Another week, another Timbers takeaways.
Just when we thought the game against the Seattle Sounders was going to be a turning point in the Timbers’ path to success in the season, Cincinnati got in their way.
Nonetheless, the team showed some positive things despite the loss. Head coach Gio Savarese was absent due to health and safety protocol, and assistant coach Carlos Llamosa replaced him in the dugout.
Not the best of defensive performances
Sadly, left back Claudio Bravo was unavailable after the good game he had against Seattle. His absence was noticeable, with lineup replacement Justin Rasmussen giving away balls in dangerous places of the field that led to Cincinnati’s attacks.
As a matter of fact, the first real chance the home team got came after one of Rasmussen’s mistakes.
The same mistakes were repeated in the second half. In minute 55’ Rasmussen did well to stop Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez, but then he missed his mark, and that led to a dangerous cross. Two minutes later, a miss when he trying to clear a ball led to another dangerous cross by Cincinnati.
Of course, the Timbers also suffered defensively as a team, not just because of Rasmussen’s mistakes.
In the host’s first goal scored, Portland’s center backs left much to be desired. Despite both of them marking Sérgio Santos, Santos got to head the ball sent by Álvaro Barreal.
Near the end of the first half, Portland fell into this defensive trap in the midfield, and chaos ensued. Cincinnati’s look didn’t end in a goal by mere inches.
Evander
A lot has been said about the Brazilian midfielder, despite his not being on the field. After coming back from his injury, Evander is growing back into his more clinical skills, but he showed some interesting touches in this match.
We could see his game awareness during the match, like in this backheel. Evander knew Portland’s David Ayala was behind him, and this play ended up in a shot. The shot was not on frame, but knowing how much the Timbers have struggled to get multiple shots in past games, the slight improvement is still very positive.
The Brazilian also showcased his great services to the box, as he did in minute 14′.
Learning to be patient and to take their chances
Portland finally didn’t look bad in the attack in this match, especially in the second half when the team was able to create some very beautiful transitions.
The key was in their patience to move the ball from left to right and vice versa. As a matter of fact, the Timbers created three very nice team build-ups in less than five minutes, from minute 65′ on.
The downside of this was the finishing. Portland wasn’t clinical in the final third, and that showed. “For 90 minutes we created chances,” Llamos said. “We just need to be more clinical in finishing those chances. I think we created problems for this team up top and we started to get in the rhythm. Little by little we’re getting much better in the attack.”
Of course, we don’t expect the Timbers to score every single shot they take, but they definitely need to be more clinical—and more so against a tough team like Cincinnati.
Asprilla is a man with a goal in mind
After his bicycle goal against Seattle, Dairon Asprilla’s confidence has gone up, up, up. Too bad he couldn’t get this chance right.
Hopefully, he’ll put his name in the scoresheet again next game.
