Jesus Ferreira erupts for hat trick as FC Dallas tops Portland Timbers

Jesus Ferreira scored his first Major League Soccer hat trick as FC Dallas defeated the visiting Portland Timbers 4-1 Saturday night in Frisco, Texas.

Paul Arriola also scored and goalkeeper Maarten Paes made three saves for Dallas (2-1-1, seven points), which won its second straight game.

Jaroslaw Niezgoda scored for the Timbers (1-1-2, five points), who suffered their first defeat of the season. Aljaz Ivacic made four saves.

Ferreira, who will rejoin the U.S. national team next week for World Cup qualifying, was scoreless through the first three MLS matches of the season.

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He made up for it Saturday, scoring all of his goals in an 11-minute span of the first half, a franchise record for quickest three strikes.

"I thought the goals were going to come," Ferreira said on the television broadcast at halftime. "Once one goal goes in, you can't stop me."

Ferreira scored his first in the 26th minute. Paxton Pomykal played the ball wide to Alan Velasco on the left wing, with Ferreira and fellow U.S. international Arriola making runs down the middle of the 18-yard box.

Velasco, the 19-year-old Argentinian who was making his first MLS start, played a low cross that Arriola stepped over to leave for Ferreira, whose right-footed strike from 8 yards out glanced off the underside of the crossbar and fell just over the goal line.

Ferreira made it 2-0 in the 30th minute. Arriola drove the ball to the top left of the penalty area before sending a pass to Ferreira. With his route to the net blocked, Ferreira passed the ball out wide to Nanu on the right wing and proceeded to the top of the 6-yard box, where he headed Nanu's cross over Ivacic.

Ferreira completed the hat trick in the 36th minute, taking a pass from Brandon Servania at the top right of the 18-yard box and putting a low shot just inside the right post.

Portland got on the board in the 61st minute, as Sebastian Blanco played a long through ball from near midfield to Niezgoda at the top left of the 18-yard box. Niezgoda chipped it over the onrushing Paes from about 15 yards out.

Arriola capped the scoring in the 77th minute, taking a pass from Ferreira and sliding a shot into the left corner of the net from 12 yards.