On a team overdue for a goal, no player on the Portland Timbers needed one more than Felipe Mora.
Coming off a career-high 14 goals in 2024, Portland’s 32-year-old forward has seen sparse contributions in 2025, with his fifth — and, until Wednesday, final — goal of the season coming all the way back in May.
Mora has split time this season with youngster Kevin Kelsy and had to adjust to an offense that lost major contributors Jonathan Rodríguez and Evander in the offseason. He’s had chances — he just hasn’t finished them.
But in a win-or-go-home situation, Phil Neville wanted veterans on the pitch who had done it before. Few players in Timbers history have scored a bigger goal than the one Mora put away in the 2021 MLS playoffs.
So Mora earned the start.
By the 24th minute, Neville’s gut — and Mora’s persistence — paid off.
Mora’s goal off his own rebound in the 24th minute broke his — and Portland’s — scoring drought, and his second in the 36th ultimately stood as the game-winner in the Timbers’ 3-1 victory over Real Salt Lake.
With the win, the Timbers advance to the first round of the Western Conference playoffs for the first time since 2021 and will face top seed San Diego FC.
And the Timbers got there thanks to the head — and drive — of Mora.
Mora’s first goal came when he got his head on a Kristoffer Velde free kick, forced a save and was there to clean up his own rebound for his first goal contribution since June 13 against San Jose. The stadium erupted, with Mora jumping the boards and sprinting straight to the Timbers Army to celebrate.
It was a goal that finally stopped the chorus of boos ringing out around Providence Park. To be fair, the boos heard on Wednesday were different than the ones that followed Saturday’s loss to San Diego, when Neville and the Timbers were showered with not-so-friendly chants after the offensive no-show.
On Wednesday, the referees were the ones who drew the ire. After a clear RSL handball in the box in the ninth minute went uncalled — and knowing Portland’s recent scoring struggles — supporters ripped into the officiating with boos and chants, right up until Mora silenced them with his first strike.
Fifteen minutes later, he sent them into jubilation again — this time off another header and rebound, again set up by Velde.
Salt Lake pulled within a goal in the 39th minute when Justen Glad pushed a header into the top corner. RSL kept the pressure on in the second half, but Portland goalkeeper James Pantemis came up with several big saves to preserve the lead until the Timbers clinched it in the 82nd minute when Kamal Miller headed home an Ariel Lassiter cross.
Next up: The Timbers begin the playoffs on the road, facing San Diego in a best-of-three series beginning Sunday. Game 2 will be Saturday, Nov. 1, at Providence Park. Portland went 0-1-1 against San Diego this season.
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