Author: Melina Gaspar

I like pizza, fútbol and beer.

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International

Pan American Games: Day 2

Photo: Martin Thomas/Santiago 2023 via Photosport.
Photo: Martin Thomas/Santiago 2023 via Photosport.

Wednesday brought more action in the Pan American Games. We had interesting results, with the North American teams dominating the competition so far.

USWNT U-19 vs Costa Rica (3-1)
Photo: US Soccer
Photo: US Soccer

After beating Bolivia 6-0, the youngest squad in the Games had a tougher task against the Ticas.

USA brought the energy from the very beginning, pressing high and stopping Costa Rica’s intentions to carry the ball further down the pitch.

Katie Collins was highly effective in stopping Gabriella Guillén’s runs down the right wing and in forcing turnovers in the middle. She was one of the best in the field in the first half, and she got her reward early on, when she scored the first goal of the match 10 minutes in.

Costa Rica’s plans got thwarted over and over again, and the USWNT continued generating chances, including a shot by Claire Hutton that hit the crossbar.

Half an hour into the match, the momentum shifted to the Ticas’ side, and they found the equalizer in minute 35′ after a corner. Goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica saved the first header, but the defense couldn’t clear it, and Tanisha Fonseca finished with a header that ended in the back of the net.

The first half ended 1-1, and it took some minutes for both squads to settle in in the second half. Nonetheless, USA took control of the ball once again, just like they did in the first half, and started to generate good looks through players like Amalia Villarreal. The skillful midfielder gave Costa Rica nightmares during the entire game.

The difference in the field was reflected in minute 70′, when Hutton put tipped the score in favor of the USWNT again. She scored a nice goal: dribbling through the Ticas and finishing with a low diagonal shot to beat goalkeeper Priscilla Tapia. Seven minutes later, Emery Adames proved to be an impact sub when she scored the third and final goal of the game.

Paraguay vs Jamaica (10-0)
Photo: Pablo Tomasello/Santiago 2023 via Photosport.

After falling to Chile in their opening match, the Albirroja trashed the Caribbeans in the biggest hammering we have seen in Santiago 2023 so far.

Only six minutes into the game, Lorena Alonso scored the first tally of a half that would finish 4-0, with additional goals by Jessica Martínez, Rebeca Fernández, and Celsa Sandoval. J. Martínez scored a hat trick in the second half, while Sandoval registered a brace. Players Dahiana Bogarin, Ramona Martínez, and Daisy Bareiro also scored, finishing the game 10-0 for Paraguay.

Argentina vs Bolivia (3-0)
Photo: Dedvi Missene/Santiago 2023 vía Photosport

A South American duel played out at Elías Figueroa Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. At the end of the 90 minutes, Argentina got its first win of the competition.

Centerback Aldana Cometti opened the counter, when she scored from a set piece near the box in minute 12′. Argentina’s defenders were on fire against Bolivia, with fullback Eliana Stábile scoring the second at the beginning of the second half, right after head coach Germán Portanova made a triple substitution. The score changed once again, when at the end of the game, center-back Julieta Cruz scored the final goal of the match.

Chile vs Mexico (1-3)
Photo: Martin Thomas/Santiago 2023 via Photosport.

The biggest duel of the day didn’t leave us disappointed. Home team Chile welcomed Mexico at Sausalito Stadium. Fans showed up in the stands to cheer for their national team and made the Mexicans feel the heat.

Both squads came into this match with a win, and both wanted to claim the top spot in the table.

Mexico did a good job in the first half to contain Chile. Scarlett Camberos, who joined the team that week, started and had the difficult task of containing one of the most dangerous players in the Chilean squad in Fernanda Pinilla. The fullback is known for her speed and control of the ball while running and adding herself to the attack on the left flank. The Angel City forward did well, preventing Pinilla from carrying the ball further down the pitch. Any other ball the Chileans sent forward was controlled by Anika Rodríguez, who was also very active in the first half. 

Despite the good defensive work, Pinilla was able to break free near minute 40′. That was all Chile needed. María José Urrutia dragged three Mexican defenders along with her, leaving Pinilla unmarked. Goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras was one or two steps ahead of her goal line. Pinilla saw her opportunity and shot from outside the box. Barreras moved back, but it was too late, and the ball got in.

Chile finished the first half on a high, and Mexico needed to reshape. Due to her defensive duties in this game, Nikki Hernández couldn’t join María Sánchez in the attack. Forward Charlyn Corral wasn’t making much of a difference in the final third and Camberos was also too worried with defensive duties to do much going forward. Kiana Palacios was doing what she could, but she needed someone to provide her balls to be a real threat.

Head coach Pedro López decided to bring Karla Nieto into the fold, and that was exactly what Mexico needed. The Pachuca midfielder brought balance to the midfield and helped Rebeca Bernal and Alexia Delgado.

Twelve minutes into the second half, the visitors found the equalizer thanks to a set piece. Houston Dash’s Sánchez served a curled ball to the far post that Bernal put in the back of the net. Some minutes after that, the coach turned to the bench once again and put Jacquline Ovalle and Diana Ordóñez in. ‘La Maga’ made a huge difference on the field and inclined the balance to the Mexican side. She was winning balls and fouls everywhere, and her skills made it hard for the Chileans to get the ball.

As a consequence, the rest of the game was dominated by the visitors. That momentum was reflected in the score, when Sánchez tallied Mexico’s second goal in the 75th minute and Ordóñez sealed the victory in minute 88’.

The table
Image: Google
Image: Google
Categories
International Soccer

Pan American Games 2023: Day 1

Photo: Manuel Lema/Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo: Manuel Lema/Santiago 2023 vía Photosport

Sunday Oct. 22nd marked the start of the women’s soccer action at the XIX Pan American Games Santiago 2023. This tournament means different things for each national team, and the first day of competitions showed it.

Mexico vs Jamaica (7-0)

The Tri Femenil smashed the Reggae Girlz in their 2023 Pan American debut. The Caribbean team’s situation could be better, with their main players going on strike due to the poor treatment by their federation. Ergo, the JFF decided to send a B-team to represent the country. 

On the other hand, Mexico is maybe the only national team that has sent their A-team to this competition. They are rebuilding their national team from the ashes after not qualifying for the two last World Cups—despite the quality of their roster. For Mexico, there are no small tournaments nowadays; they’re trying to use every opportunity they have to prepare for what’s coming next. 

Among the squad are the Houston Dash players María Sánchez and Diana Ordóñez. Angel City’s Scarlett Camberos was called up as well but wasn’t available for the first match.

As it was expected, the game was heavily inclined toward the Mexican side. The Dash connection worked pretty well when at minute 12′, Ordóñez assisted Sánchez, who scored with a header. Both kept knocking on Jamaica’s door, and they teamed up with Jacqueline Ovalle to terrorize Chris-Ann Chambers’ goal.

In the 35th minute, the Reggae Girlz’s defense made a terrible mistake when preventing Pachuca’s Karla Nieto shooting. Both the defender and goalie thought the ball was going out, but Nieto didn’t give up and tapped the ball near the post to make it past Chambers.

Photo: Manuel Lema/Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo: Manuel Lema/Santiago 2023 vía Photosport

The first half finished with one more goal from the Mexicans. This time, Kiana Palacios was the goal scorer when she connected with a low cross sent to the middle of the box.

Head coach Pedro López moved the bench a little at halftime and then some more after that, putting Karina Rodríguez, Charlyn Corral, Greta Espinoza, and Licha Cervantes on the field.

It didn’t take much more time for Ordóñez to score. She had some good chances in the first half but couldn’t put the ball against the back of the net. In the 58th minute, she did it. Cervantes tallied next, after an assist by Corral. Corral registered another assist in minute 75’, this time for Sánchez’s second goal of the day. The beating finished with Corral scoring from the penalty spot in the 85th minute.

El Tri Femenil could’ve bagged more goals, for sure. Jamaica didn’t play well at all, and the score was a reflection of how the game went. For Jamaica, the match was characterized by poor first touches, unclear ideas in the attack, and inexperience when defending. Of course, this isn’t on the players. That the JFF released the roster for the Pan American games one day before the competition began says as much. They didn’t have time to prepare properly to face one of the few national teams that went all in for this competition.

Chile vs Paraguay (1-0)
Photo: Manuel Lema/Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo: Manuel Lema/Santiago 2023 vía Photosport

The fans at Elías Figueroa Stadium brought all the noise they could to support the debut of their national team against the always-tough Albirroja.

Although Chile was on the front foot in the first half and created many chances, they were missing those one or two final touches. Fernanda Pinilla had a great match; the left-back contributed a lot to the attack and also had a good defensive game, winning balls and making tackles.

Despite the Chileans’ domination, Paraguay had fast and skillful players who created many problems for them. Two of them were Jessica Martínez and Romana Martínez. The duo won many free kicks in dangerous areas, but poor executions left them empty-handed at the end of the 90 minutes.

Daniela Zamora opened the score for Chile in the 24th minute. Although the home team created more chances, that was the only one they could put away.

The second half got physical, and the game was stopped many times. The home crowd clearly didn’t like the referee’s decisions, and their national team had to be focused in the final 45 minutes when the emotions were running high. None of the teams could keep hold of the ball in the second half, and Paraguay’s intentions got diluted in the hecticness of the match.

Frustration led the Paraguayans to try solo efforts that ended up in nothing. Chile played smart defending but of course, the visitors were going to have at least one chance to put the ball away. And it was J. Martínez who ended up in a one-v-one with goalkeeper Tiane Endler. J. Martínez beat Endler and fired. When everybody thought she was going the score the equalizer and be the heroine for her team, the ball went out, kissing the post. 

USWNT U-19 vs Bolivia (6-0)
Photo: US Soccer
Photo: U. S. Soccer

After Venezuela decided to decline participation in the tournament, Bolivia took its place against a USA team that is back in a Pan American competition after 16 years.

Their opening match was strong, beating the South American side with half a dozen goals. Forward Ava McDonald was on fire and scored a hat trick, Amalia Villarreal netted a brace, and Emery Adames also scored.

Despite the North Americans’ lack of experience against senior teams, they started this tournament with flying colors. Bolivia is the weakest team in CONMEBOL and in this competition, but we have to take into account that this was a senior team facing a U-19 team.

Argentina vs Costa Rica (0-0)

In the last game of the day, neither team could make any difference in the score and finished the match nil-nil.

It’s important to say that this tournament marks a new era for both of these national teams. Argentina doesn’t have Estefanía Banini or Florencia Bonsegundo in the squad, after both announced their international retirement following the 2023 World Cup. The South Americans will have to learn to play without the two main playmakers of the team. 

On the other hand, Costa Rica let former head coach Amelia Valverde go and designated the Spaniard and former Dominican Republic head coach Beni Rubido as the new team manager. The match against Argentina marked his debut in such a position.

This Costa Rican roster is also without Rocky Rodríguez and Priscilla Chinchilla among them, so key players are missing for the Ticas in this tournament.

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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 1, CF Montréal 4

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.
Photo: Matthew Wolfe

The Portland Timbers took to the road to play CF Montréal on Saturday. Portland had their playoff destiny in their hands, but they let it slip away by losing 1-4 against the Canadian club.

Well, that was disappointing.

It is true that Montréal came to this match with some momentum after drawing their previous game against Houston Dynamo in the last minute, but still. The Timbers were facing a team that hadn’t been able to get a win since Aug. 26. And Portland brought momentum as well after that battle against LA Galaxy. So, there was no excuse for their poor performance other than the fact that soccer is a game where you win and lose.

Key absences

The fact that Zac McGraw wasn’t on the Timbers’ backline due to injury was already bad news. The team suffers a lot when he’s not on the field, and this match was the perfect example of it.

When we look at the stats, McGraw always excels in the clearances department. Without him, no one in the backline had more than three clearances. And that’s just one stat.

Cristhian Paredes was also unavailable due to injury, and that left Portland’s midfield very vulnerable. Diego Chará was available after his appendectomy but didn’t start.

Image: Timbers FC
Image: Timbers FC

D. Chará came back in the second half, but by then, the Timbers were already trailing 0-2, and Montréal was highly motivated. Still, speaking of the midfield, if there’s someone you can say had a decent match, that was Santiago Moreno. The Colombian usually has good games, and this was no exception for him. Too bad one player can rarely make up for poor performances from everyone else.

Fast counterattacks 

The hosts put the visitors in a jam with long balls and fast counterattacks. Exhibition A was their first goal that showed how they only needed to make five passes to score. Ibrahim Sunusi sneaked on the backs of Portland’s center backs, and nobody tracked him. So, he was unmarked on the far post to push that ball in the back of the net.

A deflection put Montréal 2-0 minutes later, when Kwadwo Opoku shot. The ball got deflected on Dario Župarić’s leg, which left David Bingham with no chance to stop the shot.

The score was a reflection of what was happening on the pitch: you could see the home team was feeling it and was on a mission. After beating Evander in the midfield, Opoku rushed to Portland’s box. A quick succession of passes put the ball in the box, but Juan David Mosquera cleared it. Then Claudio Bravo lost the ball against Sunusi, who, in turn, assisted Opoku.

After halftime, Antony and Evander were subbed off, and Franck Boli and D. Chará came in. It was a logical change after both Brazilians didn’t do much in the first half.

Antony and Evander weren’t alone; the Timbers as a team couldn’t produce much in the attack in the first half. Other than a chance in the 4th minute, they barely stepped a foot in Montréal’s box.

Portland's 1st half touch map. Source: Opta
Portland’s first half touch map. Source: Opta

We had to wait almost one hour to see Portland being dangerous in the opponent’s box again. By that time, Sebastián Blanco had Bryan Acosta and Eric Miller did the same with Bravo.

Portland’s lukewarm defense

Despite what I said in the previous paragraph, Montréal was going to slap the visitors again with another fast counterattack. This time, it only took four passes for Mathieu Choinière to score a golazo.

Bravo had a quiet match, true, and maybe interim head coach Miles Joseph was expecting Miller to do a better job. Neither Bravo nor Larrys Mabiala challenged Choinière for the ball, and nobody stepped in front of him to stop him from shooting. Bingham tried, but he was positioned one or two steps too far for to be able to reach the shot.

Not even Bingham

After Joseph took over as interim head coach and the organization had some problems with Aljaž Ivačič, Bingham cemented his position as the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper. He has been doing well enough, but not even he was spared from Portland’s collective lackluster performance.

And that’s how Montréal scored their fourth goal. Bingham was able to stop the initial shot by Ariel Lassiter, but he didn’t catch it, which gave Mason Toye the chance to shoot on a pretty much open net. Props to Bingham, who got up quickly to get to the second shot—even if he wasn’t fast enough.

But let’s not put everything on Bingham. At the end of the day, it was Toye who started the play, changing the point of attack to Lassiter, but none of the Timbers tracked him. That left Toye completely unmarked on the far post to finish what Portland couldn’t stop on time.

All that is without mentioning Bingham’s giveaway that could’ve ended up in Montréal’s fifth goal in the dying minutes of the match.

Consolation goal

With 15 minutes to play and 0-4 down there wasn’t much for the Timbers to do. Only a miracle would make the visitors revert the score. That miracle didn’t happen, it was interesting to see how they were going to finish the game.

Portland’s goal was truly controversial, with Yimmi Chará’s handball first and Boli’s offside second, but the referee didn’t disallow it in the end. How does VAR work again?

After the goal, Boli looked more dangerous. He even had a great chance, but it went wide. Montréal wasn’t reduced to defensive work, but they tried to make the gap in the score wider. Fortunately for the Timbers’ well-being, the Canadian side didn’t succeed. But the damage was already done.

Playoff picture

With this loss, the Timbers have yet to clinch a playoff spot. They have to play the always-dangerous Houston Dynamo at Providence Park on Saturday to do so. If that doesn’t work out, they’ll need a loss or draw from both Sporting KC and Minnesota United. We hope Portland doesn’t have to rely on other teams’ results and grab the bull by its horns.

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NWSL Soccer Thorns

Who is Rikke Sevecke?

Photo: Thorns FC/ Craig Mitchelldyer
September 16 2023; Portland, OR, USA; Rilke Sevecke poses for a portrait at Providence Park. Photo: Fletcher Wold-Portland Timbers
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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 3, LA Galaxy 3

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.
Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

In an exciting match, the Portland Timbers got a point on the road and extended their unbeaten streak to seven games.  

A Diego Chará- and Evander-less Portland traveled to Los Angeles to play the LA Galaxy on Saturday night. 

Timbers ahead… wait, not so fast!

It didn’t take much time for the Timbers to put themselves ahead. A good team play positioned Dairon Asprilla to run with the ball on his feet on the right wing. The Colombian sent a low pass to the far post, and Santiago Moreno held his run to come from behind and buried that ball home with one touch.

The lead wasn’t going to last for long because Portland failed to defend a corner in the 10th minute. Eriq Zavaleta headed the ball home despite Juan David Mosquera’s marking. 

The Timbers took another hit when Cristhian Paredes had to be replaced by Noel Caliskan in minute 36′ for a no-contact injury. So far, the club hasn’t released any news regarding the Paraguayan player.

Lady luck played its part

Portland put themselves ahead in the score again before the first half finished. A quick combination between Felipe Mora and Moreno made it possible—with some help from Zavaleta who, while trying to defend, scored an own goal.

Sadly, the advantage wasn’t going to last long. LA Galaxy equalized again some minutes later. You can say they got lucky, too, because when Noel Caliskan tried to clear the ball, it hit Raheem Edwards and fell right into the feet of Douglas Costa. The winger was totally unmarked and smashed it home.

The hosts were going to hit again before halftime after a soft foul by Brian Acosta near the box. Tyler Boyd faked the service, but it was Costa the one who sent the ball to the far post. That little movement confused the Timbers’ defense and both Zavaleta and Edwards ended up unmarked—and onside near the 6-yard box—to head the ball in the back of the net.

Image: MLS/ Apple TV
Image: MLS/ Apple TV

Timbers and set pieces… am I right?

The players might have wanted to kick themselves at halftime knowing they let the Galaxy equalize twice and then put themselves ahead on the score in such a crucial moment of the game.

A different attitude

Despite the Timbers conceding a late goal before halftime, the team was able to embrace the words of Fred Astaire sang in his famous song, “Pick Yourself Up.”

“Don’t lose your confidence if you slip,” Astaire says in the song. “Be grateful for a pleasant trip. And pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. Start all over again.” And that’s exactly what Portland did.

In the second half, they created some nice buildups and didn’t get deterred by the absence of a key player like Paredes. Caliskan did well helping Bryan Acosta and Moreno in the midfield. Maybe Portland’s fullbacks were quieter than usual, but other than that, the team worked as a unit.

Captain Felipe Mora strikes again

In the end, the Timbers found the equalizer thanks to the never-give-up attitude they’ve found under interim head coach Miles Joseph. And who else but captain Mora could’ve done it? The Chilean has been instrumental for the Timbers since he fully recovered from injury. (Let’s remember that he was the one who scored the winning goal in Portland’s previous game against the Colorado Rapids.)

Mora’s right-footed shot from the center of the box to the top right corner showed his constant awareness of any goal opportunities that might arise—and how he’ll always do his utmost to take them.

The final recognition of this takeaway is for the substitutes. All of them contribute to something, no matter if they played many or just a few minutes. You could see how lively Sebastián Blanco, Franck Boli, and the others looked and how they kept the energy high.

A point on the road with important players injured is not a poor result. Maybe it can boost Portland in their next match against the Montréal Impact, the penultimate game of the season.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 2, Austin FC 1

Photo: Matthew Wolfe
Photo: Matthew Wolfe

The Timbers traveled to Texas to play Austin in hopes of keeping their playoff hopes alive. The visitors had to endure 40 minutes of pressure, but in the end, they came out victorious.

Portland endured and then fought back
Credit: Timbers FC
Credit: Timbers FC

Austin gave the Timbers a wake-up call only 60 seconds into the game, when Emiliano Rigoni scored a goal that was wiped off due to offside. Austin knocked on the door again 10 minutes into the match, when Gyasi Zardes hit the post with a header. Right after that, Sebastián Driussi forced David Bingham to make a one-handed save.

The Timbers had to clear corner kick after corner kick in the first minutes of the game, and they were nowhere near Austin’s box. The home team controlled the ball and the midfield, and they used the center of the park to their advantage in the attack.

It took the Timbers half an hour to shoot on frame. Evander set up a counterattack, sending a diagonal ball from left to right to Dairon Asprilla. Asprilla sprinted but waited a couple seconds for Santiago Moreno to make a run into the box. Moreno took the shot but hit it right to where Brad Stuver was standing.

Portland looked more alive after that. Just minutes later, they opened the counter. Bingham played a long ball that fell to Asprilla after Austin’s defenders couldn’t control it. Asprilla muscled his way to the end line and sent a low cross to the middle. A combination of a lucky bounce and Felipe Mora’s good positioning were enough to score the first goal of the night.

Austin tried to revert things in the second half, but the Timbers were more in control thanks to a better presence on the midfield. So, Austin tried to attack Portland through the middle, as they did in the first half, but to no avail this time. 

The visitors started to win battles in the midfield; Moreno doing just that led to the second goal of the night. Yimmi Chará sent a service from the left to the far post, where Mora was. Mora chested it to assist Evander, who scored with his right foot from close range.

It was unbelievable, but true. 

Of course, the hosts weren’t going down without a fight. After a great save by Bingham, Driussi scored one back in the 75th.

After that, Portland endured and created more chances. Maybe the clearest one was a sitter that Franck Boli couldn’t put in the back of the net in the 81st minute. A real shame.

The cases of Santiago Moreno and Dairon Asprilla

Moreno was playing his best soccer at the beginning of the year. As the season progressed, we learned he wasn’t that happy at Portland, and you could see it since his brilliance started to fade away little by little.

Nonetheless, in this game, the Colombian went back to his old self. We could see him shining in the midfield again, creating opportunities for his teammates and winning duels. 

Moreno is a valuable player for the Timbers, and with Diego Chará absent for the next couple of weeks, Portland needs a strong presence in the midfield. This improvement in Moreno’s game is very welcome.

Dairon Asprilla also had a great match. His presence on the field was evident. He created four chances and used his body pretty well to win 11 battles and five aerial duels. And let’s remember that it he was the one who battled for the ball that he later sent to the six-yard box, so Mora could score.

Hopefully, those two will keep pushing the Timbers forward in this critical last part of the season.

David Bingham, No. 1

Both Aljaž Ivačič and Bingham had opportunities to showcase their talents in the Gio Savaresse era, but in the end, the Slovenian was the one who won the starting position.

Things have changed under interim head coach Miles Joseph, though. Joseph said he’s happy with Bingham’s work, and for now, Bingham’s going to be the starting keeper.

And although many fans would rather see Jazzy on goal, a brief look at the stats helps Bingham plead his case:

Source: Opta
Source: Opta

Ivačič has started 15 games so far and registered many more saves than Bingham, who has 14 starts. But the American has conceded almost half the number of goals that his teammate has. Bingham also surpasses the Slovenian in all the other stats.

True, these are cold numbers. We should analyze who was available in the backline when each of them started and who wasn’t. It would also be important to see who the opponent was and who was in the front line they had to face, among other important details.

Nonetheless, you can’t deny the numbers and how well Bingham has been doing lately.

It is important to add, though, that the Timbers have a tight schedule this week. They play the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday and the Colorado Rapids on Saturday. Joseph has said he’s anticipating some rotation. Will he give minutes to Jazzy?

With the three points they got in Texas, Portland is occupying a playoff spot. Will they be able to keep climbing the table and secure it? Playing at home should help them in this quest, so it’s a good thing the next two matches are at Providence Park.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 2-2 Seattle Sounders

Credit: Kris Lattimore
Credit: Kris Lattimore

The Timbers traveled to Seattle after last Wednesday’s win at home in search of the elusive back-to-back win. What looked like the end of their unbeaten streak at Lumen Field took a wild turn, helping Portland gain a point and spoil Seattle’s party.

This was interim head coach Miles Joseph’s third game in charge of the Portland Timbers, and he made changes to the starting XI after Wednesday. Eric Miller, Yimmi Chará and Felipe Mora started instead of Claudio Bravo, Franck Boli, and Sebastián Blanco.

Source: Timbers FC
Graphic via Timbers FC

In terms of attacking prowess, Bravo brings more to the table than Miller. But after some poor performances by the full-back, it was understandable that the coach wanted to see what Miller might bring to the table. That and the match being the team’s third game in one week might have been the reasons to let Bravo rest a little.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best of games for Miller—losing Raúl Ruidíaz’s mark less than 10 minutes into the match wasn’t good at all—but he didn’t give the ball away as easily as Bravo, which is always welcomed. Miller also didn’t get into as many duels as the Argentine does, but the times he did, he was more successful. (He won 67% of his duels, while Bravo only won 37.5% last match.)

Seattle’s first half was a party

Of course, the Timbers handled the ball to their rivals. That’s how they play and how they’ll probably keep playing until the end of the season. Still, seeing Portland playing catch against the Seattle Sounders wasn’t fun at all. What also hurt was to see five-and-a-half-feet tall Ruidíaz beat Miller in a set piece.

Eric Miller marking (?) Ruidíaz. Source: MLS / Apple TV
Eric Miller marking (?) Ruidíaz. Source: MLS / Apple TV

When you see that caption, you might wonder, ‘What is Miller doing trying to cover Ruidíaz from behind?’ Well, I don’t have the answer for that question, other than that he tried to zone mark but ended up leaving Ruidíaz in a perfect position to head that ball home.

And speaking of full-backs, Juan David Mosquera going forward is good and all, but most of the time he was caught in transition when the Timbers lost the ball in the midfield, and he wasn’t fast enough to backtrack on time. Other times he would just fail to read the play well and cut pass lanes, leading to most of Seattle’s attacks coming from the Timbers’ right flank.

Y. Chará didn’t have the best of games either and contributed little to nothing on the attack.

Thank you for the celebration, Léo Chú

Half an hour into the game, Cristhian Paredes checked his back twice, saw Albert Rusnák nearby, and when Diego Chará passed the ball to him, he checked João Paulo’s position but never registered Léo Chú’s.

Source: MLS/ Apple TV
Paredes checking Paulo. Source: MLS/ Apple TV

The Sounders attacker came from Paredes’ blind side to steal the ball, and the rest is history. At the half-hour mark, the home team was already up 2-0. The minute the goal was scored went to the books, but Chú’s celebration did not, although that was crucial for the final outcome of this game as well. Chú took off his shirt and earned a yellow card—setting the stage for the second half.

It looked as if the Sounders were unbeatable in the first half. The Timbers had a great opportunity in the 40th minute, but the ball refused to go in, and João Paulo had a lot to do with it. Then, Portland had a free kick near the end of the first forty-five that was so close to goal! You could say it was the prelude to the golazo Evander would score in the second half.

A three-minute spell

You might say the foul on Zac McGraw was soft, but that didn’t matter to the referee, who didn’t hesitate to show a second yellow to Chú for tackling McGraw when he already won the position and the possession of the ball.

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer couldn’t believe it either.

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

In the 67th minute, Joseph made a triple substitution and put on the pitch a player that has built a reputation around scoring important goals for the Timbers. That’s right: Dairon Asprilla stepped on the field along with Blanco and Boli. The Colombian would prove to be key once again only seconds after he got into the game.

“Asprilla comes in and scores the goal,” Joseph said. “As long as I’ve been here, he’s amazing. I just couldn’t have been more pleased at that moment to get that goal that turned around the half for us.”

Kudos to McGraw, because he flicked the ball, and by doing so, he discombobulated Seattle’s defense—a move that left Asprilla unmarked to head that ball home. The Colombian received a yellow card for his celebration, like Chú, but there was a difference between those two.

Source: MLS/ Apple TV
Kids, don’t take your shirt off when celebrating a goal if you don’t know how to play on a yellow. Source: MLS/ Apple TV

Three minutes later Evander tied the game. His goal was incredible, but so was the Sounders’ apparent short-term memory. Just before halftime, the Brazilian was close to scoring—which he has from that spot (screen capture below) many times now this season.

How did Seattle give him so much space and time? That is a real doozie.

Evander's shot. Source: MLS/ Apple TV
Evander goal’s xG= 4.15 (Opta). Image: MLS/ Apple TV
Final thoughts

In a year where almost everything seems lost, games like this have the power to make people believe again… or at least make them come back home with a smile on their faces. Spoiling Seattle’s party is always fun and this match will go into the Cascadia rivalry games history book  as one to remember.

A point on the road is not much. Due to this draw, Portland lost the Cascadia Cup (congratulations, Vancouver), and they’re four points shy of the playoffs. But having come back from being down 0-2 against the Sounders in Seattle tastes sweet.

A lot has been said about how this draw also extends Portland’s unbeaten streak at Lumen Field, but not much has been said about how this draw might have given the Timbers the momentum they needed.

“It’s been a long week,” Joseph said. “Guys are tired, and this is a huge point for us. And that carries us through to next weekend against LAFC.” 

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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 0, Houston Dynamo 5

Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Credit: Matthew Wolfe

The Timbers traveled to Houston with the goal to do something different in this last part of the season and, hopefully, get some points.

Nonetheless, the game turned out to be a nightmare only 15 minutes into it.

Starting XI. Credit: Timbers FC
Starting XI. Credit: Timbers FC

The Portland Timbers went back to regular season action after playing in the Leagues Cup. Despite the results, the way they performed in the tournament gave fans hope again that they could have a better end of the season, and maybe push for a playoff spot.

Important absences contributed to the disaster

Without Diego Chará due to yellow card, suspension and without Zac McGraw due to an unspecified illness, Portland suffered defensively once again. Not only were they absent, but also Santiago Moreno and Marvin Loría. The defense looked sloppy, to say the least, and in some parts of the match, it looked nonexistent.

Only five minutes into the game, Claudio Bravo fouled Griffin Dorsey inside the box and Amine Bassi scored from the penalty spot.

After that, Houston kept sending through balls to their forwards that could’ve pretty much ended up in more goals. Not much time passed until the Dynamo scored its second of the night through Nelson Quiñones.

Houston’s third goal was unbelievable with Corey Baird going on a 1v1 with Ivačič after Adalberto Carrasquilla destabilized Portland’s defense with a backheel to Baird. Three goals in 14 minutes.

Things could’ve gotten so much worse at the 37th minute but the wood played for the Timbers when the ball hit the crossbar. But another goal was bound to happen and the Dynamo scored one more before halftime.

After the disaster that was the first half, Giovanni Savaresse changed almost 30% of the team at the start of the second half. One might say it worked because the Timbers stopped leaking so many goals but they didn’t improve enough to be near to scoring, let alone equalize this match.

Houston still had something left in the tank and after 60 minutes of soccer, they scored their fifth tally of the match through Brad Smith. 

Portland couldn’t catch a break in the entire game. The injuries ghost that has haunted the Timbers during the entire season appeared again. Jeroslaw Niezgoda entered the game in the 69th minute but he wasn’t going to stay on the field long. Only six minutes later he had to leave on a stretcher. This meant that the visitors played with one man down for the remainder of the match.

Claudio Bravo, we need to talk mister

Not to point fingers and look for a scapegoat but the performance of some of the Timbers in this game was truly disappointing. How did Claudio Bravo, as a fullback, manage to have zero tackles, zero clearances, zero blocked shots and zero interceptions? 

What is more, he looked as if he was bolted to the floor while Houston was attacking Aljaž Ivačič without merci. It is true that the entire backline did a lazy defending the entire night but Bravo’s attitude and the way he was – or wasn’t – doing his job are unacceptable.

No wonder why he was one of the four players the coach subbed off at halftime.

Bravo is just one example, but there are a lot of players that need to examine themselves and wonder if they’re giving their best to this team.

Who are the Timbers?

After this game it is fair to ask about the identity of this team. That question must be in every single fan’s mind, because Portland has shown multiple personalities this year.

Are they the fun team we saw in the Leagues Cup? Or are they the team that always can’t find the final pass? Are they the promising team that fights the entire match but ends up losing in the end? Or are they this pale version with no defensive skills whatsoever and no attack?

We don’t have the answer but one thing is sure: They’re not a reliable team and cannot score consistently even if their lives would depend on it.

“It was definitely a hard match. We need to be realistic: we played a horrible game tonight, and now we just need to look forward and focus on the next match,” said Cristhian Paredes after the game. He couldn’t have put it in better words.

The team had a lot of time to prepare for this match. This road game was supposed to be the Timbers’ final push to get into the playoffs. Fans were even a little hopeful after what they saw in the Leagues Cup, but the Timbers failed them again.

Now a playoff spot looks farther and farther away, and the end of their season looks nearer than before.

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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 0, Rayados de Monterrey 1

Credit Matthew Wolfe
Credit Matthew Wolfe

The Timbers played Rayados de Monterrey in the Leagues Cup Aug. 4 and lost by a narrow margin. After losing to Tigres off a late André-Pierre Gignac goal, Portland had two objectives: obtain a win, and minimize mistakes that could cost them the game, as happened in the previous match.

Soccer repeats itself

Although the Mexicans had the first look of the match, the Timbers grew attacking-wise as the game went on. Santiago Moreno was on fire in the first half, distributing the ball here and there, setting his teammates with through balls, and carrying the ball to the final third. Franck Boli had two great chances in the first half. On both occasions, he fired a diagonal shot, but unfortunately, both went wide.

On the other hand, Monterrey tried to play on the counter and attacked with dangerous crosses, which Zac McGraw cleared over and over again. And although Rayados didn’t get as many chances as the Timbers in the first half, they broke through with a banger. Luis Romo carried the ball on the left and found Maximiliano Meza completely unmarked on the right, on the top of the box. Claudio Bravo tried to get there and block the shot, but it was too late, and Meza beat Aljaž Ivačič with the cleanest of technique.

The way the first half finished was a shame, but at the same time we have seen this story before: The Timbers start playing well, they’re fun to watch and generate great opportunities, but in the end, nothing ends up in the back of the net, and they have pay for not capitalizing on their chances.

Acres of space. Credit: MLS / Apple TV
Acres of space for Meza. Credit: MLS / Apple TV

The Timbers, once again, showed basic defensive mistakes. Monterrey’s came from a throw-in, and Portland had left Meza unmarked since the very beginning of the play. The Timbers defensive line never looked back to see who was sneaking behind their backs, and Meza took advantage of it—something Portland couldn’t do in the entire 90 minutes.

A very different second half

All the positive things we saw in the first half—the energy, the passing network the Timbers built so skillfully, Moreno controlling the tempo of the team—changed drastically in the second half.

Portland was clearly frustrated with how the first 45 minutes finished, and they couldn’t shake it.

But not everything was negative. The team still created some opportunities, and the defense did a good job overall. As is customary by now, Timbers’ centerbacks cleared almost every ball that fell into their box. That is how McGraw finished the game with 11 clearances.

Once the clock hit the 60-minute mark, head coach Gio Savarese decided to move the bench and sub in Felipe Mora and Yimmi Chará while benching Marvin Loría and Boli. More changes came as the minutes passed by in order to try to find the equalizer. 

Monterrey could’ve doubled the lead, but fortunately for the Timbers, the ball hit the post. Dario Župarić had the last look of the game, but goalkeeper Esteban Andrada made a great save in the 95th minute to claim a clean sheet.

Some controversy

A potential handball inside Monterrey’s box late in the match could’ve given the Timbers the chance to equalize—and therefore, to stay alive in the Cup. But the referee didn’t award the PK, so Portland’s run in this Leagues Cup came to an end.

Savarese referred to that potential PK twice in the post-match press conference, and understandably so, knowing that that could’ve kept Portland in the competition.

Despite the elimination, he was happy with the way his team performed, knowing that Rayados de Monterrey is a Mexican powerhouse.

“We knew we were going to play against a great team. We prepared ourselves pretty well; we believed in ourselves,” he said. “We wanted to compete, and I think we did that against a powerful club, with a deep bench. I think both teams gave everything and played with their hearts.”

But the game didn’t end peacefully. After Luis Romo elbowed D. Chará in the dying seconds of the game, things got heated on the field. The referee showed Romo a red card, but after checking VAR, he changed his decision. Both D. Chará and the Rayados player were shown a yellow.

Savarese referred to this incident, too. “In the end, both competed with intensity,” he said, “and the way the game ended made perfect sense. I think it was a great game, and what happened at the end proved it. We both wanted to keep playing, but in the end, we got eliminated from the competition. The only negative thing is the potential penalty the referee could’ve awarded to us to make the result more fair.”

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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 0, Colorado Rapids 0

Credit: Kris Lattimore
Credit: Kris Lattimore

The Portland Timbers had to wait eight days to finish their game against the Colorado Rapids. On July 4, bad weather made it impossible to play the second half, and therefore the match was postponed. On Wednesday, the game resumed. The energy was different, but the score didn’t change. 

A more entertaining second half

The first half didn’t give us much to be excited about, with the Timbers only shooting three times and with Nathan Fogaça being the only player who had a shot on frame. 

The energy was different on Wednesday, though. Added to the bad soccer the Timbers are playing nowadays, they have some off-the-field problems regarding Santiago Moreno and head coach Gio Savarese. The Oregonian’s Ryan Clarke had previously reported that the Colombian had requested to transfer from the team. Now, after an extended stay in his home country, Moreno is back with the team and denies any conflict with Savarese.

Therefore, Moreno wasn’t among Portland’s available subs, and Dairon Asprilla took his place on the bench. 

Despite this, the group somehow found some much-needed energy and gave us some good moments in the second half of this game. Franck Boli could’ve scored a worldie when he hit the crossbar with a powerful shot from downtown. As the central forward, he was the most involved in the attack, with a total of three shots—one on frame, and two off frame.

In the end, the Timbers didn’t create much, but they did better than they had in the first half. It would be good for them to be clinical and not waste opportunities, like the chance you can see in the video below.

In that attack, the Timbers outnumbered Colorado, but a heavy pass by Claudio Bravo killed the opportunity. They just don’t have the luxury of wasting looks like that. Being able to take advantage of chances means the difference between one and three points.

 

In a match where was hard to find something positive to say, defender Eric Miller found something to highlight. “I think for us a clean sheet on the road is always a really good thing,” he said. “I think obviously we’re in a situation now where we need wins. So, I think it’s a little disappointing […] but I think a clean sheet on the road in MLS is always a good thing.”

Last but not least, congratulations to Victor Griffith, who got his first start in this game in the midfield.

The future doesn’t look good

At this point, most Timbers fans are not hopeful anymore. The team hasn’t been able to get three points since June 11, when they got a 1-0 win against Dallas. And they haven’t won a game with multiple goals since May 13 when they won 3-1 against Vancouver.

Right now, Portland is 12th in the table, five points shy of the last team in playoff position.

May Saturday be different

Despite the tough reality the Timbers are going through nowadays, Saturday will bring something to look forward to.

Not only does the team goes back to play at home against Columbus Crew, but it will mean the return of Portland’s legend and Maestro, Diego Valeri.

The former Portland midfielder will be inducted into the Timbers’ ring of honor, and fans will want to be present at the stadium to cheer for such a special and beloved player.

Hopefully, that special day will bring much-needed a victory for the Timbers.