<p>PORTLAND, Ore. — Dairon Asprilla and Cristhian Paredes scored and the Portland Timbers beat the Houston Dynamo 2-1 on Saturday night for their first victory of the season. </p>
<p>Asprilla scored in the sixth minute to give the Timbers the lead, celebrating with a cartwheel and a backflip. </p>
<p>After the goal, the entire team went to the bench to hug Diego Valeri, whose father Luis died this week. Coach Giovanni Saverese wore a black arm band. </p>
<p>Ahead of the first leg of Portland’s CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal match Wednesday against Club America, usual starters Valeri and Felipe Mora didn’t come on until the second half. </p>
<p>Houston equalized with an own goal in the 27th minute when Peredes tried to deflect a pass from Tyler Pasher. Pasher returned to MLS this year after three seasons with Indy Eleven in the USL Championship.</p>
<p>Paredes broke the stalemate with a goal for the Timbers off a pass from Mora in the 73rd minute. Both Paredes and Asprilla hadn’t scored since 2019. </p>
<p>The Timbers dropped their opener last week to the Vancouver Whitecaps, 1-0 in Utah. The Dynamo beat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 at home in the opening weekend. </p>
<p>Before the game, the Timbers unveiled the banner for last summer’s title in the MLS is Back tournament, played in a bubble in Florida.</p>
<p>Timbers have a 8-5-5 advantage in the all-time series against the Dynamo. </p>
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