Month: May 2023

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 1, Sporting KC 4

Credit: Kris Lattimore
Credit: Kris Lattimore

*Cue sad music*

The Portland Timbers played a depressing game on Sunday afternoon at Kansas. What it looked like a winnable match ended up a nightmare for the Timbers, who finished with a 1-4 score.

A good start and a terrible second half

The future looked bright for the Timbers when Franck Boli scored early in the game—minute 8’, to be exact—with a definitive one-touch. And even though Portland handed the ball over to Kansas City, the team didn’t look bad… at least in the first half. 

The Timbers’ defense was compact—as you can see in the video below, where Sporting can’t find the proper channels to move the ball ahead and they’re forced to switch the point of attack, which leads to an unforced error.

Nonetheless, that discipline got lost in the second half, when Kansas City figured the Timbers out. 

A massive hole in the defense

Dario Župarić missed the match due to yellow card accumulation, and his absence was felt. Larrys Mabiala replaced him, but unfortunately, he had a forgettable performance in the backline, even scoring own goal for Sporting. Mabiala also caused some turnovers that left more than one fan asking for him to be benched.

We already said that Portland lost their discipline in the second half, and that was clear in the second goal KC scored. If you look at the image below, you’ll see the huge gap the centrebacks left, which Sporting’s Dániel Sallói took advantage of.

Huge gap. Source: MLS/ Apple TV
Source: MLS/ Apple TV

Then, in the third goal, the Timbers got caught out of shape after Claudio Bravo’s pass didn’t find its target. Kansas City recovered the ball and sent a long pass that left Portland bewildered. Mabiala didn’t make things better by taking down KC’s forward inside the box and scoring an own goal.

The last tally of the game represented the second half in a nutshell. As you can see in the image below, the Timbers left attacking channels open, and KC had not one but two passing options that could’ve scored. The home team attacked the spaces pretty well, and Portland didn’t find a way to close them down, not even in the dying minutes of the game.

Source: MLS/Apple TV
Source: MLS/Apple TV

“We didn’t finish the game the right way,” said head coach Giovanni Savarese of the result. “But also I will take responsibility in substitutions, in changing the shape to a diamond to try to throw more players forward and try to create something more in the hope that we could find a way to tie with the players that we had. I take that responsibility.”

Boli as a No. 9

Boli has been the Timbers’ No. 9 in the last four games. He got the start for the fourth consecutive time against Sporting, and just like he did against Vancouver, he opened the score early.

It’s good that he’s getting playing time. But while Boli has managed to produce some goals in the final third, he also has missed clear chances in the last few games.

Against Kansas City, he had a clear chance at the end of the first half. Goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh was already beaten, and Boli had an empty net. Despite this, he couldn’t head the ball properly. (The chance yielded an expected goal probability of 36.36%.)

“It was hard to see the goal. I just tried to put it in, but, yeah, unfortunate,” said the forward regarding this chance. “We have to keep going and try again. It’s not easy.”

Time to find a new No. 9? Most likely, but the Timbers are almost out of options. Boli’s backup, Nathan Fogaça, has produced even less in the final third, and that’s maybe why coach Savarese keeps betting on Boli.

With this in mind, the news about Felipe Mora finally being in training for the first time in the season couldn’t be more welcomed. According to Oregonian reporter Ryan Clarke, he might be back in three weeks.

Timbers struggling with injuries again

It is no secret that Santiago Moreno has been one of the Timbers’ most reliable players this season. Sadly, he got injured against Kansas.

“Santi had a spasm in his back, and then he started feeling dizzy. I actually tried to hold it as much as I could on the field to finish the half. That way we made a substitution at the half,” said Savarese. “And still, with a little bit of dizziness, he was able to create a few moments, but he couldn’t run back. At some point, he couldn’t do some things because especially the spasm in his back beside the dissonance. So we had to change him.”

Despite that, Moreno was in training on Tuesday, which is a relief knowing the important match the Timbers have on Saturday.

When Moreno got injured, Yimmi Chará replaced him, but unfortunately, Chará also couldn’t stay on the field for long. He, too, got hurt, but unlike Moreno, he wasn’t in practice on Tuesday. 

What comes next

The Timbers don’t have the luxury to dwell too much on this result. They have only a few days to lick their wounds and be ready for the game against the Seattle Sounders in Seattle on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. PT.

It’s going to be a doubleheader, with the Thorns playing later, so we expect a good atmosphere—and hopefully some points.

Categories
NWSL Soccer Thorns

Takeaways: Thorns 4, Chicago 0

The Chicago Red Stars and the Portland Thorns could be two sides of the same coin. Both have young, brilliant, marquee forwards (Mal Swanson for Chicago and Sophia Smith for Portland), brilliant keepers (Alyssa Naeher and Bella Bixby, respectively), a long history making the NWSL playoffs, and both teams are currently for sale after a myriad of scandals and abuse were perpetrated and ignored by the teams’ front offices. 

However, the Thorns have been able to maintain their status-quo performances on the field while the Red Stars have floundered greatly so far in the 2023 season. Granted, Swanson is out with an unfortunate knee injury, and Chicago lost most of their midfield during the league’s first free agency period while the Thorns have largely retained their roster. But the talent, particularly in Chicago’s back line, is far better than scorelines have reflected. 

The Thorns, back at home after a two-game road stretch, desperately needed to bounce back to the dominance with which they started the season. After two consecutive 3-3 ties and a 2-1 loss to Houston, it was clear that the Thorns needed a mental reset. Their tactics and ability to score goals were clearly still on display throughout all three games, but the defensive mindset and ability to shake off mistakes and close out games effectively was noticeably absent. 

While the resounding 4-0 win over Chicago at home—which marked the third time that the Thorns have scored three times in the first 16 minutes of a game—might not have been the team’s best performance of the season, it provided the mental reset that Portland so desperately needed and reminded them of the importance of playing with joy. 

Photo by Matthew Wolfe

There is no one player who embodies this mantra better than Meghan Klingenberg, who is emphatic with her words and isn’t afraid to speak blatantly on her feelings with the team. Her pregame hype huddles are iconic, and the passion she has for the Thorns is palpable, so it is only right to look at the Thorns’ stomping of Chicago through her own words. 

Kling began her overall thoughts by saying that, “It’s the first time in a couple games where I felt like we put together really good stretches of quality minutes, limited their opportunities and looked more like us. We looked like we are having fucking fun. When we look like that, we are at our best. I think we are pretty unstoppable when we are at our best.”

The Thorns had four different goal scorers against Chicago: Kelli Hubly, Crystal Dunn, Olivia Moultrie, and Natalia Kuikka. Half of those players are defenders for the club, while Dunn plays defense for the USWNT. If there’s one way for a shaky defense to have their confidence skyrocket, it would definitely be for them to outscore the entire forward line. The unexpected joy that Hubly exuded after she perfectly placed her volley into the far corner of the net set the ball in motion for how the rest of the game was going to go. The Thorns looked like they were having fun again. 

Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Kling also referenced that it was the first time that the Thorns were “putting together really good stretches of quality minutes.” The Thorns put up absurd numbers. They had 12 shots on target out of 22 total, and limited Chicago to eight shots total, none on target. The Thorns had 124 passes in the final third and 43 touches in Chicago’s box—showcasing their relentlessness in their high press and creating numerous opportunities. Compare these numbers to the previous game against Houston, where the Thorns had 74 passes in the final third and only 12 entrances into their opponent’s box, and it’s clear that the Thorns had a more successful press. 

When a team has been imbued with as much off field trauma as the Thorns have, it can become hard to focus on the on field successes. That is what I think is happening with the Chicago Red Stars. Throughout the ongoing sale of their club, they have lost investment and belief in the players, which in turn makes it harder for them to perform on field. The Thorns, on the other hand, have had consistent support from general manager Karina LeBlanc and the die-hard Riveters that has allowed them to keep up their desired level of performance on the field. 

 Kling, who is not a captain nominally but embodies the leadership and passion of one, is right when she says that the fun the team is having is directly correlated to their successes on the field. I hope that the Thorns are able to take this regained confidence after a rocky stretch and show San Diego who the best team on the west coast really is. 

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 0, Minnesota United 1

Photo Credit: Matthew Wolfe

Riding a four game unbeaten streak into their match against Minnesota United, the Portland Timbers were looking to make it five Saturday.

However, that streak ended after a heartbreaking goal in the last seconds of stoppage time by Minnesota’s Bongokuhle Hlongwane.

Portland’s offense is hot and cold, while their backline continues to put in their best performances. If these could sync up, we could see this season’s outlook change quickly.

The players and coaching staff are rightfully disappointed in the result.

Disappointing match,” said Timbers head coach Gio Savarese. “A game that we knew exactly how it was going to be.

“We knew Minnesota was just going to be defending and organized in the block,” Savarese said, “and we knew they were going to go for the counter. We managed everything well until the 93rd minute and one little moment of hesitation between [Aljaž Ivačič], our centerbacks—maybe one played a little bit too high.”

Photo Credit: Matthew Wolfe

The 1-0 loss raises a lot of questions, particularly about the depth of the team and if coach Savarese should have rotated the squad more.

Make no mistake, the Timbers were the better side, but the sloppiness and tired legs—the match was Portland’s third in eight days—took their toll on the team.

Portland’s xG was 1.19 compared to Minnesota’s 0.98. The Timbers outshoot the Loons 19 to nine and had 10% more possession. They also had more crosses, passes, and corners.

The team did not deserve to lose this game. A draw would have been a fair result.

Soccer is brutal sometimes.

Photo Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Congested schedule

The Timbers have dealt with injuries throughout the season and are finally healthy enough to compete. However, in congested weeks with at least three games, they are at a huge disadvantage.

Yes, Portland’s starting XI can compete with anyone in MLS when they are healthy and fully rested.

But the depth might not be there; Savarese went with his best players for three straight games and got four points.

If the Timbers do not make the playoffs, we may have to look at this week as the pivotal week where the team dropped points.

Their depth will be tested even more when Dario Župarić will have to serve his suspension for yellow card accumulation. Larrys Mabiala will be the next one up.

Photo Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Seba’s return

Sebastiàn Blanco has battled injuries nonstop to get back on the pitch.

His work ethic and determination is one we should all aspire to. The fact that he continues to overcome the odds should be applauded and supported by everyone.

Recently, a nerve pain in his knee flared up, and he received an injection to address it.

He made his first appearance of the regular season in the 79th minute, and the crowd made sure Blanco knew how much they loved to see him back.

Making his return over the weekend was a pleasant surprise and will hopefully provide Portland with a boost throughout the remainder of the season.

Photo Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Inconsistency

Portland have played some of their best football as of late, but have been lacking the extra consistency needed to be a playoff contender.

“It has been difficult,” said Diego Chará. “Now we’re getting back some healthy players, and obviously, we are trying to create opportunities in the front attack. Right now we really need to be better in the first 15 minutes and try to score, because it’s really important that our attackers try to find a way to score goals.

“In tonight’s game, we tried to play balls to the middle, tried to find a clear opportunity for Franck [Boli], for [Dairon] Asprilla, and we couldn’t do it,” he said. “I think in this next game, we need to be better in that—to prepare well and try to play a better performance from every player.”

Photo Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 0, Real Salt Lake 0

Photo: Kris Lattimore
Photo: Kris Lattimore

A midweek game with few quality chances gave the Portland Timbers a point on the road, earning a scoreless draw against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday.

After an hour and a half-long weather delay the game finally started. Head coach Giovanni Savarese put on the the same starting XI that he used last Saturday in the game against Vancouver, with the goal of getting three points on the road.

Strong defense

We’re not gonna lie: the Timbers didn’t create as much as they should’ve in the final third in this match. Maybe it was due to the weather delay, or maybe because this is the second game they played in four days.

Whatever the cause, the home team was the one that dominated the match, but Portland defended well. They worked as a unit, blocking a total of six shots out of the 17 Real Salt Lake produced.

All RSL blocked shots. Source: Opta
All of RSL’s blocked shots. Source: Opta

After the game, Savarese praised the work done by his defense, especially his fullbacks Juan David Mosquera and Claudio Bravo. “I think Mosquera and Bravo had a great game,” he said. “They gave us a lot of balance with two very difficult players that are very fast.”

RSL “had a fast team at the beginning,” Savarese said, “with [Anderson] Julio, [Maikel] Chang, and [Andrés] Gómez, with [Jefferson] Savarino inside—players that are very fast. We managed those moments that they tried to find in transition very, very well.”

Speaking of Mosquera, he was the player with the biggest percentage of passing accuracy on both sides of the field, with 90% overall and 85% in the opponent’s half. That means he only missed three passes out of a total 30.

Juan David Mosquera's passes. Source: Opta.
Juan David Mosquera’s passes. Source: Opta.

Bravo was really good in this game, too. He was second in duels won with eight,  created the most chances with two, made the most tackles with six, and was third in clearances with four.

Besides the fullbacks, the team could count on defender Zac McGraw, who was available again after missing a game due to yellow card accumulation. He was good as always, except maybe for his new look.

What Gio thinks of Zac McGraw blond hair. Source: Timbers FC
What Gio thinks of Zac McGraw’s blond hair. Source: Timbers FC
Jazzy with the big saves, again

Aljaz Ivačič finished the match with four saves and one catch. Maybe it was not the most saves he has made in a game, but those were crucial to collect his first clean sheet of the season and help Portland get a point on the road.

 

“Finally, no? Who would have said in Salt Lake?” said the goalkeeper when asked about his first clean sheet of the year. “I’m very happy about that, but as I said: we need to be more hungry. We could’ve won this game, so we need to work now and look forward to the next one.”

Ivačič might be right about the team not being hungry enough because the Timbers produced some worthy looks, although not many.

Not many quality chances 

Portland looked a little out of ideas in the attack, maybe because they were burned out after playing on Saturday. 

After two standout performances, Evander didn’t impact this game much. He didn’t create a single chance and was unsuccessful with all seven of the crosses he attempted. Nonetheless, he was the player who attempted the most shots with four, three of them on target.

Out of all the Timbers, it was Franck Boli who had the most promising chance of the entire match—an xG of 21.05% in minute 57’. Too bad RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath made a great save, denying him what might’ve been the winning goal.

Other than Boli’s chance, the Timbers didn’t create much. Evander had a free kick on frame, but it was an easy catch for MacMath. And it was a true shame that Dairon Asprilla’s shot in the 75th minute hit the post; it was a nice low shot.

The Timbers finished this match with an xG of 0.45, while Salt Lake’s was 1.01. Given the better and more chances the home team had, we have to be grateful that they couldn’t put the ball in the back either.

What the coach said

As always, coach Savarese spoke to the media and shared his thoughts after the match.

“We created some very good moments that, if we maybe would’ve managed a little bit better, we could’ve gotten out from here with three points,” he said. “The point is a good point. It is always difficult to play at Salt Lake. And as I said to the guys, I thought we did a lot of good things in the way we managed the game and move the ball. With the possession probably at the beginning, we were strong in the first few minutes and then we started to play very, very well.”

Last but not least, we gotta give a special mention to Christhian Paredes. The midfielder put on a great performance, contributing everywhere.

He was first in duels won with 12, first in tackles with six, was tied with Bravo for second in recoveries with seven, made three clearances and one interception, and created one chance.

Here is an example of one of those seven recoveries he made. He was brilliant!

 

The Timbers will be back in Providence Park on Saturday, May 20th, when they play Minnesota. The kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 3, Vancouver Whitecaps 1

Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore

After losing to the Whitecaps 0-1 in Vancouver in April, the Portland Timbers had revenge on their mind when they hosted one of their Cascadia rivals Saturday.

In the previous matchup, the Timbers were outmatched, overwhelmed, and shorthanded. But this time, Portland got their sweet revenge, with a 3-1 win in their most complete performance of the year.

Timbers head coach Gio Savarese was very pleased with his team’s performance.

“Very important win for many, many reasons,” said Savarese. “Three points. Cascadia Cup. Home game. Then we performed very well.”

Still, he said, “I think we can still progress, we can still get better. There’s areas that we have to continue to work, but I think the first 20 minutes and the entire second half, I thought we were very, very good.”

In the second minute, Franck Boli broke out of his scoring drought to put Portland on the board first.

The Timbers continued to create chances after the opening goal, with combination play between Juan David Mosquera, Santi Moreno, and Evander putting another one away in the 18th minute.

This was some of their finest work all year.

This team has been clicking offensively for weeks, and it showed off big time. Portland outshot and had more shots on target than Vancouver, putting up 13 and seven to the Whitecaps’ seven and four, respectively.

Unfortunately in the 24th minute, Zac McGraw went for a clearance that turned into an own goal.

In the 54th minute, Evander put on a insane move to freeze his defender and then ripped a shot for Portland’s third goal for the final score.

This was his best game as a Timber, and he has let the entire MLS know, too.

The Evander Show
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore

After early struggles with form and injury, Evander has played his best ball the past few weeks. He is playing with tons of confidence, his decision making is so much quicker, and his passing has been very crisp. This is the exact player general manager Ned Grabavoy and  Savarese wanted to sign.

Evander is one of the most in form players in MLS right now, and the Timbers are steadily climbing the table thanks to his contributions.

The Portland Timbers are playing their best football of the season, which happens to coincide with his best run of play.

Is that a coincidence? Absolutely not.

“I was going for the hat trick,” said Evander. “Of course, not doing crazy things, but I wanted one more opportunity for a goal. I knew that nobody [on the Timbers] has scored a hat trick in an MLS competition, and I wanted to be the first, but I’ll have to wait till the next opportunity.

Still, he was pleased with his team’s performance. “I think this shows us how good we are” he said, “how good we are when we play together and as a team… When we play together, when we are compact and play soccer and enjoy the game, things become much easier. The win today gives us more confidence for the rest of the season.”

All You Gotta Do is BOLIeve
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore

Boli scored his first goal for Portland in his Timbers debut. Since then, he has been hungry for his second.

His work rate and comfort level has been steadily climbing in the past couple weeks.

“I am a striker. I create goals. Last game I wanted to score so bad, I missed some goals and got angry,” said Boli. “But you’ve got to try again.

“I’m very happy to score today and also that the team won,” he said. “That’s even more important than my goal. As a striker, you want to score every time and I’m happy about that.”

Boli has continued to be get more comfortable with the team and league.

“He’s getting to understand the league,” said Savarese. “He’s getting to feel more chemistry, and he’s getting fitter as well.

“You saw his movements today,” Savarese said. “Now he knows how to move around the defenders because they’re physical here in MLS. He needs to understand how to find good areas in order to make sure to be in good places to get the ball. He created some very good moments, attacking-wise.”

Fun stats
  • xG: Portland 1.15, Vancouver 0.59
  • Evander led the team in shots, shots on goal, and goals.
  • Santiago Moreno paced the team in chances created, successful dribbles, and completed passes in the final third.
  • Juan David Mosquera had the most touches, crosses attempted, completed passes on the team.
  • Dario Zuparic was stout in defense with 10 recoveries and seven aerial duels won.
  • Diego Chará made his 350th MLS appearance.

 

Categories
Soccer Timbers

U.S. Open Cup Takeaways: Timbers 3, RSL 4

Credit: Kris Lattimore

The Portland Timbers hosted Real Salt Lake in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, with a spot in the final 16 up for grabs.

This game had end to end action, limited amounts of defending, and a bunch of fireworks.

In total, seven goals were scored, with RSL coming out on top 4-3 at Providence Park and eliminating Portland from the next round of the tournament.

Timbers head coach Gio Savarese was very honest with his post match thoughts. “We allowed them to score four goals at home,” he said, “which is not good. And the way we sometimes allow those moments to happen, we need to have a little bit more maturity.

But, he said, “It’s good for some of the players that don’t have that many minutes to be able to come and play. That makes them better, that makes them stronger, that makes them more available to be able to compete and ready to play. ”

Noel Caliskan – T2 Promotion to T1
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore

Noel Caliskan was selected 15th overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Loyola Marymount University.

He signed his first professional contract with Timbers 2 ahead of the 2023 season. In four appearances with T2, he has scored three goals.

After a strong performance in Portland’s 3-1 win over Orange County in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, the Timbers rewarded Caliskan with a promotion to the senior team.

On April 28, the club announced that he signed a contract for the 2023 season with options in 2024 and 2025.

Caliskan moved from Germany to the United States to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional footballer.

“It’s obviously an honor,” Caliskan said. “I came to the US with a dream to pursue my career, be a pro and to finally make it and play with the like of [Sebastián Blanco], Eric [Miller], Diego [Chará], big names and MLS legends. It’s an honor to share the locker room with them and to share the field with every day.”

On Wednesday, he was one the bright spots in the team’s home loss. Caliskan recorded two assists and showed off his talent.

Gio Savarese gave Caliskan positive remarks for his performance.

“He was one of the mature guys on the field,” Savarese said. “He did really well. He managed things excellent and endured the match very well. With the ball he gave us what we needed.

“We saw how he pressed on top to create a moment for [Blanco] to score,” he said, “and how great of a moment it is for Seba to score, too.”

With the team shorthanded in midfield, Caliskan has a chance to make a difference for the Portland Timbers this season.

Sebastian Blanco scores his first goal since injury comeback
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore

Seba made his second start since his return from injury and gave the Timbers the early lead with his goal.

Just having him back is a boost to the team. He continues to get better with each appearance. A healthy Blanco will be crucial to Portland’s playoff chances.

Defense?
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore

“Losing this game at home, allowing four goals after we scored three is no good,” said Savarese. “We talked about it in the locker room and the guys take the responsibility and now we continue to work.” 

The backline of Pablo Bonilla, Larrys Mabiala, Tyler Clegg, and Justin Rasmussen had many positives from the game, but there were many moments they would like back.

Scoring three goals and not winning at home is a tough pill to swallow.

The Timbers can put together a good starting backline in Juan David Mosquera, Dario Zuparic, Zac McGraw, and Claudio Bravo. Beyond that, as Wednesday showed, it is a concern if any of them are unavailable for any reason.

The defense, especially the backline, will decide how this season goes.

Key Stats
  • Portland had the advantage over RSL for xG: 2.02 to 1.62
  • Marvin Loría led the team with 5 chances created, crosses attempted, and completed passes in final third.
  • Victor Griffith paced the Timbers with three shots
  • Noel Caliskan led Portland in assists and completed passes in the final third.
  • Tyler Clegg won the most tackles for the team
  • Larrys Mabiala had the most completed passes and recoveries
  • The Timbers statically dominated almost every category offensively against Real Salt Lake
Categories
Soccer Thorns

Takeaways: Courage 3, Thorns 3

Photo by Kris Lattimore.

Last Saturday, the Portland Thorns earned their second consecutive 3-3 draw, fighting back from going down a goal three separate times against the North Carolina Courage.

“I think to find ourselves down three times, it’s probably hard for to wrap me head around,” Thorns head coach Mike Norris said after the game, “but group kept pushing”—showing a resilience and rebound that Norris said he was “really proud of.”

So, let’s break all that down.

In defense of Emily Menges

Portland was unlucky to go down in the first minute, after a North Carolina cross deflected weirdly off of Thorns defender Emily Menges. It’s the third time the Thorns have conceded off an unfortunate deflection this year—the first being a Meaghan Nally own-goal against the San Diego Wave—and I’m not really sure what to make of that happening twice in the first month and a half of 2023 play. Are the new white kits cursed? Possibly.

North Carolina’s other two goals came in the forms of a brilliant individual effort from Kerolin and Courage rookie Olivia Wingate nutmegging Menges and getting off a cross to meet Victoria Pickett’s near-post run.

“I don’t want to be a team that’s conceded three goals,” Norris said, “but I didn’t think it was a poor defensive performance. I thought it was anything but that, to be honest.”

I don’t think Norris is outright wrong—it wasn’t an awful defensive performance—but the Thorns definitely could’ve been better on North Carolina’s third goal.

In that play, the Courage are working the ball up Portland’s left flank. As we’ve alluded to above, Kerolin sends a ball ahead to Wingate, who drives endline and ‘megs Menges. Klingenberg has been drawn out to mark Kerolin, so it’s center-back Kelli Hubly who has to step to Wingate, leaving Pickett in space.

As we see above, Hubly stepping leaves Natalia Kuikka marking two Courage players (Pickett near post and Tyler Lussi far post). Dunn and Sam Coffey have been standing at the top of the box and are just beginning their runs to cover—but it’s too late.

Of the goals, this one feels the most like a situation that could’ve been avoided with a little more communication and anticipation. Even if Menges doesn’t get beat here, the Thorns are defending three-on-three, which is a situation they’d want to avoid.

(In Menges’ defense, she also wasn’t the only Thorn to get beat on a North Carolina goal; Coffey dove in too early against Kerolin on the Courage’s second goal, getting beat and leaving Kerolin with far too much space in the center of the field.)

Still, I don’t think that’s a cause for concern, yet. Even though individual players got beat on North Carolina’s second and third goals, Portland’s other defenders weren’t able to effectively drop back and cover—an issue that will hopefully resolve itself as the team gets more used to playing together. Or as Crystal Dunn put it postgame, “We’re still early enough in the season where we know that it’s just these growing pains that we’re going to go through.”

Portland can still hurt you in so many ways

Outside of capitalizing on their chances, North Carolina, for their part, put together a pretty solid performance against the Thorns—especially in their work limiting Portland’s space in midfield. The Thorns, for their part, were forced to play wide or find quick passes through the center of the park, the latter of which they struggled to do consistently.

“We’re a team that’s at our best when we’re fluid,” Dunn said, “when we’re able to break teams down and not be stagnant.” Portland’s second goal was a prime example of that, she said.

In the buildup to the goal, we can see the Courage’s pressure—and the Thorns successfully playing out of that through quick passes. After Sophia Smith’s flick on to Meghan Klingenberg’s overlapping run, Dunn just has to push toward goal from where she’s sitting at the top of North Carolina’s box to get on the end of the cross.

Portland’s other two goals—the first from Dunn and the third from Olivia Moultrie—show another area where the Thorns found success: in their late runs out of midfield.

While we’re here, let’s take a moment to appreciate Moultrie’s game-tying goal—the cherry on top of her impressive performance off the bench.

It’s still incredibly silly that, as a 17-year-old, she isn’t eligible for a player of the week nomination after that.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 2, Austin FC 2

"I’m happy because we looked like a team the last two games." Credit photo: Kris Lattimore
"I’m happy because we looked like a team the last two games." Credit photo: Kris Lattimore

The Timbers got a draw at home on Saturday night.

After winning on the road against St. Louis, it looked like Portland would be more than capable of getting another three points at home, but Austin came up from behind twice and got the equalizer in stoppage time.

The one that got away? Let’s analyze the game and see.

Some changes in the lineup

Timbers head coach Gio Savarese had to make changes in the starting XI after the game against St. Louis. David Ayala was among the absentees (ICYMI, Ayala’s season is over after tearing his ACL. The Rose City Review wishes him the best in his recovery process.)

Center-back Zac McGraw also missed the game due to an accumulation of yellow cards, and defender Eric Miller was out due to health and safety protocols.

Given these absences, Larrys Mabiala, Claudio Bravo, and Christian Paredes were on the field from the start. This match had two defenders scoring and Evander having another great game and distributing the ball from the midfield.

Timbers missing chances

It is safe to say that Franck Boli was the hero over a month ago, when he scored the equalizing goal against Dallas FC in the dying minutes of that game.

Boli got the start in this match, but despite a number of the clear chances, he couldn’t put any in the back of the net.

Nonetheless, despite Boli’s misses, the most clear chance of the first half happened in the ninth minute. This chance, which Juan David Mosquera missed, had the highest xG of all of Portland’s shots—12.54%, according to Opta. Props to him for pressing high to recover the ball in the first place and then stay engaged in the play, nonetheless.

In the absence of McGraw

McGraw has cemented his spot in the Timbers’ starting XI, and his absence was felt. And although it is true that Mabiala was the one marking Will Bruin and ergo, let him head that ball to tie the game in stoppage time, there wasn’t much more Mabiala could’ve done.

If we look at the video below, the problem is actually before the cross. Diego Chará lets Ethan Finlay turn, and Finlay passes the ball to Owen Wolff, who ended up serving that ball to the far post. These kinds of dangerous crosses have a high probability of putting a team in trouble when they defend in a high zone like the Timbers did in the last minutes of the match.

“It was too many crosses in the last 15-20 minutes,” Timbers center-back Dario Župarić said. “It’s not easy to play one-v-one inside the box. The guy who scored [Bruin], he’s really good with his head, and he always scores goals like that. It wasn’t easy to mark him.

“First, we need to prevent that cross,” Župarić said, “and then I think Larrys [Mabiala] stayed with him. It was a perfect ball and he scored the goal. If I was in Larrys’ position, I think I would stay the same as he stayed. For me, he marked [Bruin] good.”

Still, Mabiala’s stats for this game are pretty good. He was first in duels and aerial duels won, as well as in clearances and interceptions. And he was third in passing accuracy after Župarić and D. Chará.

Larrys Mabiala's heat map. Source: Opta
Larrys Mabiala’s heat map. Source: Opta
Evander keeps making an impact

After being included in the Week 10 MLS’ Best XI, Evander showed once again why he’s one of the players to watch in Portland.

 “I think we can all concur in the fact that every game he is getting better,” Savarese said. “We’ve seen that he’s getting more comfortable, he’s getting better, he’s looking more for the ball, he’s looking to be the person that is dictating the ball and that is managing the situations a little bit better. We see that he’s adapting to the league. We saw a couple of moments where he found good spaces toward the end in order to hurt them and increase opportunities.

“I think we see every game something better from him,” Savarese said, “so it’s good.”

Evander might have not had shots on goal against Austin, but he created three chances in the match—the same amount as the rest of the team—and two of those were the assists that led to Župarić and Claudio Bravo’s goals. The Brazilian also registered three successful crosses.

All that made him worthy of being included in the MLS Team of the Matchday Bench for Matchday 11.

 

Župarić scores his second goal in three years

The opening goal of this match was great. Evander’s ball was exquisite, and the header by the Croatian was great. Nonetheless, what he said in the post game press conference was equally good.

“I didn’t know how to celebrate,” Župarić said. “That’s for sure. I’m happy, but unlucky we conceded that goal at the end. I don’t care about my goal. I don’t like scoring goals. I like to keep zero [goals conceded]. I just closed my eyes and scored the goal. I don’t do that often, but it happened. I don’t like to score goals. For me, it’s important to win the game and we need to think about that to win games.”

Župarić also got a knock from an opponent’s knee, and everyone was concerned about him. He was the opposite. “I like that,” said about the knock. “I like to be a fighter and get some kicks on my head. When I see blood on my arms and on my shirt, I was happy.”

What can we say? The guy is certainly a warrior.

The verdict

Coach Savarese shared some very interesting thoughts after the game. One of those things was that they left the game “lingering at the end.” The Timbers couldn’t close the game. They didn’t play smart defensively and kept letting Austin cross balls until they found the one that Bruin headed.

It was a true shame that made feel this draw like a loss. That’s also why the coach also said that they need to be more pragmatic and manage moments a little better.

After winning against Seattle and St. Louis, it was expected for them to get three points at home against a team that is at the bottom of the table.

Of course, Portland had their good moments and we could say that in way they overperformed (they had a xG= 0.78 and scored two goals nonetheless) but still. The Timbers cenrtainly let this one got away.

Despite the Timbers playing better than before, they’re still wasting opportunities and letting points slip away due to a lack of concentration.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 2, St. Louis 1

Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Credit: Matthew Wolfe

After playing in the U.S. Open Cup during the week, the Timbers hit the road again Saturday to play against St. Louis. It seems like Portland is not afraid to go against tough teams this year; they beat the first and second clubs in the Western Conference table during April, starting with Seattle and finishing with St. Louis.

This win by Portland was special for the Western Conference, since the Timbers were the only team from it to win in week 10 of MLS play.

Even though both teams didn’t show much in the attack, the visitors were the ones who dominated the ball in the first part of the first half. It was a little weird to see, since most of the time, the Timbers are used to playing off the ball and making counterattacks.

By the end of the first half, all stats were pretty even, but Portland was slightly stronger than St. Louis in the final third.

Despite the Timbers’ decent half, they suffered a big blow when David Ayala got injured at the 19′ mark. The midfielder was marking Eduard Löwen when he hurt his knee, trying to close Löwen’s passing lanes near the box. The Argentinian had to leave the field on a stretcher.

Christian Paredes, the super sub

Although Ayala’s injury was awful to witness, it was nice to see the game Christian Paredes had. He subbed in in the 21st minute for Ayala, and he started to win aerial duels and create chances right from the start.

Paredes’ second half was even better. He was the player with the most chances created with five. Too bad Portland couldn’t convert more of them.

Besides chances created, Paredes was good in duels. He won seven total—the second-most second on the team.

Who was the first in this department?

Santiago Moreno, the unsung hero

Santiago Moreno finished the match with a total of 12 duels won. The Colombian had another game good game, contributing to both Timbers’ goals. In the first one, he sent this (below) great ball to Franck Boli. The forward couldn’t convert, but the play led to the penalty kick that gave Portland the lead.

Not only that, Moreno he held the ball and left three defenders behind in the look that led to Yimmi Chará’s winning goal:

 

Defensively, Moreno contributed with five tackles, the most of any player on the team. He was also strong in aerial duels with four. (The only Timber who won more aerial duels than him was Zac McGraw with five.)

Moreno has been instrumental all this time for the team, but for some reason, he hasn’t been recognized as much as he should.

Someone who has indeed been watched and under the microscope, on the other hand, is been Portland’s midfielder Evander.

Evander gets included in the MLS week’s best XI

The Brazilian has been trying to adapt to a new team in a new league this season. That is without mentioning the fact that he has been battling with injuries. It looked like he found some rhythm this week.

In the game against St. Louis, Evander registered seven shots (two on target, four off target, and one blocked) and one goal, the most shots any Timber attempted. Besides that, he created one chance and was second in the team in interceptions with three, after McGraw.

Evander's shots. Source: Opta
Evander’s shots. Source: Opta.

“I think he has adapted to the change and MLS very well,” Y. Chará said. “I think he will be an important player to us, especially this season. He has a lot of calmness that helps out in the team and will be able to help us out on the field.”

Evander had a good week. Even though he’s coming back from injury, and defense is not really part of his job description, it will be important for him to be better positioned while trying to mark inside the box.

The Timbers cannot afford the luxury of not being smart in defense. Unfortunately, St. Louis’ only goal scored showed exactly that—not only from Evander while he tried to mark Tomáš Ostrák but from the rest of the team, who left space for Célio Pompeu to score.

Welcome back, Yimmi Chará

The Timbers are getting their starters back little-by-little. This game marked the return of the younger Chará: Yimmi.

The Colombian entered the game in the 64th minute and made all the difference in the 82nd, when he finished with a low diagonal shot to score the winning goal.

It was promising to see Chará making an impact the very same day he came back to the field.

“I think it’s really nice to come back from the injury,” Chará said. “I have a really nice feeling from being back on the field with the team, scoring a goal, and leaving with three points.”

What the coach said

After the match, head coach Gio Savarese summed up pretty well how the season has been so far and how the game went.

“It hasn’t been easy to have so many injuries and trying to keep the team engaged,” he said. “Credit to the players because anyone I put on the field will put up a good fight, is going to be in a lot of work, and everyone has to believe to keep the Portland Timbers stay competitive. So credit to the players for going through all that difficult time.

“We have been close in all matches except the Atlanta second half,” he said. “I think today, with the mature performance we put in, with guys coming back, that can make a difference. With this maturity, we can get good results like we had today. St. Louis is difficult to play against. They are always high-energy. Today was a good day to get a win away from home.”

Categories
Soccer Thorns

Kickin’ It with Reyna Reyes

Reyna Reyes made her regular season debut for the Portland Thorns against the Houston Dash. Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Reyna Reyes made her regular season debut for the Portland Thorns against the Houston Dash. Credit: Matthew Wolfe
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