Category: Timbers

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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 0, Houston Dynamo 1

Santiago Moreno. Photo: Matthew Wolfe
Santiago Moreno. Photo: Matthew Wolfe

On Saturday, the Timbers picked up their first loss of the season against the Houston Dynamo.

It was the second game on the road for Portland, after traveling to NYC where a team effort turned the tables around and they picked up the three points. In this match, the Timbers went down first again, but there was no moment of brilliance from any of the players to collect at least a point.

Outperforming Houston

Although the team lost, the stats don’t lie. They don’t tell the whole story, but numbers are important. And what do they say? They say Portland was superior on shots (16 to Houston’s nine), shots on target (four versus the Dynamo’s three), and corners (again, four to the home side’s three).

Possession was not on Portland’s side, but that is less relevant. At the end of the day, it’s not as if the Timbers couldn’t generate opportunities due to a lack of the ball at their feet. Houston even let Portland play inside their box many times, as we can see in the touch maps below.

Touch maps (Opta)
Touch maps (Opta)

So, what happened? Houston took one of their few chances, and Portland didn’t. That, added to a miscommunication between Juan David Mosquera and goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, gave the Dynamo the win they needed at home.

The Brazilians

As much as we praised Evander and Antony’s performances against NYC, we have to be honest now.

It’s beginning to look like 2023 again, when Evander was hot in one game and cold in another. That raised many eyebrows among fans, asking themselves if he was worthy of his Designated Player status. After a great performance last week, he had an off night again—as did Antony. Both missed two clear chances that could’ve changed the outcome of this match in the second half.

Leaving those missed chances aside, Evander registered no shots on target, while Antony registered only one. Still, Evander did well in one-on-one situations, with six duels won and four lost, while Antonylost eight and only won one.

In the following video, we can a very nice play constructed by the Timbers. But in the end, Antony decides to cut inside, and the defender reads his intention by a mile and stops him.

Last but not least, Evander did well in winning four fouls, two of them being near the box, which gave Portland dangerous free kicks. Too bad the Brazilian’s aim wasn’t on point that night.

Diego Chará’s match

It is safe to say that Diego Chará usually has solid performances in the MLS, and this time it wasn’t the exception.

In the clip below, we can see the Colombian performing his defensive duties and immediately setting the team to launch an attack. His incisive through passes were always difficult for Houston to read. Too bad the team couldn’t finish the looks Chará helped to orchestrate.

Promising attacks

Despite the loss, the Timbers had their moments of beautiful ball movement, progressing the ball from the initial third to the final third. Houston didn’t have a capable midfield to stop Portland, and the team should’ve taken advantage of that. In the end, a lack of aim and the Timbers’ overall indecision when finishing let the home team come out victorious.

In the clip above, we can see how Santiago Moreno is very close to scoring a golazo. Evander’s key backheel pass is world-class; what a goal it would’ve been if Moreno had bent that ball just some inches more!

Despite the loss, the way the Timbers played can give the fans—and themselves—the assurance that this was just a stumbled stone on the road. And they can bounce back against Philadelphia at home.

 

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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 2, NYC FC 1

Photo: Matthew Wolfe
Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

The Portland Timbers hit the road to play NYC FC on Saturday afternoon, and after a great second half, they flipped the score in their favor and got the three points.

The Timbers arrived at this match with one win and one draw on the season, and they showed some positive things on the field that were absent in 2023—with the highlight being a better end product in the final third.

A change in the lineup

Due to Eryk Williamson’s absence, head coach Phil Neville started Evander, who supposedly couldn’t go 90 but finished the game on the field as a hero. The rest of the lineup remained the same as last game’s against D. C. United.

“He probably should’ve played 60 minutes maximum coming back from injury,” Neville said of Evander after the match. “He didn’t want to come off; he could smell the game was there for him. He was enjoying his football, and in this league, you are going to suffer adversity away from home, and it’s how you deal with that.”

Not a very good first half

The game didn’t start in the best way for the Timbers. After a corner that Portland never could clear, the marking in the box was a mess, and the post helped Santiago Rodríguez to open the score for the home team. The early goal against in the 10th minute made them lose all their nonchalance, leading them to make bad decisions when passing the ball. 

After that, the defense looked shaky, with Zac McGraw not having the best time. Five minutes later he lost the mark of one of NYC’s wingers. Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau came up big and stopped what could’ve been the second goal of the night for the Citizens. The left wing was a highway for NYC, and if it weren’t for their lack of aim and Crépeau’s timely interventions, Portland could’ve lost the match in only 45 minutes.

McGraw was beaten by his opponent on at least three occasions and didn’t look solid as usual. Still, he had the most duels won of all Portland’s defenders with eight, was second in passing accuracy with 88.2%, was first in tackles with four, second in clearances with seven, and tied with Eric Miller for two interceptions.

It took the Timbers half an hour to produce a nice build-up. At the beginning of the game, they were hasty and weren’t very assertive with their passes going forward. They chose to make long passes, which more often than not ended with a loss of possession in the midfield, helping New York attack Portland’s box over and over again.

In the following video, we can see the Timbers making 10 passes before deciding to go forward. Then, the progression phase is pretty fast, and they lost possession, but Diego Chará recovered it and made a key pass in the process, giving Antony the chance to shoot. Sadly, his finish was very amateur-like.

Although the home team kept controlling the ball and tempo in the first half, Portland started to show more patience after this good buildup.

(The above play also shows how NYC left some space in the right top of the box that the Timbers could exploit—and would in the second half when they found the equalizer.)

A different game, a different mentality

It was nice to see the players’ work ethic in the second half. Unlike the first half, Portland started to press NYC high and recover the ball on New York’s side of the field, near the box, over and over again. They collected second balls and rebounds, won duels, and therefore didn’t let the home team make counterattacks. Portland stopped them before they could cross the midfield, and in this way, kept the risk of NYC doubling the lead at bay.

It was also nice to see how the Timbers took matters into their own hands in the second half. The home team could barely touch the ball from minute 50 on, and if not for NYC’s disciplined defense, Portland could’ve gotten the equalizer sooner.

The plan worked just fine. On previous occasions, Portland had found some space on the right top of the box. Just watch how open Juan David Mosquera is, and how much time he has to send the ball to the box in the following video:

So, it wasn’t a shock when, after a second half of intense pressing, Evander opened up to the right, where Mosquera was above, and sent a low cross to the penalty spot where Antony was placed. The Brazilian beat the goalkeeper with a high shot, and the Timbers still had some minutes to try to turn the score in their favor.

The ball was clearly on the Timbers’ side, and they took advantage of it. 

They didn’t give up, not even in the dying seconds of the game. And although it was indeed Evander’s magical right foot that beat goalkeeper Matt Freese, center back Kamal Miller deserves some recognition; he was the one who played smart and sent the precise aerial pass to Antony in the first place.

Then, the Brazilians worked their magic and produced the winning goal in the last minute of the game. A lot has been said about Portland’s next designated player, and the performance by Evander shows why it’s important for the club to sign one and soon. Those are usually the game-changers and the ones who can help a team to win matches.

“You saw the benefit of having a designated player with high quality and what happens when one person on the team shows quality and courage the rest take confidence from that, and that’s exactly what happened,” Neville said of Evander. “I thought his winning goal was just a reward for a brilliant performance.”

Evander's distribution map. Source: Opta
Evander’s distribution map. Source: Opta

What could’ve been a loss on the road ended with three points in the bag for Portland, thanks to this team performance, and ultimately, to the Brazilians on the team. Evander’s stoppage time screamer gave the visitors their second win in three games. And what is more, the Timbers are at the top of the table of the Western Conference.

I think it’s safe to say that it’s time to get excited about this team now.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 2, D.C. United 2

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

After their huge 4-1 season opening win against Colorado Rapids, Portland Timbers head coach Phil Neville and crew would host D.C. United.

Earlier in the week, the Timbers announced they had terminated their corporate partnership with DaBella, effective immediately. The news came after the club and fans learned of allegations of misconduct at the company from a court filing made public Feb. 23. The Timbers and a third party conducted a thorough pre-deal vetting process and didn’t learn of the filing until Feb. 27, the club said. Within a day, the organization made the decision to end the sponsorship with DaBella.

According to César Luis Merlo and Tom Bogert, the Portland Timbers are in advanced talks to sign sign forward Germán Berterame from CF Monterrey, with a bid of around $15 million, with their backup option being  Jonathan “Cabecita” Rodríguez of Club América. General manager Ned Grabavoy and Neville were hoping to have their record-setting designated player signed and ready for the United match, but that was not to be.

Maxime Crépeau made his Portland Timbers debut in goal. The lineup remained unchanged outside the goalkeeper switch. (James Pantemis was exceptional last week for his Canadian colleague.) The team had hoped Evander would be ready, but he looks to be another week away.

D.C. United was without the services of their superstar forward, Christian Benteke, who was a late scratch. Benteke motioned to the trainers during pregame warm ups and went back to the locker room.

Crépeau, Mosquera, McGraw, K. Miller, E. Miller, Paredes, Chara ©, Moreno, Williamson, Antony, Asprilla Subs: Pantemis, Araujo, Zuparic, Ayala, Fogaça, Ikoba

After a forgettable first 15 minutes, Santiago Moreno drove the ball down and laid it off perfectly to an onrushing Dairon Asprilla to put the home team up 1-0 in the 18th minute.

In the second half, D.C. United had a few chances that, quite frankly, should have been put away. In the 61st minute, Santiago Moreno made them pay, after a looped ball in from Eric Miller found its way to the Colombian.

United flipped a switch after that.

The replacement refs gifted the visitors a penalty kick in the 72nd minute, which Mateusz Klich calmly finished.

Crépeau made the biggest save of the night in the 78th minute. He did it again in the 80th minute, saved two consecutive point-blank shots in a span of minutes, either of which would have equalized for D.C. United.

In the 82nd minute, Portland’s resistance would be futile. Kristian Fletcher put away the easiest goal of his life on an empty net, when Crépeau valiantly tried to stop the low driven cross, but barely missed.

The last 25 minutes of the game were completely dominated by the visitors, and they probably should of left with three points.

“I think D.C. created enough chances probably to win the game,” Neville said, “and that’s pretty fair from our point of view.”

Santiago Moreno prediction

In the preseason, I predicted that Santiago Moreno would lead the team in goal contributions. He is on his way to proving me right.

With his family moved to Portland, Moreno has found a peace with the club and city. He is happy again. After the saga from last season, it is very apparent how much he has grown.

Neville has also allowed Santi to just be himself on the pitch.

“I feel really good,” Moreno said. “It’s a position where I feel very comfortable, and I always try to play free and play with the ball in front of me.

“We showed that in the first half. I think we always just want to win, at least myself. I always want to win. We couldn’t do that tonight, but hopefully we can do it in the next match.”

He was the player of the match with a goal and assist—and he leads the team in goal contributions currently with three.

Replacement refs

In the 72nd minute, the head official awarded a penalty kick for a hand ball that was clearly offside. That was the worst offense, but the officiators consistently missed calls all evening.

Those heading into the season, thinking the officiating couldn’t get any worse was so wrong. Not only are they replacement referees unable to do the job at a passable level, they are making the product suffer as a result. Players will suffer the most, especially with more injuries possible due to the nature of how these games are being called.

MLS needs to do the right thing and stop this nonsense.

Late game substitutions

The Portland Timbers were up 2-0 after Moreno’s goal. In the 65th minute, Neville opted to bring in Dario Župarić for Eric Miller, shifting Kamal Miller to left back. David Ayala also came on for Eryk Williamson, putting all the attacking midfield pressure on Cristhian Parades which was asking too much.

At this point, the team was trying to hold on for dear life. The game completely flipped.

In Neville’s defense, he doesn’t have enough options right now to adjust and implement his tactics.

Still, in the 85th minute, Neville brought Miguel Araujo on for Juan David Mosquera. At this point, the Timbers had four center-backs on the pitch. They do not have enough players on the bench right now to kill off games properly.

“We’re definitely short on depth. You look at our bench, we’re short on depth on our bench,” Neville said. “We know we can’t fill our bench at this moment in time. You think about adding Evander to that, Claudio Bravo to that, Marvin Loria to that, then you can bring players on.”

Evander’s pending availability next week, even in limited minutes, will help big time.

Bonus: The heroics of the MC

Without the heroics of Crépeau, this game would have been out of reach for the Portland Timbers. He is already one of the best goalkeepers to ever suit up for club, with his endless list of accomplishments and accolades.

By the numbers

xG: Portland Timbers: 1.5, D.C. United: 3.45

Shots: Portland Timbers: 10 (3 on target), D.C. United: 12 (8 on target)

Passes and crosses:  Portland Timbers: 291, D.C. United: 398

Corners: Portland Timbers: 4, D.C. United: 8

Clearances: Zac McGraw: 5 (The team had 12 total.)

Moreno led the team in goals, assists, shots on goal, sitters, ball possession phases, and passes.

Crépeau had six saves, and at least half were from point-blank range. He is one of the best keepers in the league.

 

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Not Soccer Soccer Timbers

Kickin’ It with James Pantemis

Photo by Thomas Lal.
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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 4, Colorado Rapids 1

Photo by Thomas Lal

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.

Photo by Thomas Lal. (Fun fact: Zac McGraw said Eryk Williamson is his best friend on the team.)
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)

 

 

Categories
Food Not Soccer Thorns Timbers

The Rose City Review’s Menu Review

Head Chef Garrett Boisture, CEO Heather Davis, & Bold Reuse CRO and Co-Founder Heather Watkins-Smith

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

♬ original sound – video_surge

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.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Kickin’ It with Eric Miller

Photo by Kris Lattimore

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.

Photo by Kris Lattimore

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.

Categories
Soccer Timbers

Kickin’ It with ‘Big Save’ Bingham

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

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.

Photo by Kris Lattimore.
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.

Categories
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.

Categories
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.