Timbers score 6, rout Sporting Kansas City

Kevin Kelsy scored in each half and totaled two assists, and the Portland Timbers romped to a historic 6-0 victory over visiting Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.

Kelsy's third and fourth goals this season helped the Timbers (4-6-1, 13 points) earn a six-goal victory for the first time in their MLS club history. Portland also scored six for the first time since a 7-2 win over the same SKC side in a regular-season home match on May 14, 2022.

Kristoffer Velde, Ariel Lassister and Cole Bassett also had a goal and an assist each, and the Timbers also benefited from an own-goal while racing out to a 4-0 lead by the 26th minute.

David Da Costa had two assists as Portland won for the third time in five home matches and third time in five games overall. A SKC own-goal completed the scoring.

James Pantemis made three saves to keep his first clean sheet.

Sporting (1-8-2, 5 points) conceded at least three goals for a seventh time while watching their winless run extend to seven league matches (six losses, one draw) under first-year manager Raphael Wicky.

They've been outscored 25-4 during that slide and 32-8 overall during the 2026 regular season.

Going back further, Kansas City has won only twice in its last 24 league games, a run that began with a 3-2 home loss to Seattle on July 12, 2025.

After Velde opened the scoring with a bombastic sixth-minute strike, Kelsy scored his first in the 15th on a slick attack through the right side of Kansas City's defense.

After playing a combination with Bassett and Da Costa, he ran onto Da Costa's clever backheel and drove a low finish beyond Stefan Cleveland.

Bassett's 22nd-minute strike marked his first MLS goal for his new club after his previous 31 came in portions of seven seasons with the Colorado Rapids

After an own-goal made it 4-0 by the 26th minute, Lassiter scored from a direct free kick to make it five in the 71st. Then he provided the cross on Kelsy's second in the 74th, a sliding first-time finish at the back post.

--Field Level Media