an hour because of a heat wave in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures were still above 100 degrees when the game kicked off after 8:30 p.m. The high temperature in downtown Portland on Saturday reached a record-breaking 106 degrees.
United (4-4-2) was coming off a 2-0 victory at home over Austin, extending the team’s unbeaten streak to five games. The Loons’ defense allowed just two goals over that span.
The Timbers (4-5-1) were 3-1-1 in their previous five games, including a 2-2 draw with the Dynamo in Houston on Wednesday.
Hunou’s goal was the fastest ever for the Loons.
“The only disappointment for the night, really, was that we only scored one goal. When you consider some of our attacking play, our approach play has been beautiful to watch. And only one goal is probably the only disappointment,” said Minnesota coach Adrian Heath, who spoke with the media before the Timbers revealed that Chara had been subjected to abuse.
The team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Portland goalkeeper Steve Clark made two big saves early in the second half, but the team’s short-handed attack couldn’t score.
“I think every once in a while you get into a zone and the ball slows down,” Clark said. “The first one specifically, I knew where he was going before he hit it.”
The Timbers were missing Yimmi Chara and Felipe Mora because of the Copa America. Sebastian Blanco and Marvin Loria left Wednesday’s game with injuries.
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