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scored the fastest goal in their MLS franchise history and then ran away from the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Diego Chara scored 75 seconds into the game and fellow Colombian Jorge Perlaza added a goal as the Timbers posted a much-needed 2-1 win against lowly Vancouver in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,627 at Jeld-Wen Field on Saturday night.

The Timbers (8-12-5, 29 points) beat their Pacific Northwest and

rivals, snapped a two-game losing streak and kept their faint playoff hopes alive.

"You don't want to get beat by your rivals. We had a real bitter taste in our mouths when we lost to Seattle," Portland coach John Spencer said. "We thought this could be a little bit of a catalyst for us the rest of the (season)."

Chara's quick goal -- his first in a Portland jersey -- occurred at an opportune moment for the Timbers. They played one of their worst games of the season in a 3-1 loss at Kansas City on Wednesday and entered Saturday's game with their confidence shaken.

"Mentally, it helped us a lot. It gave us lot of confidence. We were down a little bit coming into the game," Timbers defender David Horst said. "But we knew we were coming home to our fans, our field and our facility. We got up for this game."

The first goal was the result of Chara and Perlaza continuing to rediscover the chemistry they had while playing on the same team in Colombia. Perlaza saw Chara in the box and made a solid pass to give Chara the scoring opportunity.

"We've known each other a long time," Perlaza said through a translator. "Little by little, we have been importing what we know we can bring to the team and getting into the scheme of the team."

It's the third time this season the two have linked up on a goal.

"It comes from a long time of playing together," Chara said through a translator. "And you can see that on the field. He and I already know where to put the ball."

Perlaza scored his sixth goal of the season with some patience and persistence after defender Futty Danso's header sent the ball near the six-yard box. Perlaza's first shot was blocked, but the ball ricocheted back to him and he squeezed a shot past Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon to give the Timbers a 2-0 lead in the 33rd minute.

"The ball was headed by Futty and it was loose," Perlaza said. "The ball landed there and I just toe-poked it in."

The Timbers controlled the play for much of the game following Perlaza's score and the defense handled Vancouver forward Eric Hassli. Hassli came into the game with 10 goals, but he wasn't a factor.

"We knew we had to be very physical with him. That's the type of player he is," Horst said. "We knew we had to get the first tackle and tell him we were (going to be) here and we meant business. He wasn't going to run all over us like he has against some teams."

Portland, managing its 2-0 lead well by maintaining possession late in the game, looked as if it was going to record a shutout. But nothing comes easy for the Timbers.

When Vancouver (3-13-9, 18 points) midfielder Camilo Sanvezzo scored his eighth goal of the season in the 88th minute, an air of nervousness filtered the stadium, but the Timbers managed to hang on.

"I was very happy with the way we played until the 88th minute," Spencer said. "Then I was very nervous."

The Timbers should have had another goal when midfielder Kalif Alhassan lined up an eight-yard shot in the 49th minute. But Alhassan, who has had accuracy issues all season, watched as his shot bounced off the near post.

The Timbers will have another opportunity to gain on a team ahead of them when they host Chivas USA on Wednesday night. Chivas USA (31 points) is two points ahead of Portland as both teams chase New York (32) for the 10th and final playoff spot.

"We all want to make the playoffs," Spencer said. "It's not just the fans. It's not just the owner. The players -- and coaches -- really, really have the desire to make the playoffs."

Notes:

Spencer started Danso in place of Eric Brunner at central defender and started Alhassan at left midfield in place of Darlington Nagbe. ... Danso was carried off on a stretcher after he suffered a right hamstring injury in the 76th minute. Brunner replaced Danso. ... The Timbers did not take a corner kick; the Whitecaps had five corner kicks. ... Vancouver forward Omar Salgado, the first overall pick of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, entered the game in the 84th minute. It was the first regular-season action for Salgado since July 9.

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