Portland Timber, Real Salt Lake play out goalless draw in season opener

The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played out a goalless draw in their MLS season opener at Providence Park.

The home side started the game strongly as Rodney Wallace and Darlington Nagbe linked up to cause problems for Salt Lake, and Nick Rimando was forced into action to prevent Wallace's deflected shot from finding the net.

Wallace almost created the opening goal of the match when he raided down the flank and lifted an inviting cross into the box, but Dairon Asprilla could only head his effort wide of the target.

Just before the break, Jack Jewsbury drilled a low free kick into the box which was flicked towards goal by Wallace. Rimando failed to hold the ball at the first attempt, but managed to gather before any player from the home side could react.

In the second half, Jewbury put yet another dangerous delivery into the penalty area as Liam Ridgewell headed at goal, but his effort flashed across the face of goal.

Rimando kept his side level with his best save of the match as he somehow reacted to Wallace's blast from close range to divert the ball away from goal after the striker had pounced on a loose ball in the box.

The visitors pushed late in the game and had a decent opportunity as Luis Gil lined up an effort from distance, but his strike was well saved by Adam Kwarasey.

In the dying seconds of the game, the Timber came within inches from snatching all three points as Michael Nanchoff's goal-bound strike was blocked by Schuler, while Gaston Fernandez saw his effort denied by Jamison Olave before Schuler hacked the ball to safety.

That final stand was enough to earn Salt Lake a point, leaving the Timbers to rue their missed opportunities.