The Portland Timbers are in a bit of a scoring drought, with only two goals in their past four games heading into their match against FC Dallas. To make matters worse, left back Claudio Bravo was out due to yellow card accumulation, and the Timbers had fallen to 12th in the Western Conference standings.
Dallas, on the other hand, came into the game in tied for third in the west.
Portland needed three points, badly.
The Timbers showed their hunger early and often, forcing Dallas to play the majority of the game on the back foot. The visitors looked nothing like their usual selves, and the Timbers picked them apart all game.
The one issue for the Portland Timbers has been their finishing—a story that held true early on in the match. They could not punish FC Dallas for their lackadaisical defending and turnovers.
In the 36th minute, that all changed. Evander hit a perfect cross onto the head of Franck Boli, who put it away to make the scoreline 1-0.
Defensively, the team remained stout and up for the challenge all evening.
The biggest controversy came in the 71st minute, when FC Dallas’ Geovane Jesus and Portland’s Diego Chará got tangled up. Referee Ted Unkel’s original call was a straight red for Jesus, but that was later overturned in favor of a yellow to both players.
Unkel’s officiating all night was inconsistent and led to frustration from both sides.
Still, the Timbers were able to pick up their first home win in nearly a month to move back into eighth place in the table.
Credit: Kris Lattimore
Moving forward
Right now, Boli is the Timbers’ best option as the No. 9. His work rate gives the team so many opportunities.
Although he has not always been the most clinical, he has deserved every start and minute he’s played this season.
After being benched at Seattle, Boli made a huge difference at home against FC Dallas—most notably scoring the lone goal of the match.
After starting at right back ahead of Juan David Mosquera at Seattle, Eric Miller earned another start against Dallas, this time at left back. Miller has not seen a lot of playing opportunities, but has been solid when given the chance.
His understanding, communication, and leadership with the backline has been superb the past two matches. The role and responsibilities the coaching staff has given him has been simple and effective.
Head coach Gio Savarese was pleased with Miller’s performances. “We got really lucky that he became available” said Savarese. “I think every team needs players like him that can provide so much discipline on the field. I thought he was phenomenal today.
“Not only today,” he said, “also in Seattle. Playing on the right side in Seattle, playing now on the left side and didn’t miss a beat. His leadership, his communication, his way of not only playing but his presence on the field was very, very good. He faced different guys today. He managed all of them very well… He managed everyone the way he had to and helped the team make sure that we had a very solid defensive type of game today.”
Miller’s experience in MLS—he’s played in the league since 2014—has paid dividends for the Timbers and will serve them well for the rest of the season.
Makes perfect sense that Eric Miller, a consistent and visible ally of the LGBTQ+ community, is the model for tonight’s #Pride warmup shirts.
After losing to the Whitecaps 0-1 in Vancouver in April, the Portland Timbers had revenge on their mind when they hosted one of their Cascadia rivals Saturday.
In the previous matchup, the Timbers were outmatched, overwhelmed, and shorthanded. But this time, Portland got their sweet revenge, with a 3-1 win in their most complete performance of the year.
Timbers head coach Gio Savarese was very pleased with his team’s performance.
“Very important win for many, many reasons,” said Savarese. “Three points. Cascadia Cup. Home game. Then we performed very well.”
Still, he said, “I think we can still progress, we can still get better. There’s areas that we have to continue to work, but I think the first 20 minutes and the entire second half, I thought we were very, very good.”
In the second minute, Franck Boli broke out of his scoring drought to put Portland on the board first.
The Timbers continued to create chances after the opening goal, with combination play between Juan David Mosquera, Santi Moreno, and Evander putting another one away in the 18th minute.
This team has been clicking offensively for weeks, and it showed off big time. Portland outshot and had more shots on target than Vancouver, putting up 13 and seven to the Whitecaps’ seven and four, respectively.
Unfortunately in the 24th minute, Zac McGraw went for a clearance that turned into an own goal.
In the 54th minute, Evander put on a insane move to freeze his defender and then ripped a shot for Portland’s third goal for the final score.
This was his best game as a Timber, and he has let the entire MLS know, too.
The Evander Show
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore
After early struggles with form and injury, Evander has played his best ball the past few weeks. He is playing with tons of confidence, his decision making is so much quicker, and his passing has been very crisp. This is the exact player general manager Ned Grabavoy and Savarese wanted to sign.
Evander is one of the most in form players in MLS right now, and the Timbers are steadily climbing the table thanks to his contributions.
The Portland Timbers are playing their best football of the season, which happens to coincide with his best run of play.
Is that a coincidence? Absolutely not.
After scoring twice tonight, Evander became the first player in @TimbersFC history to produce a multi-goal game following a multi-assist game. pic.twitter.com/yZpqL1j1Ob
“I was going for the hat trick,” said Evander. “Of course, not doing crazy things, but I wanted one more opportunity for a goal. I knew that nobody [on the Timbers] has scored a hat trick in an MLS competition, and I wanted to be the first, but I’ll have to wait till the next opportunity.
Still, he was pleased with his team’s performance. “I think this shows us how good we are” he said, “how good we are when we play together and as a team… When we play together, when we are compact and play soccer and enjoy the game, things become much easier. The win today gives us more confidence for the rest of the season.”
All You Gotta Do is BOLIeve
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore
Boli scored his first goal for Portland in his Timbers debut. Since then, he has been hungry for his second.
His work rate and comfort level has been steadily climbing in the past couple weeks.
“I am a striker. I create goals. Last game I wanted to score so bad, I missed some goals and got angry,” said Boli. “But you’ve got to try again.
“I’m very happy to score today and also that the team won,” he said. “That’s even more important than my goal. As a striker, you want to score every time and I’m happy about that.”
Boli has continued to be get more comfortable with the team and league.
“He’s getting to understand the league,” said Savarese. “He’s getting to feel more chemistry, and he’s getting fitter as well.
“You saw his movements today,” Savarese said. “Now he knows how to move around the defenders because they’re physical here in MLS. He needs to understand how to find good areas in order to make sure to be in good places to get the ball. He created some very good moments, attacking-wise.”
Fun stats
xG: Portland 1.15, Vancouver 0.59
Evander led the team in shots, shots on goal, and goals.
Santiago Moreno paced the team in chances created, successful dribbles, and completed passes in the final third.
Juan David Mosquera had the most touches, crosses attempted, completed passes on the team.
Dario Zuparic was stout in defense with 10 recoveries and seven aerial duels won.
Dairon Asprilla's bicycle kick goal in the 71st minute is a candidate for MLS goal of the year.
Elite Photo Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Heading into Saturday’s game, the Seattle Sounders were first in the table and were the top scoring team in the West. The Portland Timbers, meanwhile, were 12th in the table and had not won a game since their regular season opener against Sporting KC on February 27. The Timbers were winless in their last six matches.
After losing Eryk Williamson to season ending injury, this team could of continued their downward spiral.
After playing one of their best halves of football, the Portland Timbers looked down and out.
In the 58th minute Sounders superstar Raúl Ruidíaz scored to put the visitors up 1-0.
But all it takes is one moment to change all the momentum. In the 71st minute, Dairon Asprilla scored the MLS goal of the year to tie it at 1-1 with a brilliant bicycle kick.
That goal gave the Portland Timbers a sense of belief and ignited the attack for the first time all season.
Nathan Fogaça gave Portland the 2-1 lead with a beautiful dribble and two touches to get around Sounders defender Yeimar. Seattle Goalkeeper Stefan Frei managed to get a hand on Fogaça’s shot, but it wasn’t enough to stop the ball from going into the back of the net.
Jarosław Niezgoda has struggled to find his form all season and was subbed in the 72nd minute for Franck Boli. Less than 10 minutes later, he put away a rebound to score his first goal of the season.
Juan David Mosquera put the game away in the 89th minute, with a rocket on a quick counter.
The Portland Timbers completed the comeback to win 4-1, with all of their goals scored in the last 20 minutes.
These are the games where we are reminded why we love this game and these players.
Best lineup of the season
Since the season started, Portland has not had their strongest XI. Although Williamson is out for the year, the Timbers had a majority of their first choice squad for the first time.
This starting XI came out on the front foot and outshot Seattle 7-4 in the first half. Unfortunately, they lost control of the game early in the second half.
Once Portland head coach Gio Savarese made substitutions, they regained the upper hand. Many of the Timbers starters for the game are still coming back to full fitness.
When Yimmi Chará returns, they will have all of their first choice starters except Williamson.
The starters played well in the first half, and the substitutes’ fresh legs will give this team a lot of positives moving forward.
Franck Boli starts
Franck Boli made his first start for Portland as they took down Seattle 4-1. Credit: Matthew Wolfe
The Timbers signed Ivorian forward Franck Boli from Hungarian top-flight side Ferencvárosi on March 13.
Boli has been getting up to speed, learning the system, and building a rapport with his new teammates over the past month.
In two sub appearances, he had played 28 total minutes before the Seattle game—including time in which he scored the game tying goal at FC Dallas.
Boli made his first start against the Seattle Sounders.
After the match, Savarese said he was impressed with Boli’s performance and extremely excited to see him with more opportunities. “He started to figure things out,” Savarese said. “You can see the special things that he has. In some moments, you saw how quick he was to get in front of the Seattle defender… He can get in good areas.”
The Timbers head coach believes Boli’s only going to get better with more time to learn the system.
“He has a good understanding of the way we want to play,” said Savarese. “Now it’s about generating the chemistry with the guys. He just arrived. Evander just started to play with him. Some of the guys started to get to know the two of them more and more.”
Forwards can score, too!
Nathan scored his first goal of the 2023 season against the Seattle Sounders. Credit: Matthew Wolfe
The Timbers had only scored six goals in their first seven games. Out of those, each line had contributed two each. The only forwards who had scored prior to the Seattle game were Boli and Tega Ikoba.
That all changed in this game.
Asprilla, Fogaça, and Niezgoda all opened their scoring accounts for the season. If their frontline can continue to produce, this team is going to be scary the rest of the way.
David vs. Goliath
The first place team facing off against the 12th place team. The Sounders went into the game with a +12 goal differential, while Portland was at -6.
Still, the Timbers started off the game on the front foot, outshooting the Sounders in the first half.
At the start of the second half, Seattle could not have started much better. They found the opening goal in the 58th minute and nearly scored again on several occasions.
Seattle’s attacking soccer and ruthless barrages continued, and they kept chasing a second goal.
The Timbers being down a goal with 20 minutes left in the game, things were not looking good to even get a result.
Portland has been beat up all season, but they got up and fought like heck the rest of the way.
Thanks to their forwards, Santi Moreno’s assists, and the return of their dangerous counterattack, Portland was able to take down Goliath.
Shoutouts
JDM celebrates his second goal of the season versus the Seattle Sounders. He continues cement himself as one of the best right backs in MLS. Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Juan David Mosquera scored his second goal of the season and continues to put in the effort on the defensive end. He led the team in touches, shots, shots on goal, crosses, and possessions won.
Claudio Bravo made a goal-saving intervention in the 39th minute before Jordan Morris could put it in the back of the net. Bravo was near the team lead in a bunch of stats.
The first three goals had SantiMoreno‘s signature all over them. He assisted on the first two goals to Asprilla and Fogaça. On the third goal, he followed up Fogaça’s shot, which allowed Niezgoda to finish it.
Fun stats
Portland has now beaten Seattle four consecutive times
Dario Zuparic led the team with seven aerial duels won
Dairon Asprilla also had eight dribbles and six successful dribbles to lead the team.
Coaches’ corner
Savarese on the win: “When you don’t get too many good results, and you’re putting in a lot of work, and you’re trying to manage a lot of things in a difficult way, the way we started—a win like today’s is incredible. It’s amazing, because we needed it. We needed it. We needed the three points; we needed a win like this to feel that we’re capable of competing at the highest level. And we still have some players that need to come back.
“I think with that said, I felt tonight the guys wanted to win. You felt it. And I think, as I said, a goal like Asprilla’s just gives that energy at the end to make sure that the guys just felt that we can win this game.
“Now we have to continue to work. It’s not staying on one game and that’s it. It’s about all the games that are coming, and we need to prepare very well, because now we have Cincinnati. We have the U.S. Open Cup. Then we have to go to St. Louis. We have a difficult schedule, but now with players coming back and finally getting a bench that is full, we can compete to a better level.”
Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer on his postgame message to the team: “I told them I don’t feel that it’s a rivalry. That’s my initial gut thought. At 1-0, we have to have that killer instinct against a team that has beat us three games in a row, that’s had our number. At their place, stick the knife in, kill the game. I don’t give a shit if it was the second goal or extending possession. After the game, some of our staff members, everybody talking, laughing. It’s like another loss. It’s not another loss; it’s against the Timbers.
“We have to get back to understanding that this is a rivalry. And that’s what I said to everybody. That’s the reflection that I have. It’s not good, it’s not good. We don’t have the killer instinct to put them away. We gave them life; we talked about it, messaged it before the game. They were using this game as a springboard. They have to go to Cincinnati next week. They get a bad result here and have to go to Cincinnati, that could doom them. But we give them life.”
Quote of the night
Asprilla, on if practicing bicycle kicks during practice attributed to his goal: “Yes. I talked to [David] Ayala before the game. ‘You wait for [the] bicycle’. It’s my confidence.”
The Portland Timbers had lost three games in a row heading into their home game Saturday versus the LA Galaxy. The Galaxy came into the match winless in their opening three games, with their last two ending in draws. Both teams desperately needed a result coming into the game.
Both teams would play to a scoreless draw at Providence Park.
In order to inject some life into the club, Timbers head coach Gio Savarese inserted Diego “Guti” Gutierrez and Pablo Bonilla into the lineup. Nathan Fogaça earned his second consecutive start.
The Portland Timbers and LA Galaxy had an injury list that looked like an NFL midseason injury update.
It was rather impressive (and a little depressing) hearing Gio rattle off all of these updates. #RCTIDhttps://t.co/RthBIQA9QF
LA had their fair share of issues too. They were missing seven players: Chicharito, Douglas Costa, Jonathan Bond, Marcus Ferkranus, Dejan Joveljić, Kelvin Leerdam, and Eriq Zavaleta.
The Timbers went extremely direct with their play in the first half, and all of the statistics backed it up. It was an ugly display of football and highlighted how sloppy they were with the ball.
Both teams were extremely physical, and there were a ton of fouls committed and not called in the opening 45 minutes. Guti and David Bingham were the two bright spots for the Timbers.
In the first half, the Galaxy dominated proceedings with 10 shots on goal, while Portland had one. The Timbers were out-possessed 29% to 71%. In the 13th minute, Portland got lucky when Galaxy forward Preston Judd’s shot hit the post after he got past the backline of Portland.
In the second half, play continued to be chippy. For 80 minutes, the Timbers were outplayed by the Galaxy.
In the last 15, though, Portland found some magic and dangerous moments. Tega Ikoba brought a spark to the game when he subbed in for the Timbers in the 76th minute. Portland outshot LA Galaxy 9-7 in the second half.
The final possession numbers were terrible for the Timbers: Portland with 32.8% and LA with 67.2%.
Identity crisis
I will ask continue to ask until we get an answer: who is this Portland Timbers team? What are they trying to accomplish on the pitch? Where is the creativity? Is the counterattack completely gone?
The performance early on was sloppy, and they couldn’t manage to escape a single line of pressure. In the second half, the Timbers were a lot better and finally showed the trademark counterattack in the last few minutes.
With the team finally getting healthy, we could see improvement coming sooner rather than later.
The @TimbersFC look so far from scoring and you don’t need the stats to back that up. Possession was never an issue for them because they’d get you on the counter. However the #9 position has been lacking vs other teams in @MLS (West Conference) over recent years. #RCTID#MLS
“I thought it was a performance of a team that wanted to get a win three points,” Savarese said. “When we have players missing, then players have to step up, and I saw a lot of players stepping up today. It wasn’t perfect, but when you have the desire, the heart, the commitment and determination to give everything that you have, what else can I ask?”
Jazzy benched
Through the first five games of 2023, goalkeeper Aljaž Ivačič has made one start, while Bingham has made four.
Although Bingham has been good in goal, he does not possess the immense upside that Jazzy does.
However, Bingham is as reliable as they come. Savarese knows exactly what he can expect from Bingham each time he’s in goal.
He made huge saves throughout the match to keep the game scoreless. His positioning was very good and played a fine game in goal.
This was his second clean sheet on the season, but unfortunately the turf monster claimed its next injury in Bingham.
We wish him all the best in his recovery.
Gio Savarese: “It’s unfortunate that a player would go and talk to a reporter in that way. … He’s still an important part of our team. … Sometimes players say these things because they’re too emotional.”
The tension between Ivačič and Savarese could land him on the bench for the near future. Not a good look for a struggling Timbers side.
Could we see 20-year-old Hunter Sulte start, instead? It looks like it.
Guti & Bonilla start
Diego Gutierrez made his first start against LA Galaxy. Photo by Kris Lattimore
Guti has been strong for the Timbers in the minutes he has received. Those opportunities earned Gutierrez his first start. Juan David Mosquera, who is on international duty with Colombia, was replaced by Pablo Bonilla.
Gutierrez and Bonilla were both active and energetic throughout the game. Bonilla did not have many opportunities to come forward, but he was efficient in defense. He also led the team in crosses. Guti had many bright moments with his dribbling and passing.
After the match, Gio said Guti could see more minutes moving forward if he continues his current form. “Gutierrez played very well,” he said. “Now he’s going to compete and push others, and that’s what we want.”
Injury list
At this rate, the Portland Timbers could field a whole injured side. That’s how long their list is. Players continue to get healthier each week, but so far, when they get players back, more go on it.
“Right now, we’re unlucky with the injuries,” Diego Chará said after the match. “That’s really disappointing for us.”
Still, the Timbers have no choice but to continue on.
Standouts
The Post: Soccer is a brutal game, especially when it comes to the score. You could dominate a match and still not get the desired outcome. The Galaxy hit the post twice, and that was the difference in the game.
Diego Gutierrez offers something very different as a winger and it will help the Timbers this season. Guti has the ability to dribble and keep possession or take players on. He keeps putting up good performances and should have a role on the team moving forward. He led the team with six dribbles and three successful dribbles on Saturday. He also was near the top for completed passes, crosses attempted, recoveries, and touches.
David Bingham got the nod over Ivačič, and it paid off. Bingham was clutch throughout the game, and his positioning was solid throughout. He came up with four saves, all in crucial moments. His injury at the end was the worst news you could get at the end of the game. He has two clean sheets in four starts this year.
Tega Ikoba continues to bring the energy and excitement. In his 14 minutes, the Timbers were the better team in the game. Savarese said he will see more minutes in upcoming games.
Tega Ikoba rises over everyone to win a header. Photo by Kris Lattimore
Stock down
Injuries: Another game, and two more injuries.
Officiating: This got out of hand and overly-physical. Referee Chris Penso needed to set the tone earlier and refused to do so. It was very fortunate to not see more players injured. The only consistency was that he was bad for both sides. The game ended with 29 total fouls.
Chris Penso is having one of the worst officiating performances I’ve ever seen at Providence Park. #RCTID
The Timbers forgot how to play soccer in the first 45 minutes, but they got their memory back in the second half. Even if it wasn’t enough for them to come away with a point against LAFC, Saturdays match saw Evander score his first goal as a Timber, and Cristhian Paredes also put his name on the score sheet.
The Timbers went to California searching to spoil the LAFC title party, but they fell short. According to The Analyst, Portland was the underdogs, with only an 18% chance of winning against the MLS reigning champions, and they just couldn’t beat those odds.
LAFC started to move the ball fast and find spaces from the get-go, putting the entire Timbers XI to work to stop the fast transitions. Portland could only break the pressure twice before LAFC scored the first goal of the game
The host showed they can use the half spaces very well, as we could see in the previous play to the goal. It was Kellyn Acosta who sent a long pass through the half-space, full back Juan David Mosquera lost Denis Bouanga, who got to the ball before it went out, forcing Timbers goalkeeper David Bingham to make the save and send the ball to the corner.
Defending set pieces
One of the many weaknesses the Timbers showed in the first half was their defense of set pieces. That’s how Giorgio Chiellini scored the match’s first goal. Justin Rasmussen lost the mark on Chiellini, and the Italian finished with a tap. Marvin Loría and Zac McGraw contributed to the defensive mistake, obstructing one another and favoring the bouncing of the ball toward Chiellini.
Before the end of the first half hour, the hosts could’ve scored their second goal, but the referee deemed it as a foul. This time, Portland double-marked Chiellini, with McGraw helping Rasmussen. It was the latter who couldn’t clear the ball and gave LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead the chance to tap it and score. Loría was marking him, but for some reason he stopped following Hollingshead closely and let him get to the ball. The visitors had to thank the referee for calling it off.
Not long after that, LAFC had another corner. Bingham got to punch the ball but it fell to Kwadwo Opoku. Santiago Moreno came too aggressively on him, and the referee granted the home team the PK. LAFC star Carlos Vela took it and scored, and it seemed like the Timbers would have a long afternoon.
Set pieces and defensive problems aside, some of the players looked slow when taking decisions. LA was pressing high during the entire first half, and they were taking advantage of turnovers in the midfield, which led to fast transitions in the attack. So, you would expect the Timbers to pass the ball quickly and be aware of their surroundings.
Well, that wasn’t always the case.
Moreno giveaway. Credit: Fox Sports.
We had to wait almost 50 minutes to see a decent chance from Portland in the attack. This started with Rasmussen sending a good service to the far post. Loría headed the ball but goalkeeper John McCarthy reacted quickly and made a save with his chest. The Timbers created one more chance, but weren’t able to finish it.
Starting the second half with a bang
Just seconds after the start of the second half, Vela could’ve scored a brace, but a great tackle by McGraw denied him of the opportunity.
But LAFC was on a mission, and the slowness of some players was this time reflected in Diego Chará, when José Cifuentes stole the ball from him. The turnover led to Portland’s defense being outnumbered and to Opoku scoring. (Fun fact: Opoku was the LAFC player most involved in attacking sequences in 2022, with Vela coming in second, according to Opta.)
Defense outnumbered and bad positioning. Source: Fox Sports
So yeah, LAFC was actually the one starting their second half with a bang.
The impact of the subs
By 54′, it was obvious the Timbers needed some subs to change the dynamic of the game… and quickly.
Župarić with the giveaway when trying to build from the back. Source: Fox Sports
Head coach Gio Savarese moved the bench. Christian Paredes replaced Loría, Larrys Mabiala entered for Moreno, and Claudio Bravo came in for Rasmussen.
The Timbers finally put one in in minute 62 with a fast transition, outnumbering LA’s defense. Paredes showcased nice off-the-ball work, and left the ball to Evander after sucking the attention of LAFC defenders. That made it possible for the Brazilian to shoot, unmarked.
Jarosław Niezgoda didn’t have a good game in the attack. True, no Timber did in the first half, but at the end of his 72 minutes, he registered zero shots on target, zero duels won, and zero chances created, and he barely stepped a foot inside LAFC’s box.
No wonder he was replaced by Nathan Fogaça. The Brazilian didn’t do well in duels or passes—he missed three out of seven passes total and lost nine duels—but he made his presence notorious in the last 10 minutes of the game. After a corner, McCarthy couldn’t get ahold of the ball and left his goal open for Mosquera to score. The defense reacted, but Fogaça kept the ball inside the box and, by doing so, assisted Paredes.
After that, both teams could’ve scored at least one more, but the hosts kept the three points at home.
What Gio said
If anything, the game against Sporting KC showed us Savarese has some decisions to make regarding the Timbers’ starting XI.
The coach spoke about Fogaça, Paredes, and Bravo and what they brought to the game after the LAFC loss. “[Bravo] didn’t look off at all,” Savarese said. “It looked like he was comfortable, and he created a lot of good moments going forward.
“Bravo and Paredes brought a lot of energy into the team,” he said, “and I think that’s also the reason why the team elevated their level at a particular time.”
Congrats on your 50 games as a Timber, Claudio Bravo! Credit: Timbers FC
Fogaça surely made a case to be in the starting position next game. “Nathan is competing very well,” Savarese said, “and he’s putting himself in a situation that he’s pushing me to get more playing time.”
It is true that the Timbers were missing Sebastián Blanco, Dairon Asprilla, Felipe Mora, and Yimmy Chará, but part of the coach’s job is to find a way for the team to work without them. And this game against LAFC showed that maybe there’s a way for Savarese to do so.
Two of the things to look at are the style and system of play. “We pressed completely differently,” Saverese said. “We pressed 4-4-2 last game. We played more with a 4-3-3 [in this game] that ended up being with five midfielders. That’s why we changed, to be a little more aggressive, to press a little bit higher.”
Zac McGraw put on a masterclass at CB for the Portland Timbers in their 1-0 season opening win at Providence Park.
Photo by Matthew Wolfe.
After a snow-delayed start to their 2023 season, the Portland Timbers escaped with a 1-0 regular season opener win Monday night against a talented Sporting Kansas City side.
The match was the first season opening win under Portland head coach Gio Savarese and team’s first since 2017.
The victory came at the foot of right back Juan David Mosquera, who tallied the lone goal of the match in the sixth minute.
The score does not tell the entire story. This game proved it more than others.
Brr, It’s Cold in Here!
The originally scheduled home opener was postponed due to the snow storm. Instead of a weekend opener, the Portland Timbers hosted Sporting KC for Monday Night Football.
Thankfully, the Portland staff and crew made sure the field was cleared and the game was playable. We owe them all a huge round of applause and our gratitude.
The More Things Stay the Same, the More They Change?
Heading into the season, the Timbers returned primarily the same roster they had in 2022, with only three new starters on opening day. Evander, the highest paid transfer in team history at $10 million, was tasked with combining with midfield stars Eryk Williamson and Diego Chará to hopefully return Portland’s unit to elite status. The other two changes came in defense: After trading center back Bill Tuiloma and moving on from right back José Van Rankin, rising star center back Zac McGraw and last season’s transfer Mosquera are now starters. They are hoping to improve a backline that gave up the 11th-most goals in MLS in 2022.
Elite Midfield? Not just yet, but soon.
When El Maestro, Diego Valeri, departed from the Timbers before the 2022 season, he left a legacy in the center of the pitch. Evander has been hyped as the team’s next magician in midfield.
Evander made his Portland Timbers regular season debut versus Sporting KC. Photo by Matthew Wolfe.
His debut was tough sledding. Evander was not able to get into a rhythm, and it showed. However, he put energy into his defending. His commitment to that end should excite everyone. Even if the game is unable to find him, he’s shown a commitment to being a difference maker.
If this is an “off game,” he still led the team in duels, dribbles, successful dribbles, and possession won.
Savarese described Evander’s night as “a performance of a player that just arrived in a new league, a performance of a player that, at the beginning, was finding and looking to try to be involved in the game.”
Savarese said Evander found “really special moments” in the game’s second half, even if they didn’t all go Portland’s way. “But I think for me, the most important thing is how much he ran for the team,” Savarese said, “how much he put work to make sure that we got a win. And for me, that’s so important […] He has those moments, and he’ll be able to provide it the more he’s going to adapt, the more that he’s going to play, the fitter he’s going to get. But he ran for the team today, and that is something you feel is very important from a player of his caliber. Very proud of him, very proud of the group. I’m excited for what is coming in the future from him.”
Williamson is at his best when he has the freedom to sit next to Chará and roam all the way up next to Jarosław Niezgoda. In the first 15 minutes, he was able to do that.
Once Sporting KC made a commitment to press and look for the equalizer, Portland’s entire XI was pinned back defending. Williamson was phenomenal on the ball and was one of the only players who seemed comfortable playmaking and beating the press.
Chará is the most consistent No. 6 in MLS, and he brought it on the defensive end. He led the team in interceptions, blocks, and tackles won, reliable as ever in the opener.
Just one game in, it’s clear the midfield of Evander, Williamson, and Chará is going to improve with more time to build chemistry and rapport. They are going to be the key to Portland’s season this year.
Juan Mosquera scores his first Timbers goal in the 2023 regular season home opener versus Sporting KC. Photo by Matthew Wolfe.
Where Will the Goals Come From?
Last year proved that the Timbers can rely on every single player on the team to score goals. This game was no different. If the Timbers are going to be a top team in MLS—as is their hope—everyone will need to contribute.
The game’s only goal belonged to Juan David Mosquera.
“It was a great feeling to be able to help the team,” Mosquera said after the match,” because of course with the goal we were able to get the first three points of the year. I just hope to keep going that way. To me, the most important thing is to be able to help the team.”
Next week at LAFC, it most likely will be another hero.
Don’t be surprised if the team has a bunch of 5+ goal scorers this year. This team will be one that has a goals-by-committee approach.
How Did the Backline Look?
Portland’s defense was missing Claudio Bravo, who was brave going forward and a willing defender in 2022. He is one of the best left backs in MLS—a tall order for the Timbers to replace this game.
Bravo had a career year in 2022, when he led the team in tackles won with 77. He also paced the Timbers last season in interceptions, touches, and duels won.
Only one issue: He is still not 100%.
Justin Rasmussen was inserted in the starting XI in place of Bravo, and it didn’t go so well.
Rasmussen, bless his heart, is having a rough go against Shelton and Salloi tonight. #RCTID
Fresh off appearances for the Colombian National Team, Mosquera was ready to make the right back position his this season. After only making three appearances—and two starts—for the Timbers in 2022, he was determined to make the most of the opening day start for the club.
Mosquera took almost no time to make his mark. Known for his attacking prowess from the fullback position, Mosquera lived up to the hype. In the sixth minute, he scored his first career goal for Portland.
After a shaky start—including a a yellow card in the 26th minute—Dario Župarić was clinical. He came up huge when his name was called upon. At one point, Župarić even dove head first to snuff an attack and paid the price. Amazingly, he stayed in the game and battled the rest of the evening.
David Bingham was solid and came up clutch throughout the game. He had a crucial double save in the 24th minute, which would set the tone the rest of the night.
Zac McGraw was excellent in defense: numerous chances denied, hit solid passes, and great marking. Every time Sporting KC got close to scoring, McGraw was ready. There isn’t a center back in the MLS with more upside. With former Timbers legend and current coach Liam Ridgewell by his side, he is poised to have a career year.
And starting off the season by holding Kansas City scoreless is right in line with that trajectory.
“That’s what you take pride in,” McGraw said of the Timbers’ clean sheet. “Try to limit shots, limit their shots on goal, at the end of the day get a shut out. Because if you get a shutout, we did our job, so it’s up to the offense to take care of their job. Obviously Mosquera, a defender, made that goal so just all-around good performance from the defensive line.”
This backline is going to improve immensely this season and it’ll get even better with the return of Bravo in a few weeks. The early signs are encouraging and exciting.
The Portland Timbers played without starting left back Claudio Bravo and goalkeeper Aljaž Ivačič ,while Santiago Moreno also started on the bench.
The team did not have a full complement of first team players, and it showed for stretches of the game. Portland had a lot of bad giveaways, sloppy passes, and misconnections.
Sporting KC dominated possession by 58% to 42%. Their press wreaked havoc on the Timbers’ attack. If we’re being completely honest, they were the better side. Kansas City were very unlucky not to get a result.
“We were all over [Portland] in the second half,” Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes said. “We created some good chances in the first half, as well as the second half. We couldn’t find it, but the effort, the desire, the passion, everything was there in the game. Other than the mistake on the first goal, I thought we had it. Outside of that, the team played well.”
The frontline duo of Marvin Loría, Niezgoda, and Yimmi Chará seemed out of touch and off their games. However, Loría’s work rate was phenomenal, and he still put in a fantastic shift.
Niezgoda’s conversion rate plummeted in 2022, and the early hopes of a rebound season do not look good. He got in good positions, but the first touch let him down all game. Y. Chará assisted on Mosquera’s goal and was subbed off later on with an apparent hamstring injury. Savarese said it will be weeks before he returns.
Santi Moreno checked in for Y. Chará in the 33rd minute.
The midfield of Evander, Williamson, and D. Chará looked exceptional for the first 15 minutes but had to focus on covering defensively for the remainder of the game. They had moments, but moving forward they’ll need to more. Portland will need to play on the front foot and counterattack more often if they want to take advantage of their midfield.
We must give credit where it’s due, to the Portland Timbers defense, especially from the backline. The entire team put in massive amount of effort to make sure the score ended in their favor. Many of the standouts were on that backline.
Standouts: Stock up!
Player of the Match:Zac McGraw
McGraw has all the talent in the world and led the the backline to a shutout of Sporting KC side who did everything they could to get a result at Providence Park.
He put on a masterclass at center back and led the team with six aerial duels won and two blocks and was second with four tackles.
The best center back I’ve ever played with coaching the man who has unlimited potential. Things you love to see. pic.twitter.com/WrpPacBycj
He led the team in touches, goals, tackles, and tackles won. Don’t be surprised if Europe comes calling sooner rather than later.
Juan David Mosquera is in for a breakout year and, sooner rather than later, a lucrative transfer to Europe. Clubs have already come to Portland for the Colombian right back. Big talent.
After starting in place of star goalkeeper Aljaž Ivačič, Bingham absolutely came up clutch and commanded his backline well.
He came up with four huge saves to preserve the clean sheet.
Eryk Williamson:
There are no players in MLS who can do what Williamson does. The USMNT is calling because of his ability to play world class soccer. He led the midfield in passing accuracy and chances created, which should be a common occurrence this season.
Santi Moreno:
Even though he didn’t start, Moreno came on and made a difference.
He led the team in chances created and passes in the final third. He also contributed three successful dribbles, two tackles, and eight possessions won.
Just another day at the office for him.
Head coach Gio Savarese:
Savarese is now the winningest head coach in club history with 69 victories. He continues to find ways to win with this club each season. Congrats to Gio!
Here's Gio Savarese's on becoming the winningest coach in Timbers history:
"When it's for an organization that you care so much, for fans that you care so much, you feel proud… I was told right after the game. I didn't know that was the case. I was thrilled and happy." https://t.co/Y3gjpPNfcTpic.twitter.com/7iqhPLc3Ru
Timbers midfielder Eryk Williamson is ready to terrorize defenders this season.
“Last year, I was able to make the final pass,” he says, “Continuing that, I can always get better at that, but it’s a fact of also finishing.” He’s hoping to change that in 2023—and to continue to grow as a box-to-box midfielder, working in tandem with Diego Chará.
Williamson’s ambition of becoming an even more complete player for Portland feels in line with his trajectory since he joined the team in 2018.
A Star is Born
On January 23, 2018 the Portland Timbers made a rather under-the-radar move to acquire the MLS Homegrown Player rights from D.C. United. In turn, they gave up $100,000 in 2018 general allocation money, $100,000 in 2019 targeted allocation money, a 2018 international spot, and a second-round pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. Portland used those Homegrown Player rights to pick up a player who had spent three years at the University of Maryland and been on the USYNT scene.
Williamson joined a team with a legacy of superstar talent in the center of the park. From Chará to Diego Valeri to Sebastián Blanco and Darlington Nagbe, outstanding star power has always been present in the Timbers midfield.
In a year that halted sports—and life—across the globe for months and months, Portland managed to find a bright spot. The Timbers’ 2020 MLS season was the chance for Williamson to show off his ability, and did he ever. After getting his first taste of MLS by making seven appearances in 2019, he balled out in 2020, playing in 26 games and tallying three goals and six assists.
Williamson has shown himself to be an absolute playmaker for Portland and the USMNT when given the chance to be himself. He sees the game with elite eyes and picks out passes that are, frankly, ridiculous, with an insanely high degree of difficulty. The way he plays soccer is one that reminds you what is so special about this sport. It’s about being unique and true to who you are.
Williamson is a gamechanger, with moments of brilliance that can alter the momentum of a game.
Nothing is Ever Easy
By 2021, Williamson had cemented himself as a key part of the club’s core and future—and he was also finally in the USMNT discussion.
He made his senior national team debut in July 2021 in the Gold Cup against Haiti, helping the team to a tournament title. But on August 29, 2021, against the rival Seattle Sounders, Williamson suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
Everything had to be put on hold.
Williamson attacked rehab with intentions to make it back on the pitch better than ever. He worked tirelessly to make his triumphant return after seven months (or 210 days), but wasn’t able to make it back into the national team mix ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
“To be somewhat in the conversation is a good feeling,” he says of the beginning of 2023. But he wants to cement himself as a regular on the USMNT.
“I’m not satisfied with it,” Williamson says. “It’s an honor to wear the crest, and I think I want to do it on the biggest stage. The only way to do it is to continue to push. Knowing that I’m lucky enough to wear the crest, I’ve been able to wear it a couple games. It’s getting that first go-around out of the system and making sure it’s a consistent performance for the national team, but also here.”
If the Timbers are able to rebound from last year’s disappointment and be in the MLS Cup chase this year, Williamson will be a catalyst for their ascent.
It’s about “being a player we can’t go without,” Williamson says. “Try to make sure I can play 90 minutes every game and continue to help guys around me. Also, just gel with the midfield we have. We have a lot of talented players, lot of pieces that we brought back, few pieces we brought in. It’s exciting.”
Better Than Ever
Portland made their biggest full transfer in club history this offseason by acquiring Brazilian midfielder Evander from the Danish club FC Midtjylland.
The move puts Evander, Williamson, and Chará in the position to be an elite midfield and one of the best in MLS.
“It’s honestly scary,” Williamson says. “Diego is Diego. You know what he is going to bring, but he has added this attacking side as well. Evander is the new piece that we started to fit in. We want it to be where guys can’t stop us, they can’t defend us, and making sure that we are beating teams with not only talent, but how hard we are working off the ball, too.
“I know we can learn from each other,” he says. “We all have different pieces that gel it all together, which is exciting.”
After an offseason focused on decompressing without the pressures of rehab, Williamson is rearing to go. “I’m flying,” he says. “It’s the best I’ve felt in a preseason.
“That’s kind of the biggest thing for me: making sure that my body and mind was in a good place to start this year,” he says, “knowing that the comeback story is just starting. It’s good to be back with the national team, but [I’m] not satisfied with just one call up—trying to make it a regular thing.”
He’s also focused on “performing here, with Portland, and making sure that we are a top three team in the West.”
In the Timbers’ preseason game against the LA Galaxy, Williamson is already showing off his incredible talent. He was brilliant with his connecting play and had two assists.
He’s going to have a monster year.
I know I basically tweeted this exact same thing on Friday, but dang Eryk Williamson’s free kick delivery has turned into a weapon for the Timbers as of late. #RCTIDpic.twitter.com/P0808NCvpO
And maybe, we’ll get to see the return of the brilliant journalist William Erykson, who made a memorable reporting debut for the Alexander Times at the Portland Thorns’ 2022 NWSL Championship media day.
Felipe Mora, Sebastian Blanco, and Yimmi Chará. Photo by Kris Lattimore.
With just days to go until the start of the 2022 MLS season, the Western Conference promises to be as competitive as it’s ever been before.
For the first time, the West is up to 14 teams — adding a quality side in last year’s third-place Eastern Conference finisher, Nashville — as expansion side Charlotte FC take their place in the East. (There is no expansion side in the Western Conference this year.)
Several of the West’s worst teams last season, such as Houston and Dallas, have splashed out club-record transfer fees on new strikers. As the Timbers get set to defend their Western Conference crown, there will likely be few easy games.
1. Seattle Sounders
That’s right. After their humiliating exit from the playoffs last year, the Sounders enjoyed an outstanding offseason.
There’s a sparkling new training facility and a rebrand centered around the club’s 50th anniversary underway. Seattle signed the best player on the team that eliminated them last season in Albert Rusnak. They inked several stars to contract extensions. And they brought several incredibly important depth pieces back.
Brian Schmetzer’s teams have not always been all that good in the regular season, but — given Seattle’s CONCACAF Champions League ambitions and the depth on this roster — this year may well be different.
The front six, which includes five internationals and an ace Brazilian central midfielder, is probably the league’s best unit. The back five isn’t far behind.
If Seattle has had an obvious flaw in recent years, even at full strength, it’s that they could be beat in transition and often played methodically. That necessarily hasn’t changed — but on their day, this team is going to take some beating.
Lineup: Frei, Nouhou, Arreaga, Gomez Andrade, A. Roldan, C. Roldan, J. Paulo, Rusnak, Lodeiro (C), Morris, Ruidiaz
2. Los Angeles FC
LAFC’s regression in the final two years of Bob Bradley’s tenure at the club felt both unnecessary and disappointing. Unnecessary because so many of the club’s personnel moves didn’t make sense, and disappointing because the 2019 team was so tremendous to watch.
Now, the club has turned the page entirely from its hugely successful first era. Bradley is in Toronto; Eduard Atuesta and Diego Rossi are overseas; and new boss, Steve Cherundolo, has a bevy of new recruits to plug in around mainstays like Carlos Vela and Latif Blessing.
Interestingly, many of those new players came from within MLS, a marked departure from LAFC’s player acquisition strategy the last several years. Kellyn Acosta, Ryan Hollingshead, and Maxime Crepeau have played in and won a ton of MLS games. Given the issues LAFC had gutting out wins last season, the team should benefit from their experience.
At no point during the last two years did the underlying numbers ever not like LAFC, and it feels like even a touch more composure and toughness could put them on track to have an excellent year. If Cherundolo can adapt quickly to the league, they’ll be contenders again.
Nashville makes the move from the East back to the West for their third year and first in a new soccer-specific stadium. The travel will be grueling, and the lack of games against their geographic rivals in the South seems like a missed opportunity.
They’ll likely shift back to the East when St. Louis joins next season, but for now Nashville should have the quality to make a serious impression on the West.
This team easily could have advanced to the Eastern Conference Final last year, and they strengthened in key areas in the offseason — adding MLS veterans like Sean Davis and Teal Bunbury to compete for minutes in the spine of the team.
Nashville isn’t exactly thrilling to watch, and they won’t blow many teams away, but they’re very difficult to play against, very good defensively, and in every game have two of the best players on the field with Walker Zimmerman and Hany Mukhatar.
They still may be one or two attackers short when it comes to competing with the league’s very best. But they’re built for consistent regular season success, no matter what conference they’re in.
Last year, on the field anyway, it was the tale of two seasons for the Timbers: very, very poor through mid-August, and very, very good after.
That was almost enough to win the club’s second MLS Cup, and definitely enough to give the its leadership faith that the Larrys Mabiala/Diego Chará/Sebastian Blanco core has another title run in them with just a few reinforcements.
There is good reason to believe. Chará and Blanco, when healthy, remain elite — two of MLS’s most impactful players. There’s plenty of talent around them, too, particularly in the midfield and attacking positions. Giovani Savarese has never missed the playoffs as a manager; there are few better tournament coaches in the league.
But if Blanco gets hurt, or Chará gets old, or the defense looks more like the unit that was shipping goals last summer than the one that locked things down in the fall, the Timbers will fall off in a hurry.
Lineup: Ivacic, Bravo, Zuparic, Mabiala, Van Rankin, D. Chará, Williamson, Y. Chará, Blanco, Asprilla, Mora
5. Sporting Kansas City
In many ways, Sporting is the model of consistency in MLS: Their manager, Peter Vermes, is entering his 14th season at the helm, and his teams are always well drilled. Lately that means they get veteran leadership, value the ball, and try to control games with it.
It works — mostly. Save for the COVID season of 2020, Sporting hasn’t missed the playoffs in ten years. They also haven’t been to the Western Conference Final since 2013, in large part because of a lack of team speed and a tendency to fade in seasons.
This team right now looks no better or worse than any of the last five or six Sporting teams: They’ll have quality players in attacking positions, they’ll play cohesive soccer, and they’ll rack up a bunch of points at home.
But they’ll still likely get run over in transition by faster, more explosive teams, and even on occasion less talented teams like RSL in the playoffs last year. In addition, center forward Alan Pulido is out for the year, leaving a huge question mark.
Unless Vermes has something up his sleeve, this Sporting team will be solid, but limited.
People around MLS waited years for Robin Fraser to get another managerial opportunity, and the Rapids have benefitted handsomely for giving him the controls two years ago.
They’ve also built their roster very well by stockpiling proven MLS players, young American players, and a select few internationals, and inserting them into a clearly defined system. It worked exceptionally well last year, when the Rapids cleared the 60-point mark and topped the West in the regular season.
But there’s little indication that this year’s side is better than last year’s. Kellyn Acosta and Cole Bassett are both gone, and Austin Trusty is headed off to Arsenal in the summer. The key offseason acquisitions, Bryan Acosta and young attacker Max Alves, don’t inspire a ton of excitement.
The glaring issues the Rapids had last season — namely, the lack of a standout center forward or truly elite attacking players — remain the glaring issues right now. This team has a high floor, but very possibly a low ceiling.
Ah, the Galaxy. It’s been quite a few years now since this team was the unquestioned class of MLS in the Bruce Arena/Robbie Keane era, and quite a few years in a short stretch where the team has faded down the stretch and failed to make the postseason.
This year, it looks for all the world like the Galaxy will again be right in the middle of the pack.
The attack, spearheaded by a locked-in Chicharito, should be excellent. Whether or not Douglas Costa produces, the combination of Hernandez, Kevin Cabral, and the inimitable Victor Vazquez pulling the strings will produce plenty of goals.
Defensively, there’s no real indication that this team will be markedly improved from the one that conceded 54 goals last year. They need better individual performances from their backline and more steel in central midfield. Is Mark Delgado the player to give them that? We’ll see.
Greg Vanney has a very good track record, and the Galaxy did improve in his first year, but this will likely remain an entertaining work-in-progress.
This is year six for Adrian Health in St. Paul, and it feels like his team has stagnated somewhat: After fielding a very competitive team in 2019 and nearly making it to MLS Cup in 2020, the Loons regressed last year, struggling to score goals and getting handily dispatched by the Timbers in the first round of the playoffs.
The offseason, following that 3-1 loss, has been rather indifferent. The club re-acquired striker Luis Amarilla and brought in Honduran midfielder Kevin Arreaga, but lost captain Osvaldo Alonso and kept the bulk of last year’s side intact.
There’s certainly quality enough here to ensure that the Loons are professional and competitive each time they take the field, but aside from Argentinian playmaker Emanuel Reynoso, there are very few elite players in the squad.
Will that be enough to make a fourth straight playoff appearance? Possibly. Will it be enough to do serious damage in the playoffs should they get there? Unlikely. This team needs some pop, both up front and at center back, and until they get it, I’m betting on another regression this year.
Dallas appeared adrift at the end of last season when they fired manager Luchi Gonzalez and were on their way to selling Ricardo Pepi for a club-record fee. There were serious questions about the ownership’s commitment to winning.
Those questions, in one offseason, appear to have been answered. Dallas was aggressive from the outset, and ended up singing Alan Velasco from Independiente and committed huge amount of money to a trade for Paul Arriola. They also brought in a new coach, Nico Estevez, who will install a new 4-3-3 formation.
Best of all, perhaps, is the possibility of a full year of Paxton Pomykal in midfield. He has the ability to be a top MLS player if he stays fit, and a could be a creative hub behind what projects to be a lethal front three.
Defensively, there are more questions than answers: How much does Matt Hedges have left in the tank? Who is the starting goalkeeper? Overall, Dallas promises to be more interesting than they have been since the Oscar Pareja era.
Between the pandemic and an MLS investigation into the club for its handling of allegations of misconduct against two former Whitecaps women’s team coaches, it has not been an easy few years for Vancouver supporters.
But, the way the team played at the end of last season under then-interim coach Vanni Sartini was one small bright spot. They went for it in the months following the sacking of Marc Dos Santos, and, improbably, reached their first postseason since 2017.
We’ll see whether they can keep that momentum going this year, and — particularly — whether they can play as aggressively over the course of an entire season and get away with it.
Their standout goalkeeper, Maxime Crepeau, is gone and, while Ryan Gauld is here for the entire campaign, the front office made few reinforcements to a team that, talent-wise, is not among the West’s best.
There was, despite overwhelmingly poor results, plenty to like about Austin’s expansion season: They played cohesive attacking soccer in Josh Wolff’s system, they valued the ball, and they were clearly just a few pieces away from competing for a playoff spot.
Austin tried to get those pieces in the offseason, though the jury is very much out on whether they did enough work on last year’s roster to give themselves a chance to compete all the way into the fall.
Jhojan Valencia has arrived to play defensive midfield, while Ruben Gabrielsen and first round draft selection Kipp Keller will slot in the for the likes of the retiring Matt Besler in central defense. The defensive spine of the team was a major area of need, and Austin addressed it.
The problem is that none of those players have any MLS experience, and none appear to be the kind of proven, show-stopping defender that would improve the unit on day one. This team will score goals and stay in goals more than they did last year, but it doesn’t look like a playoff team on paper.
It was a wild finish to last season in Utah, in which the club saw its manager leave to become an assistant for one of its rivals, get bought by a new ownership group, and then make an improbable run to the Western Conference Final.
RSL got waxed by the Timbers in that game at Providence Park, but they did enough to land Pablo Mastroeni the full-time coaching job and generate a springboard of goodwill to take into 2022.
Now, the hard part. RSL lost its highest profile player in Albert Rusnak to Seattle, the same club their former manager Freddy Juarez joined in the middle of last year, and they haven’t really replaced him.
In fact, this team, which played plucky and brave soccer last year, but rarely very good soccer, hasn’t been improved much at all. Only one player has come in, and while more signings may be in the offing, RSL just isn’t going to scare anybody at the start of the year.
Mastroeni was mostly very aggressive tactically when he got the job last year, but that meant that his team was often wide open defensively. We’ll see if he decides to change tack with more to lose personally this go around.
Lineup: Ochoa, Brody, Glad, Silva, Herrera, E. Luiz, Ruiz, A. Julio, Kreilach, Rubin, Wood
13. San Jose Earthquakes
This looks set to be the final year of the great Matias Almeyda experiment in San Jose, which started with such promise in 2019 and has since fizzled into an acrimonious wait for the end.
Almeyda gave an interview where he ripped the club’s player-acquisition strategy in the offseason, and it’s true that San Jose was lapped in spending ambition by the likes of Dallas and Houston this offseason, not to mention the LAs and Seattles of the conference.
It’s also true that this ‘Quakes team has enough talent to be competitive — though it’s an open question whether Almeyda’s man-marking system, or whatever hybrid of it he uses, in whatever formation, helps or hinders them this season.
In Cade Cowell and Jeremy Ebobisse, there’s some exciting attacking talent. Offseason pickups like Jamiro Monteiro and Jan Gregus are proven in MLS. The roster build looks a lot like Colorado’s from a few seasons ago, even if the overall vision looks less cohesive.
It’s not hard to see San Jose causing some problems for teams this year. But it’s also not hard at all to see the whole project falling apart relatively quickly.
It is very clearly a new era in Houston. The club is under new ownership, and that new ownership appears eager to spend and revitalize a team that has slid so far from relevancy in its city that even its biggest games last season were sparsely attended.
The first order of business was bringing in proven MLS sporting leadership in former goalkeeper Pat Onstad to run the front office and Paulo Nagamura to manage. The next order of business was spending big to acquire Paraguayan forward Sebastian Ferreira for a club-record fee, and there will likely be one or two more big name DP signings to come.
For now, though, this is still largely the team that trudged through last season under Tab Ramos, struggling on both sides of the ball, with effort week in and week out, and with a not inconsiderable talent deficit to boot.
Steve Clark, as Timbers fans can attest, will help in goal. The center back partnership anchored by Tim Parker looks a strength. But until the Dynamo bring in a pair of high-level attacking midfielders and a two-way center mid, the ceiling will be low.
Diego Chará on the ball in MLS Cup. Photo by Matthew Wolfe.
The Portland Timbers are days away from kicking off the 2022 season at home on national television against the New England Revolution.
In ordinary years, this would be cause for great excitement. This year, with the club’s leadership embroiled in controversy over its handling of the Paul Riley coercion and harassment allegations and under investigation over its handling of the Andy Polo abuse allegations, it’s decidedly different.
For many, the joy of attending Timbers matches has been complicated. For some, it’s been, at least for now, erased. The club is set to meet with the leadership of the Timbers Army for the first time since the Riley story broke on March 3, and members of both the local and the national media are pressing for answers on the Polo situation.
It is likely that the start of this, the Timbers’ 12th MLS season, will be overshadowed by events off the field. But the fervent hope of most every supporter is that at some point—preferably some point soon—we can return to talking about soccer.
On the field, the Timbers are in a precarious position. Diego Valeri is gone. Steve Clark is gone. Sebastian Blanco is about to turn 34 and Diego Chará is about to turn 36. Larrys Mabiala will be 35 by playoff time.
Despite the young talent around that trio, the season is shaping up to go one of two directions: a last chance to compete for a championship with the team’s 2017 core minus Valeri, or a transitional year in which that core fades. Here’s a look at where the team is at heading into Opening Day.
GOALKEEPER
The Timbers have enjoyed some very good goalkeeping in their MLS history, but they perhaps never got better than what Clark gave them over the last several seasons: phenomenal shot stopping, very few blunders, and a certain joie de vivre that will be sorely missed this year.
Clark is now in Houston. The Timbers, perhaps because of salary cap issues, did not seem to make a serious play to retain him in free agency., nor did they acquire a clear starting goalkeeper to replace him. That means that, for the foreseeable future, it will be Aljaž Ivačič and David Bingham in goal.
Neither goalkeeper inspires a great deal of confidence. Ivačič, the towering Slovenian, was signed to eventually be the starter back in 2019, but couldn’t beat out Jeff Attinella or Clark over the next three seasons and has looked uneven in his handful of appearances with the first team.
Bingham, meanwhile, the former San Jose and LA Galaxy starter, was out of the league in 2021 and trained with the Timbers before joining the club in the offseason. He hasn’t been an everyday starter since 2019, when he struggled behind a porous Galaxy defense.
The job, considering the club’s investment in him, should be Ivačič’s. He is younger and has more upside than Bingham, though he may not be on a long leash in what seems like a make-or-break year—Giovani Savarese has not shied away from rotating goalkeepers based on form.
Former LA Galaxy II backstop Justin Vom Steeg and homegrown Hunter Sulte are also on the roster.
LEFT BACK
It’s the Claudio Bravo show. The young Argentinian fullback blossomed last season after a difficult beginning to life in MLS, distinguishing himself as a major attacking threat and holding his own defensively down the stretch as well.
Bravo is an excellent player to watch, and at just 24, he has plenty of room left to grow. The Timbers are relying on his durability, because there’s not much behind him on the depth chart—likely just Pablo Bonilla sliding across the backline.
Larrys Mabiala challenges for the ball in MLS Cup. Photo by Matthew Wolfe.
CENTER BACK
The Mabiala/Dario Zuparic tandem dug deep in the fall and winter, just as you would expect from a veteran duo, and delivered the kind of steady, locked-in defensive performances MLS Cup teams always get from their center backs. Both players had standout moments in the playoffs, and Mabiala in particular was tremendous in MLS Cup.
But now both players are hurt to start the season, with identical sports hernia injuries. They’re slated to be back in mid-March, but until then, the Timbers’ depth at this position will be tested.
Bill Tuiloma has stepped into these kinds of positions before, but it’s fair to say that 24-year-old California native Zac McGraw has not. McGraw only started two games last year—games where the Timbers shipped six goals—and it will be a big task for Tuiloma to shepherd the backline in the absence of the two starters. Rookie Justin Rasmussen, signed the day after scoring a banger against Viking FK in preseason, could get minutes as well.
In the bigger picture, there are plenty of reasons for confidence and a few for concern. Mabiala generally goes through periods where he struggles with the pace of play, and neither he nor Zuparic have the kind of speed or agility that clubs increasingly look for in center backs.
This unit has always gotten it done when it’s mattered for the Timbers in recent years, but after conceding 52 goals in 2021 with an excellent goalkeeper behind them, the margins for regular-season error may be thinner this time around. We’ll see how this group holds up.
RIGHT BACK
The Timbers finally, after the beginning of preseason, hammered out a deal to bring last year’s starter, Jose Carlos Van Rankin, back for 2022.
But the structure and length of Van Rankin’s deal—a loan through the summer that the Timbers can extend through the end of the year—is not exactly a vote of confidence. Neither the Timbers nor Van Rankin’s parent club Guadalajara seem sold on the fullback, which is understandable. He was frequently caught out of position and flat-footed defensively last year.
Van Rankin’s precarious position has almost certainly opened the door for Bonilla, who, at 22, has established himself with the first team and is getting looks with the Venezuelan national team. The question for Bonilla is about maturity: in his young MLS career, he’s committed well over a foul per game, averaged a yellow card almost every three games, and was recently sent off in a preseason match. He’s a competitor, which is a good thing, but his performances for the club have been uneven.
Bonilla is six years younger than Van Rankin, considerably cheaper, and still growing as a player. If he wins the job, it’ll make the Timbers’ lives easier. If he doesn’t, Van Rankin’s loan will be extended.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD
Assuming Chará doesn’t fall off a cliff this year, this is a position of real strength for the Timbers.
The captain, who was the best player on the field in MLS Cup two and a half months ago, remains the premier defensive midfielder and one of the most valuable players in the entire league.
Erik Williamson, who was trending in that direction before tearing his ACL in Seattle last summer, figures to slot in next to him once fit in a season that could put him back in contention for a place in Gregg Berhalter’s World Cup squad.
The Timbers have also invested in the highly-rated young Argentinian David Ayala in this spot, who, given their depth at this position, they can afford to integrate slowly and allow to acclimate to MLS without serious pressure, just as Santiago Moreno, another young Designated Player, did last season.
Alongside that trio, Cristhian Paredes significantly raised his stock with the club during the playoff run last year and remains, when he’s locked in, an above-average MLS center mid: skillful on the ball with a good understanding of both attacking and defensive space.
George Fochive may be more of a blunt instrument, but he is now, just as he was during his first spell with the club, a reliable depth piece who can chew up minutes and provide cover for his central midfield partner as a true six.
Savarese can get three of these players into his lineup if he plays a 4-3-3, which, given the strength of the midfield, might make some amount of sense. If it’s the 4-2-3-1, however, competition for the spot next to Chará will be fierce.
Sebastian Blanco. Photo by Matthew Wolfe.
ATTACKERS
Even without a marquee singing to replace the departed Valeri, this should be another position of strength.
With Sebastian Blanco’s return, protracted as it was, the Timbers have four starting-quality attackers: Blanco, Yimmi Chara, Dairon Asprilla, and Santiago Moreno.
None are true playmakers in Valeri’s mold, and all four may be most comfortable on the wing, but their ability to interchange and complement each other gave defenders fits throughout the playoffs and should allow Savarese to throw different looks at different opponents.
Asprilla dramatically elevated his usefulness and fluidity on the ball last year, but his greatest weapon, as always, is his directness and power in the air. He’s physically a handful for defenders, especially fullbacks. Moreno’s speed makes him a handful in a very different way. He was almost unmarkable against Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference Final. Chará is, of course, a workhorse—a positive and a contributor in most every phase of the game.
With all that said: there is no minimizing Blanco’s importance. The Timbers were completely adrift without him last season, averaging 0.9 points per game in games he missed, and absolutely dominant after he returned to the lineup in the summer.
It’s not just Blanco’s attacking threat, which from just about anywhere on the field, in just about any game state, is significant. It’s also that he is very clearly this team’s alpha, a player who reliably changes the feel of games with his presence alone.
There are very few players in MLS who we can say the same of. The Timbers need him healthy, which, given that seemingly every medical team that took a look at his knees this winter raised red flags, is going to make for some very tense moments in the coming months.
Marvin Loría, who played one of the best games of his Timbers career against RSL last time he featured in a competitive match, is back as well, as is Blake Bodily. Savarese will likely find Loría minutes, while Bodily is could be in a do-or-die year if he wants to continue his MLS career.
STRIKER
The Timbers are in an interesting position here: they committed big money to two players, Felipe Mora and Jarosław Niezgoda, who the front office felt could be answers at center forward in a way that Jeremy Ebobisse was apparently not.
Mora will likely miss at least the first month of the season injured, giving Niezgoda, who has made just ten starts over the last two years, his very first run as the clear starting forward. There is no question that the Pole is an instinctual finisher, excellent in the box. It does remain to be seen how active he can be in other phases of play and whether he can affect games and contribute to the attack if he’s not scoring.
Mora, though he ran hot and cold last season, certainly did that. He’s possibly the most complete forward the Timbers have ever had, and even if he doesn’t take over games like Fanendo Adi or Brian Fernandez did, his 18-goals-in-35-starts strike rate speaks for itself.
If they’re healthy, these are valuable, talented players. Whether they justify their combined budget charge and elevate themselves into the league’s top striking tier very much remains to be seen.
Homegrown signing Tega Ikoba figures to make his first team debut during Mora’s absence, and, given the injury history of the two players ahead of him, the Timbers will be hoping he adjusts to life in MLS quickly.
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