Diego Rubio struck twice and Johnny Russell added a late third as Sporting Kansas City secured their third straight shutout victory in a dominant 2-0 defeat of the Portland Timbers on Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park.
Rubio spearheaded the comprehensive performance with goals in the 28th and 37th minutes before Russell came off the bench to bag his team-leading eighth MLS goal in the 89th minute. The result lifts Sporting KC (12-6-6, 42 points) into a provisional tie for first place in the Western Conference with FC Dallas and gives Manager Peter Vermes’ men three consecutive shutout wins in MLS for the first time since April 2013.