PORTLAND, Oregon (CMC) — Alvas Powell netted a second-half item to help the Portland Timbers demolish DC United 4-0 on Sunday and clinch a Major League Soccer (MLS) play-off spot.

The Jamaican wing back had not started a match in two months, but made his presence felt against the last-placed East Conference side.

Powell was extremely dangerous up and down the right flank, and his performance could well earn him a recall to the Timbers’ starting line-up.

He scored his second goal of the season in the 50th minute when he created space for a left-footed shot from the right side of the box and curled the ball inside the far post of DC United goalkeeper Steve Clark.

Diego Valeri had started the scoring in first-half stoppage time, after a Chris Korb back-pass ended with Clark tackling Darren Mattock in the box.

Valeri coolly slotted the penalty past Clark before Powell and Sebastian Blanco combined for three top-shelf, second-half goals that gave the Timbers security and sent them through to the final stages of this season’s MLS play.