Stoppage time goal the difference in Timbers win over St. Louis City

It took 92 minutes, but the

Portland Timbers

finally beat the heat.

Playing under a heat advisory at Providence Park with game-time temperatures in the mid-90s, it was David Ayala’s 92nd-minute goal that lifted the Timbers to a 2-1 win over St. Louis City SC.

The win was Portland’s second consecutive and vaulted the Timbers (8-4-5, 29 points) into fourth place in the Western Conference, pending the result of Seattle’s evening clash with first-place Vancouver.

And boy, did it take a lot to get there.

While Ayala’s volley off a corner kick delivered the winner, the Timbers might’ve melted on the turf without the efforts of Antony and James Pantemis earlier in the match.

Making his first appearance since April 27, Pantemis kept Portland in it with seven saves — including a dramatic sequence in the 27th minute when he dove to stop an initial shot, then scrambled on all fours to block the rebound.

Despite his heroics, St. Louis finally broke through in the 50th minute. After another Pantemis save, the Timbers failed to clear the rebound, allowing Akil Watts to slot home a low shot for a 1-0 lead.

But Portland didn’t leave its keeper out to wilt for long. Just five minutes later, Antony took possession near midfield on the left, flipped the ball over a defender’s head, drove upfield and unleashed a right-footed shot from just inside the box. The ball curled from right to left, nestling into the top corner for a stunning equalizer.

It was Antony’s team-leading sixth goal of the season.

The match appeared headed for a frustrating draw — especially considering St. Louis had fired its manager just two weeks ago — until Portland earned a corner in stoppage time. Santiago Moreno delivered a perfect ball to Ayala, who struck it cleanly with his right foot for his second goal of the season to beat St. Louis – and the heat – and secure three points for the home club.

Next up:

The Timbers return to Providence Park on Friday night to face San Jose. Portland has faced the Earthquakes twice in 2025 — losing 4-1 on the road in MLS play and 1-0 in the U.S. Open Cup.

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