By JOSE M. ROMERO
The Portland Timbers are still on the outside looking in as far as the MLS playoff picture, but their important 1-0 win Wednesday night over Chivas USA at Jeld-Wen Field vaulted them into the top spot among teams vying for the 10th and final playoff spot.
Eric Brunner's header for a goal off a corner kick from Mike Chabala in the 44th minute proved to be the difference for the Timbers, who won their second straight match and moved a point ahead of Chivas USA (32-31) in the West standings.
Portland currently has the same point total as the New York Red Bulls and both teams have played 26 MLS matches, but New York leads in goal differential.
The first half was not a good one for the visitors. They lost starting midfielders Michael Lahoud (ankle) and Paulo Nagamura (foot) to injuries that required a pair of first-half substitutions.
Chivas USA's one bright spot of the first half was a shot by Laurent Courtois in the 18th minute that went just over the crossbar.
Their defense under attack throughout the half, Chivas USA was fortunate not to allow goals in the 24th minute when a corner kick landed in the box and no Timbers player could get off a shot, and in the 29th when Dan Kennedy saved Jack Jewsbury's free kick.
Kennedy came up huge in the 32nd minute when he somehow got his hands up to block a header from David Horst that was going in. But the Timbers finally cashed in on their chances in the 44th minute, Brunner leaping high over Heath Pearce for the header.
Just before halftime, Simon Elliott's free kick was tipped over the bar by Portland goalkeeper Troy Perkins.
After shots by Kenny Cooper (55th minute) and Kalif Alhassan (62nd) were saved by Kennedy, the match changed. Chivas USA went on the attack while the Timbers went into defensive mode, perhaps not the best strategy given Portland's problems allowing second-half goals to opponents this season.
Things really picked up for Chivas USA starting around the 73rd minute when forward Marcos Mondaini shot wide.
The Timbers subbed in Eric Alexander -- making his Timbers debut after being acquired from FC Dallas -- then Darlington Nagbe and Rodney Wallace in the final 20 minutes. Justin Braun's header bounced harmlessly across the box in the 85th minute with no one there to clean it up for Chivas.
The visitors kept up the attack until the final seconds as the Timbers chased on defense. a ball coming to Courtois with a great chance for the equalizer in extra time but Courtois failing to get a good strike on the ball and kicking it wide of the goal.
The whistle sounded to end the match seconds later.
