After an early Islanders chance was pulled back for offside, the Timbers had their first good chance in the 7th minute when Byron Alvarez fed a pass into the run of Mamba Chisoni, who chipped Islanders goalkeeper Dan Kennedy from near the top of the box but the ball was just wide to the left. But the next Timbers attack would prove more successful, as a pass from near midfield by Garrett Marcum was turned into a breakaway by Alvarez, who pulled Kennedy off his line, then put the ball through the keeper's legs and just inside the far post to give the Timbers an early 1-0 lead.

Within a minute, the Islanders would have a good chance to respond, when Alen Marcina slipped in behind the Timbers defense, but he slowed enough as he approached the top of the box to allow Marcum to retreat and block the ball off his feet as he shot, and the threat was ended.

In the 15th minute, the Islanders would have their first good chance to score when a header by Arturo Norambuena from six yards out was tipped just over the bar by Timbers goalkeeper Bayard Elfvin. One minute later, Alvarez would have his own chance from inside the Islanders box, but his shot from 15 yards out was just over the Islanders bar. Two minutes later, Timbers forward Luke Kreamalmeyer would produce another good chance when he weaved around three Islanders defenders to get an open shot from about 15 yards out, but his shot was right at Kennedy and was smothered for the easy save.

In the 34th minute, Norambuena would get another good chance, with his shot from 10 yards out forcing a diving save by Elfvin.

Two minutes later, the Islanders thought they had scored the equalizer when off a free kick by Gustavo Barros-Schelotto was headed into the net by Marco Velez, but the assistant referee's flag was up, with Velez having been ruled offside, and the goal was disallowed. Each team would have a few more chances in the remainder of the half, but were denied by easy saves or shots that were just wide, and the half would end with the Timbers holding a 1-0 lead.

Many Timbers fans had not yet returned from halftime when the home side would double their lead on what was likely one of the more bizarre goals ever seen at PGE Park. Off a pass from midfield by Yuri Morales, Alvarez made a breakaway down the right side, but had outpaced his offensive support and played a cross into a box filled with nobody but Islanders defenders. But quite shockingly, Islanders defender John Queeley calmly knocked the ball into his own net, with Kennedy so shocked by the play that he hardly reacted, and the Timbers had taken a 2-0 lead.

Alvarez would have another good chance six minutes later with an open shot from near the top of the box, but it was right at Kennedy and he saved easily.

Over the next few minutes of the match, the momentum would shift, but not in the way it would initially appear.

In the 55th minute, Marcina was ruled to have been fouled in the box by Timbers defender Jacobi Goodfellow, though to Timbers fans it appeared Marcina's shot had already missed, and the foul appeared to be greatly embellished. Many fans were expecting a yellow for a dive when instead, the referee pointed to the spot and the Islanders had a chance to cut the lead in half.

Barros-Schelotto stepped up to take the penalty, and put the shot right down the middle. Elfvin had committed slightly to his right, but the shot was off his left thigh and up over the net, and the Timbers two goal lead was safe.

The momentum of the saved penalty carried right back into the Timbers play when less than two minutes later, Morales once again sprung Alvarez, on a run from 35 yards out, and the Timbers striker would chip a charging Kennedy just as he entered the box, and the ball would go right into the middle of the net to put the Timbers up 3-0.

The Timbers were happy to keep play in midfield for much of the rest of the half to protect their lead, though the Islanders would see a good chance in the 79th minute when Isaac Nieves-Rivera had a good look from near the top of the box, but put the shot just past the left post. Two minutes later, the Islanders had another good chance when former Timber Edwin Miranda played a very nice pass into the run of Marcina, but his shot would be smothered by Elfvin, who had charged from his line to challenge the shot near the top of the box, and the ball was cleared by the Timbers defense.

Alexis Rivera-Curet would get one more shot for the Islanders, a shot from 25 yards out that was easily saved, but it would be a night for Alvarez and Elfvin as the Timbers would keep their slim playoff hopes alive with a 3-0 win over the Islanders.

Bayard Elfvin would record five saves for the Timbers on the night, while Dan Kennedy was credited with two.