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Kickin’ It with James Pantemis
Category: Timbers
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The start of Phil Neville’s Portland Timbers era could not have started with worse pregame news. The new head coach was still without his two unannounced designated players. Maxime Crépeau, Claudio Bravo, Felipe Mora, and Evander were also unavailable to play.
Despite the absences, Neville had the guys ready to go. And go they did, scoring three times in the first 30 minutes of the game to come away with a 4-1 win.
“I’ve got to say, it felt like a Champions League type feeling,” Neville said. “You know, there’s a buzzing in the air. There’s an anticipation.”
The players have commended Neville’s training structure, as well as his emphasis on team-building and fostering strong relationships with everyone in the organization.
These bonds and trust in one another led the Portland Timbers to a Saturday night rout over the Colorado Rapids.
Lineups
Despite the aforementioned player absences, the Timbers were still able to put together a strong XI—especially in midfield. Cristhian Paredes sat next to Diego Chara in more defensive roles, while Eryk Williamson played underneath Dairon Asprilla, with Williamson having the flexibility to roam back deeper into midfield.
Williamson, who has gone through significant setbacks in the past two years, has never wavered one bit. With Evander out, he stepped up and played as the team’s No. 10. In the 10th minute, all of the blood, sweat, and tears would be worth it.
Antony, who Neville heralded as the team’s best player all preseason, wasted absolutely no time after Williamson went on the board and tallied a first half brace. In 2023, Antony had made nine appearances and recorded one goal. He bested last year’s scoring mark in his first half of football in 2024.
To make matters even worse for the visitors, they surrendered an own goal to make it 4-0 for the home side going into halftime.
The Rapids would made the proceedings a bit precarious for Portland in the second half, but the game was already out of hand by then.
Neville’s first memory as Timbers head coach would be of sweet victory.
“I’ve had a lot of messages over the last 24 hours, and I’ve been really calm,” he said. “I’ve been really calm because what I’ve seen and how I’ve been accepted here, it’s been so good. It feels like home.”
The Zen garden
Williamson took to gardening in 2023 to stay mentally strong while rehabbing from an ACL injury.
“I stayed really big on vegetables and gardening,” he said. “Little things like that kept you grounded. You didn’t realize how long you were away from the game.”
After working his tail off nonstop for the past few years, Williamson scored his first goal since 2021 only nine minutes into the 2024 regular season. There isn’t a player who deserved that moment more than him.
“Eryk had trained in the No. 10 position earlier in the week when Evander had a day recovery” said Neville. “So it was pretty straightforward.
“Eryk Williamson—from day one of preseason, he’s worked every day of the offseason. In his own mind, he’s probably got a lot of time to make up because of the amount of time that he’s missed. And to score the goal early in the game gave him a massive boost.”
In the absence of Evander, Williamson took on the No. 10 role and shined. He has made it clear his goal is to make it back on the USMNT, and if he keeps racking up performances like this, another call-up is coming.
After everything he’s been through, he continues to persevere and find joy in the game again.
A star has arrived
All preseason, the Timbers coaches, especially Neville, were talking up Antony as the best performer. Their faith in him was rewarded immediately.
“I’m excited that he got to start tonight, and he got to produce some really fantastic moments” said Neville. “You know, funny enough, I thought some of his best moments were defensively as well, in terms of the work that he put in.”
After staying in Portland all offseason, the winger is looking to build upon a huge 2024 campaign. Now he is playing for so much more, his newborn son and family.
“It was a very happy night for me,” Antony said. “Most of you all know that my son was actually born recently, so I think it was a perfect way to show him how good it is to play football, especially after scoring two goals.”
Portland by the numbers
xG: Portland Timbers: 0.45, Colorado Rapids: 1.51
Shots: Portland Timbers: 7, Colorado Rapids: 13
Goal contributions: Eryk Williamson (1 goal, 1 assist), Antony (2 goals)
Shots: Antony (3)
Ball possession phases: Juan David Mosquera (55)
Passes: Kamal Miller (42)
Crosses: Antony (4)
Clearances: Zac McGraw (9)
The start of the 2024 season brings a new food menu to fans at Providence Park. Earlier this week, I attended the annual food tasting event at to try out the new options.
This was my most anticipated event outside of the openers, finales, and playoffs.
There were definitely hits, but also, unfortunately, some misses.
Head chef Garrett Boisture’s in-house culinary menu will feature new items such as chimichurri tri-tip sandwiches, Hawaiian loaded nachos, kalua pork bowls, loaded BBQ nachos, kalbi beef rice wraps, and s’mores donut holes. The event featured local hospitality partners including Cha Cha Cha, Killer Burger, Humble Pie, Society Pie, Reyka Vodka, Aviation Gin, 10 Barrel Brewing, and Precept Wine Battle Creek Cellars. Portland Timbers CEO Heather Davis was also in attendance.
At the event, Heather Watkins, the CRO and co-founder of Portland-based Bold Reuse, discussed the implementation of her company’s programming at Providence Park. The group will eliminate single-use plastics at games.
@timbersfc POV: I’m Dylan and ordered one of everything and you steal all of my food #foodiereview #mls #foodtok #newfood #foodie #portland
Without further ado, here’s a look at this year’s Providence Park menu offerings. Of course, everyone has different tastes and preferences, so be sure to pick your favorites!
The entrees
Society Pie: Different toppings for pizza available, but how could you ever go wrong with a slice of pepperoni?
Grade: 7.5/10
Chimichurri Tri-Tip Sandwich: The sauce is solid, and the meat is cooked to perfection, but it doesn’t have enough seasoning and has too much bread.
Grade: 6/10
Loaded BBQ Nacho: This was one of my favorite items on the list. The only issue is you’ve got to eat these quickly, before the chips get soggy. The entree comes with chips, jalapeños, chicken, cheese, and beans.
Grade: 8/10
Hawaiian Loaded Nacho: This was the best item on the menu, in my opinion. Kalua pork with mac salad and chips? Yes, please.
Grade: 8.75/10
Kalua Pork Bowl: This one’s the same concept as the Hawaiian Loaded Nacho, but with rice instead. Unfortunately, the rice was a bit dried up. so that took it from first place to second.
Grade: 8.25/10
Kalua Jackfruit Bowl: This one’s a great vegetarian alternative, with jackfruit instead of kalua pork.
Grade: 8/10
Kalbi Beef Rice Wrap: It’s cooked and presented very well. The beef could use a bit more seasoning, but this is a solid option.
Grade: 7.25/10
Killer Burger: They’re still one of my favorite burgers in the city. There is an option for everyone.
Grade: 7.75/10
Dessert
S’mores Donut Holes: This was what I was most excited to try, but it was a something of a let down. It needs a bit more marshmallow and chocolate drizzle.
Grade: 6.5/10
Humble Pie: Marionberry pie? Sign me up! I wished there was a bit more punch to the flavor, but it’s definitely a good option.
Grade: 7/10
Drinks
Browne Family Vineyards: If you’re trying to do something lighter than a beer, this is a good option. The taste is not overwhelming at all—if anything, it could be stronger.
Grade: 7/10
10 Barrel Brewing: They literally have something for everyone. Whatever you’re up for, there is a drink for you. The overall menu is fantastic.
Grade: 8/10
Aviation American Gin: Hi, Ryan Reynolds! (Okay, he wasn’t there, because he didn’t want to upstage anyone.) The gin and mixed drinks this group comes up with is absolutely superb. If I’m ever at a game as a fan, they’ll be my first choice.
Grade: 8.25/10
Thank you
This was such a fun experience!
Last year this event was held during the first day of the snowstorm, and I wasn’t able to attend. I am so glad my bad luck didn’t strike twice.
Thanks to all of the staff, hospitality partners, and everyone in attendance for making this an amazing time.
Entering his third season with the Portland Timbers, MLS veteran Eric Miller’s versatility has been crucial in Portland’s defense.
He played minutes at both fullback positions and at centerback in 2023. The team announced Jan. 9 that Miller signed a new contract through the 2025 MLS season.
Former Timbers head coach Gio Savarese had very appreciative words to say about him.
“We got really lucky that he became available,” former Timbers head coach Gio Savarese said. “I think every team needs players like him.”
Eric Miller is also a standout off the pitch; he has been a vocal ally to LGBTQ people and advocate for causes including pet adoption. The city of Portland and fans should feel fortunate to have a player who is a superb human being and person.
Contributor Phuoc Nguyen had the chance to sit down and chat with Miller last year. Here’s some highlights from that interview.
Phuoc: What do you like to do for fun on an off day?
Eric Miller: We’ve been trying to get out and explore Oregon a little bit. We’ve been doing some wineries, checking out restaurants, coffee shops, kind of all that stuff there. Just getting to know the city a little bit.
Phuoc: Have you found your favorite spots to eat or coffee shops yet?
Miller: There’s a spot—it’s like 10 minutes south [of] where I live, called South Store Café—that is amazing. That’s like in farm country, it is so good. They have an amazing breakfast. Really cool vibe, which is like a restaurant and a house. Then Ken’s Artisan Pizza, really good too, in Southeast. It’s amazing pizza. It’s really, it’s an awesome place.
Phuoc: Do you have a favorite food and dessert?
Miller: Favorite food is probably chicken parmesan. I love it. Favorite dessert is probably anything that my mom bakes. My mom’s, like, an incredibly good baker. She’s working hard around the holidays, making really delicious baked goods.
Phuoc: What is your favorite berry?
Miller: I recently tried these berries from all around Oregon. We went to the Hill Farm Market with our buddies, and we had Mt. Hood strawberries. They were amazing. They were so good, really good blackberries from, I don’t know where they were from honestly, but just like really phenomenal berries.
Phuoc: Do you have any pets?
Miller: We have two dogs. We have a German Shepherd who’s six, named Otto, and an English Shepherd who’s nine, named Cooper.
Phuoc: Have you ever played FIFA as yourself?
Miller: Way back in the day, when I was a younger player. We used to use a bunch of guys who live in the same place, and we were, like, goalies and defenders, so we all put ourselves as forwards and tried scoring on each other, which was pretty fun.
Phuoc: Do you have a favorite movie?
Miller: My favorite movie? I’ll say Saving Private Ryan, that’s a great movie.
Phuoc: What’s your favorite music to listen to? Do you have a favorite artist?
Miller: I like a very wide variety of music. After being in Nashville—my wife was really into country before. She kind of got me to the country. I really like Chris Stapleton. He’s really good. I love seeing him live.
Phuoc: If you could pick an entrance song, what would it be?
Miller: Ah man, I don’t know. We had a guy in Nashville who’s goal song was “Danger Zone.” I would do “Danger Zone.” That’s pretty good. I might go with that, too.
Phuoc: Do you watch any television? If you do: any TV show you’re currently obsessed with?
Miller: We’ve been watching Only Murders in the Building, me and my wife. That’s a really good show. I’ve been watching The Bear, that’s a great show. We, a while ago, finished the show Downton Abbey. It’s, like, a show for old people, but I absolutely loved it. It’s phenomenal.
Phuoc: If you could have a dream vacation, or go to a place you haven’t been to, what would it be?
Miller: My dream vacation? Me and my wife went to Hawai’i on our honeymoon—that was awesome. I loved it. We went to Kauai which was super cool. So, I would say maybe my dream vacation would be to go to, like, the Mediterranean or Europe in the summer, because we don’t really get to do that.
Phuoc: Do you have any items on your bucket list you could share with us?
Miller: On my bucket list? Win MLS Cup, you know? That’d be great. I’d love to do that. Other than that, just travel, see the world. All that fun stuff.
Phuoc: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Miller: Maybe being able to teleport? So I can go see all my friends and family in different places.
Phuoc: Would you rather teleport once every 24 hours or shapeshift for the entire week.
Miller: Teleport.
Phuoc: Do you have a favorite Pokémon?
Miller: No, my mom didn’t let us have the cards. I played video games at my friend’s house, but I’m not a big Pokémon guy.
Phuoc: Who’s your best friend on the team? (Editor’s note: Reminder that this interview was from last year.)
Miller: [David] Bingham, that’s my boy! We golf a little bit together.
Phuoc: If you could take one thing from your hometown [in Minnesota] and bring it to Portland, what would it be?
Miller: Can I choose my family, or no? I choose my family because I should, and it would be great to have them out, especially when we have our daughter[…] But if I couldn’t choose people, I think I would choose like the lakes. The general lake life there is so fun, and we have great weather here [in Portland[ to just have, like, a bunch of lakes, to be able to go to and boat and fish and tube and all stuff. That would be awesome.
Now in his 12th MLS season, David Bingham is the starting goalkeeper for the Portland Timbers. In 2023, he has started 14 games and tallied six clean sheets.
His entire playing career has been spent on the west coast—from the San Jose Earthquakes to the Los Angeles Galaxy to Portland.
Phuoc sat down with Bingham to chat about his non-soccer thoughts in our latest “Kickin’ It” segment.
Kickin’ it with David Bingham
Phuoc Nguyen: What do you like to do for fun on an off day?
David Bingham: Off days? [I] like to get on the course, play some golf with some of the guys. [I] like to train dogs, anything outdoorsy.
Phuoc Nguyen: Have you found your favorite restaurant and coffee shop in Portland?
David Bingham: Yeah, definitely some good restaurants. Janken‘s probably number one on my list. Then there’s a lot of good coffee shops in Portland, everyone knows that. So you kind of walk around [and] stumble upon stuff. That’s really good.
Phuoc Nguyen: What is your favorite food and dessert?
David Bingham: Definitely steak, and favorite dessert is probably warm chocolate chip cookies.
Phuoc Nguyen: Do you have any pets?
David Bingham: I have three dogs.
Phuoc Nguyen: What are their names?
David Bingham: Bandit is the oldest, Fred is a boxer, and then Nitro.
Phuoc Nguyen: Have you ever played as yourself in FIFA?
David Bingham: No, only Call of Duty.
Phuoc Nguyen: Do you have a favorite movie?
David Bingham: Favorite movie? I’ll have to think about that. For comedies, probably Wedding Crashers. That’s probably a classic.
Phuoc Nguyen: What type of music do you like to listen to?
David Bingham: Country, house, some rock.
Phuoc Nguyen: If you got to choose an entrance song, what would it be?
David Bingham: I’ll have to think about that one. That one’s hard.
Phuoc Nguyen: Are you obsessed with any TV show right now?
David Bingham: [Special Ops] Lioness. I think it’s on Prime or Paramount. That’s with Zoe Saldaña. That one’s really good.
Phuoc Nguyen: Do you have a few items on your bucket list you can share with us?
David Bingham: Ooh. Play Pebble Beach is definitely up there and probably play like St. Andrews.
Phuoc Nguyen: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
David Bingham: Probably teleporting.
Phuoc Nguyen: Do you have a favorite Pokémon?
David Bingham: Pikachu.
Phuoc Nguyen: Who’s your best friend on the team?
David Bingham: Probably Zac [McGraw].
Phuoc Nguyen: If you could bring one thing from your hometown to Portland, what would it be?
David Bingham: The sunshine, every day of the year.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Portland Timbers went into this game coming off two consecutive wins for the first time all season. Unfortunately for them, they had to play three days after Sunday’s dominant 2-1 win over Austin FC.
In the interim head coach Miles Joseph era, Portland have scored two goals in each of their past five games. The 10 goals in that span is the club’s best run of form this season, by far.
This time, however, the Timbers had to do it with a rotated lineup at home against the seventh-place San Jose Earthquakes.
Under their interim coach, the home side has played on the front foot quite a bit more than under his predecessor. This would be no different and led to their most complete performance of the year with a 2-1 win. The scoreline does not show their dominance over the game.
“In the first half, I feel like we controlled a lot of the game, especially with our ability to step into the front half of the field and press them and cause a lot of turnovers,” said Joseph. “We gained possession out of that in the front half of the field which is great. We created a lot of chances off that.”
The Timbers had more possession—51% to 49%—shots, shots on goal, crosses, total passes, and better passing accuracy. The offense ran through the midfield and fullbacks. Evander, Cristhian Parades, and Santiago Moreno ran the show in the first half, with support from Juan David Mosquera and Claudio Bravo. Their combinations and link-up play were a beautiful sight to behold. Still, the final product was not there until stoppage time.
In the last minute of stoppage time, Portland unleashed their counterattack, with Franck Boli leading the charge. Boli played it out wide to Bryan Acosta. The newcomer played the perfect ball across goal to find Paredes for the 1-0 lead.
The second half saw much more of the same for the Timbers.
In the 58th minute, Sebastián Blanco blasted a shot that deflected perfectly to Evander, who calmly finished double the lead to 2-0.
There was one slight hiccup. In the 60th minute, San Jose answered, thanks to a Matthew Hoppe goal off a rebound.
True to the Timbers’ new aggressive style, in the 64th minute, Felipe Mora, Yimmi Chará, and Antony were subbed on for energy and to preserve some legs for Saturday.
Instead of parking the bus, also Joseph subbed on Dairon Asprilla for Moreno and looked for the third goal.
“In the second half we continued, and we refreshed with some exciting players again,” Joseph said. “We were able to get in behind and create some more scoring chances. After we gave up the goal, we didn’t have to sit all the way back and protect ourselves. We still tried to progress and keep it in the front half of the field. Really, really good performance from our guys.”
After one of their best performances of season, the Timbers are now eighth in the Western Conference.
They host a reeling Colorado Rapids next, which will be Portland’s last home game until decision day against the Houston Dynamo.
Rotation?
Given the short turnaround, Joseph was required to rotate his lineup. He started Mosquera, Acosta, Blanco, and Boli in place of Eric Miller, Chará, Asprilla, and Mora.
By making this change, Joseph allows the team to play almost a full first XI on Saturday (except Paredes, due to yellow card accumulation).
Joseph’s willingness to trust depth players will pay dividends for this late run. He has refused to play it safe and prefers to turn on the jets, even late in the game.
Luckily, this will be the last short week the Timbers have the rest of the regular season.
Stay on the front foot!
Even if you are accustomed to playing on the back foot, it’s imperative you come out at home stepping on the gas. The Timbers executed their game plan almost to perfection against San Jose and won quite comfortably.
In the first half, the Timbers outshot the visitors five to one. The second half would see Portland grow into the game even more. They continued to attack nonstop, evidenced by their 14 to five shot advantage. In total, Portland outshot the Earthquakes 19 to six.
Much of their success was found by playing through their midfield and having good width with their wingers and fullbacks.
Joseph specifically praised Joseph and Acosta postgame.
Paredes has flourished under Joseph, who has allowed Paredes to be the box-to-box midfielder that suits his game most. He led the game in touches, chances created, shots, expected goals, completed passes in the final third, tackles, and recoveries.
He has been wearing the captain’s armband while Diego Chará recovers from his appendectomy. This year, he is a crucial influence on the team with his play and leadership.
“Cristhian continues to impress, as always, with his energy,” Joseph said. “His positioning has gotten so much better and his ability to control pockets of space with his possession now. I’m just really happy with him.”
Paredes wasn’t the only midfielder who shined on Wednesday.
Acosta played his best match since he joined Portland and paced the team with the game’s only assist. He also led in passing accuracy with 90.2%, chances created, and tackles won.
Evander scored his team-leading ninth goal of the year and led the team in shots on target, chances created, and crosses.
Joseph has the team playing quick, decisive, and exciting football. This is what fans have wanted to see all season, and it’s finally arrived.
Miles is him
In his six games as interim head coach, Joseph has completely turned Portland’s season around. His era is off to a hot start (4-1-1), and it shows no signs of slowing down.
He has changed the team’s mentality, play, and ambition.
“I think we show more character than before,” said Dario Župarić. “When a team changes the coach, something happens. We’re the same team, same group. But I think we’ve changed mentality.”
A team that was on the brink of being eliminated from the playoffs are now at the door for the postseason.
Portland has now found a clear identity. What has been missing all season has been discovered. The structure is clearly defined, and Joseph is making it work by playing to his team’s strengths.
“We were then able to set some structure into place and define some clear roles with everybody available,” Joseph said. “Now, the guys are seeing things much clearer, and it’s been really nice to watch.”
Key Stats
Portland Timbers xG: 2.13
San Jose xG: 1.27
Shots inside the box: Portland 12, San Jose 5
Touches inside the box: Portland 32, San Jose 23
Another Santiago Moreno Performance: He had five dribbles, three successful dribbles, 17 final third passes, and two fouls won to lead the team.
Underrated, Claudio Bravo: Paced the team with three successful dribbles, three aerial duels, and 13 passes in the final third.
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
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”