Adi helps Portland snap four-game winless streak against Chicago

PORTLAND, Ore. -- As the team leader in goals for the Portland Timbers, Fanendo Adi has found the net in a variety of ways. Tonight, it was just a matter of standing in the right place at the right time.

Adi scored his 10th goal of the season in fortuitous fashion to give the Portland Timbers a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire on Friday night.

In the 48th minute, Diego Valeri sent a hard-driven cross toward the Chicago goal and Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson dove low to his right to try to punch the ball clear. Instead, it deflected off the on-rushing Adi and into the net for the game-winning goal.

"It doesn't matter how you score them. It doesn't matter when you score them," said Portland head coach Caleb Porter. "But he's scoring goals, so that's good."

"It was one of those plays that I think everyone is in pretty good spots," said Chicago head coach Frank Yallop. "It just ricochets to them and it hits him and goes in."

The win snaps a four-game winless streak for Portland and moves them into fourth place in the Western Conference.

"We talked about it before the game. Prior to this game, we have six home games left and our goal is to get 18 points. We want to be ruthless at home in getting three points every time we take the field," said Porter. "If we do that and steal some points on the road, we're going to be in good shape."

Chicago continues to struggle, remaining winless on the road for the season and with one win in their last five matches.

"I think we deserved to at least get a tie tonight. I thought we created enough chances, we pushed on the second half," said Yallop. "Just disappointed to come away with no points. But that's the way our luck seems to be going away from home."

Chicago was nearly gifted a goal in the 30th minute when Portland goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey tried to roll the ball to a teammate, but it instead went straight to Chicago's Jason Johnson. Unfortunately for the Fire, Johnson could not control it and a grateful Kwarasey pounced on the loose ball. Kwarasey finished the game with three saves for his 10th shutout of the season.

Portland's recently-acquired forward Lucas Melano made his first home appearance as a substitute in the 68th minute. Melano had four shots, but was unable to find the net.

"He needs to clean things up still, but that's to be expected," said Porter. "He's coming off an off-season. Not played a game in quite a while, and he's learning a new team, new system, new coach, a new everything. But I thought, impact-wise, he was very unfortunate not to score."