A week ago today, the Portland Timbers fired the winningest coach in the history of the franchise.
Gio Savarese gave everything he had to the club, fans, and city for over six seasons as head coach. He and his family will be missed for everything they did in the community.
There will never be anyone else like him. We, at the Rose City Review, wish Gio and his family all the best.
Former assistant Miles Joseph was asked to take over as the interim head coach in this final stretch, starting at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Even with the incredible effort the Timbers showed in the second half, it was not meant to be. They fell to Vancouver 2-3.
The loss was the Timbers’ lost their fourth straight defeat in all competitions.
In the 13th minute, the Whitecaps’ Ryan Gauld got the road team on the board, when a deflection fell perfectly to him. In the 36th minute, Gauld placed a brilliant cross and found the head of Brian White to double Vancouver’s lead.
The Timbers would not go down without a fight.
In the 53rd minute, Darion Asprilla hit a perfectly pinpointed cross to find the head of Felipe Mora, who scored his first regular season goal of the year.
In the 60th minute, Evander recklessly tackled Richie Laryea in the box and gave up a penalty kick. Gauld would finish past David Bingham for his goal contribution hat trick (two goals and one assist).
In the 84th minute, the home team would respond once again. Sebastián Blanco, who came on as a second half sub, played a low driven ball near the top of the box to Evander, who made no mistake with it to cut Vancouver’s lead back to a one-goal difference.
During the final moments of the game, the Portland Timbers gave it all they had, but they couldn’t find the equalizer.
Interim
Taking over for someone as successful and beloved as Gio Savarese is a tall task.
Joseph has an uphill climb to bring Portland to the playoffs.
Still, his energy is fantastic and on display constantly. The players seem to be responding positively to it, both at training and during the game.
And he seems to have a game plan for the team.
“We trained this week on the wide triangles and trying to open up the field, especially against Vancouver,” Joseph said after the match. “The first half we were getting a little bit too narrow. So, we presented some video at halftime, and they corrected it. We needed to get to the end-line more, and we did. We got a goal out of it.
“I think as we stick to the process and move forward, we’re gonna create a lot of scoring chances.”
No Bash Bros
Photo by Kris Lattimore
Although star center back Zac McGraw returned to training this week, he was not ready to start. Miguel Araujo took his place once again. Unfortunately, any pairing outside of Dario Župarić and McGraw has been unsuccessful for the Timbers this season.
Each time one of the stud centerback duo is not available, it is a struggle for the team.
Without McGraw starting the last two games, the Portland Timbers have surrendered eight goals.
This shows the lack of depth the team has, Araujo’s need for more time to get used to the pairings and system, and the importance of the Zs duo.
Cascadia Cup
Coming into the game, the Portland Timbers could have controlled their own destiny with a win or a draw at home against Vancouver Whitecaps.
With the loss, they now need to win next weekend in Seattle and for Vancouver to lose to Seattle in their Cascadia Cup finale.
With this result, Vancouver takes the top spot in the Cascadia Cup standings. The Timbers can retake first next week with a win in Seattle, but retaining the Cup is now out of their hands. #RCTID
After securing three points in their Leagues Cup opening game against the San Jose Earthquakes, Portland was in position to clinch a spot in the knockout stage with at least a draw. The Timbers could also advance in a three-way tie through goal differential.
Tigres is one of the most storied clubs in North America—and in the world. The opportunity to play a team of this historic stature is huge.
Playing at a disadvantage for over a half would be too much to overcome, as the Timbers dropped the last game of the Leagues Cup group stage 1-2.
Photographer: Kris Lattimore
In the 24th minute, Evander took on his best Leo Messi impersonation and hit the perfect free kick into to the upper 90 to put the home side up 1-0.
Photographer: Kris Lattimore
The good times would not keep on rollin’, unfortunately.
In the 42nd minute, former France international, André-Pierre Gignac scored the equalizer for Tigres.
To make matters even worse for Portland, Evander got sent off with his second yellow in the 44th minute.
Even down a player in the second half, the Portland Timbers refused to bunker. Both teams exchanged chances, tackles, and shots.
In the 81st minute, Jesús Angulo beat Juan David Mosquera far post and gave the visitors the 1-2 lead.
In order to try to get a result out of the game, head coach Gio Savarese made a triple sub in the 88th minute: Franck Boli for Dairon Asprilla, Sebastián Blanco for Claudio Bravo, and Miguel Araujo for Mosquera. The Timbers would play the rest of the game with a three-back of Miguel Araujo, Dario Župarić, and Zac McGraw.
Still, the Timbers did enough to move on in the Leagues Cup. (There is no scenario that existed where they didn’t move on.)
Evander
The biggest transfer in Timbers history has taken the reigns of this team and won’t let go.
He is putting his stamp on games and has shown his best stretch of play.
In the 24th minute, Evander delivered once again for Portland.
The Timbers will continue to win games if this stud continues to take over matches.
Unfortunately, Evander picked up his first yellow in the 39th minute. Then, the head official decided to get involved in the 44th minute and give Evander his second yellow.
Replays showed that this was not warranted, and it was a real shame, as the game was starting to go end-to-end with a ton of action.
As a player on a yellow card, you’ve got to be extremely careful and not put yourself in that position.
It was a frustrating way for Evander to end his time in the game, especially with such a big start.
Felipe Mora
Mora has worked his tail off to come back and has recently returned to play. However, this start was a huge milestone for him.
His professionalism through it all shows his character. There aren’t many players who have committed to the city and team the way he has. These moments and opportunities are more than deserved for the Timbers’ No. 9.
Officiating
Instead of playing this entire game at full strength, Evander’s second yellow card put us down to 10 players for the second half.
The official decided to intervene and have the main say over the game.
Gio: "I usually have great respect for referees. However that call ruined tonight's match." #RCTID
The atmosphere was amazing throughout, and the fans would have loved to see these teams go at it with everything they’ve got.
Make no mistake, the official allowed both teams to play. But Tigres is a phenomenal side and did not need the extra assistance.
“I just think the referee ruined the game,” said Savarese. “The referee ruined the game on a red card that was not conscientious of what is happening in the game. For me, there was no need. We were facing a very good team that didn’t need any extra help.”
It’ll a long time before we ever see these two sides go at it again, if ever. It’s a shame that a game was decided in that fashion.
Photographer: Kris Lattimore
Quote of the Night
“I said to Zac at halftime ‘This is gonna be a war, but we’re going to die like heroes’ and it *was* like that. I would like to lose every game like this.” -Dario Zuparic postgame. #RCTID
The Portland Timbers honored Diego Valeri by inducting him into the club’s ring of honor before their Saturday night match against the Columbus Crew—and by earning a 3-2 win on the field.
Coming into the game winless in their last five matchups, Portland was hoping to honor ‘The Maestro’ with three points to snap the winless streak.
Celebrating his birthday, head coach Gio Savarese wanted the win as a present.
The day was made right for both, as the Timbers secured the nail-biting 3-2 win over the Crew.
Neither team could create much early in the first half, as the game lacked any sort of rhythm or control. However, that changed after the first 25 minutes.
In the 28th minute, Claudio Bravo somehow found a way a collect the rebound to find Dario Župarić. The center back played it to Dairon Asprilla, who finished past Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte to put the home side up 1-0.
Two minutes later, Franck Boli played a perfect through ball into Asprilla, who beat two defenders and Schulte double the Timbers’ lead. Evander’s pass to the frontline had sprung the counterattack.
This made the match the first time Portland had scored more than one goal in a game since their 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in May.
Still, in first half stoppage time, Columbus responded with a Lucas Zelarayán goal to cut the lead in half.
In the 49th minute, Zac McGraw headed a potential Christian Ramírez equalizer off the line.
In the 62nd minute, the Portland Timbers put out their best substitutions of the year with Sebastián Blanco, Yimmi Chará, and Felipe Mora coming on.
The party was spoiled in the 65th minute, when Zelarayán would tally a second goal for a brace. His golazo was hit perfectly from outside of the box to beat Timbers goalkeeper David Bingham.
In the 69th minute, the Crew nearly went ahead when Jacen Russell-Rowe got passed the backline. Bingham came up with the biggest save of the night to keep it level.
In the 73rd minute, Mora won the header off a set piece and to redirected it to Y. Chará, who hit off the post.
The Timbers were not going to let the party end on a sour note. In the 80th minute, Y. Chará played a ball across goal that found Blanco, who smashed it home for the 3-2 lead.
This was Seba’s first regular season goal since his amazing comeback from injury.
The Timbers legend was not only being honored for his successes on the pitch—but fro what he did off of it, too.
Valeri was a player who loved being in the community and giving back to people. Any time he was given the change to help, his mind way already made up.
He will go down as a legendary player in the team’s history—and as one of the best people to take the pitch for the club.
Valeri and his family have the utmost love for the city of Portland. They should be remembered for always being a light to everyone who came across them.
Thank you, Diego, Florencia, and Connie.
You all be missed very much. We are forever grateful.
Hat Trick watch
In Timbers history, no player has ever tallied a hat trick, but that could have changed Saturday.
Cooooool finish from Dairon Asprilla to put @TimbersFC ahead!
Our condolences are to Dairon Asprilla’s hometown friend and their family. His strength in the face of great loss is remarkable and inspiring. Please send all your positive thoughts and vibes to him.
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.
The Portland Timbers hosted Real Salt Lake in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, with a spot in the final 16 up for grabs.
This game had end to end action, limited amounts of defending, and a bunch of fireworks.
In total, seven goals were scored, with RSL coming out on top 4-3 at Providence Park and eliminating Portland from the next round of the tournament.
Timbers head coach Gio Savarese was very honest with his post match thoughts. “We allowed them to score four goals at home,” he said, “which is not good. And the way we sometimes allow those moments to happen, we need to have a little bit more maturity.
But, he said, “It’s good for some of the players that don’t have that many minutes to be able to come and play. That makes them better, that makes them stronger, that makes them more available to be able to compete and ready to play. ”
Noel Caliskan – T2 Promotion to T1
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore
Noel Caliskan was selected 15th overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Loyola Marymount University.
He signed his first professional contract with Timbers 2 ahead of the 2023 season. In four appearances with T2, he has scored three goals.
After a strong performance in Portland’s 3-1 win over Orange County in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, the Timbers rewarded Caliskan with a promotion to the senior team.
On April 28, the club announced that he signed a contract for the 2023 season with options in 2024 and 2025.
Caliskan moved from Germany to the United States to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional footballer.
“It’s obviously an honor,” Caliskan said. “I came to the US with a dream to pursue my career, be a pro and to finally make it and play with the like of [Sebastián Blanco], Eric [Miller], Diego [Chará], big names and MLS legends. It’s an honor to share the locker room with them and to share the field with every day.”
On Wednesday, he was one the bright spots in the team’s home loss. Caliskan recorded two assists and showed off his talent.
Gio Savarese gave Caliskan positive remarks for his performance.
“He was one of the mature guys on the field,” Savarese said. “He did really well. He managed things excellent and endured the match very well. With the ball he gave us what we needed.
“We saw how he pressed on top to create a moment for [Blanco] to score,” he said, “and how great of a moment it is for Seba to score, too.”
With the team shorthanded in midfield, Caliskan has a chance to make a difference for the Portland Timbers this season.
Sebastian Blanco scores his first goal since injury comeback
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore
Seba made his second start since his return from injury and gave the Timbers the early lead with his goal.
Just having him back is a boost to the team. He continues to get better with each appearance. A healthy Blanco will be crucial to Portland’s playoff chances.
Defense?
Photo Credit: Kris Lattimore
“Losing this game at home, allowing four goals after we scored three is no good,” said Savarese. “We talked about it in the locker room and the guys take the responsibility and now we continue to work.”
The backline of Pablo Bonilla, Larrys Mabiala, Tyler Clegg, and Justin Rasmussen had many positives from the game, but there were many moments they would like back.
Scoring three goals and not winning at home is a tough pill to swallow.
The Timbers can put together a good starting backline in Juan David Mosquera, Dario Zuparic, Zac McGraw, and Claudio Bravo. Beyond that, as Wednesday showed, it is a concern if any of them are unavailable for any reason.
The defense, especially the backline, will decide how this season goes.
Key Stats
Portland had the advantage over RSL for xG: 2.02 to 1.62
Marvin Loría led the team with 5 chances created, crosses attempted, and completed passes in final third.
Victor Griffith paced the Timbers with three shots
Noel Caliskan led Portland in assists and completed passes in the final third.
Tyler Clegg won the most tackles for the team
Larrys Mabiala had the most completed passes and recoveries
The Timbers statically dominated almost every category offensively against Real Salt Lake
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.”
Jazzy Ivačič came up big against Dallas. Credit: Kris Lattimore.
On Saturday night, the Portland Timbers played FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas. After a good first half by the visitors, the tables turned. The Timbers had to find a solution to a home team that pushed them to the brink of another loss.
Ivačičis back
After goalkeeper David Bingham got injured in the game against LA Galaxy, Aljaž Ivačič had to leave any differences he has with head coach Gio Savarese aside and put on the gloves for the Timbers.
The Slovenian had a good game on Saturday night with some heroic saves (five total), like the one we witnessed at minute 62.
‘Jazzy’ made crucial saves during the entire game that helped the Timbers to stay in the match.
One aspect of his game he has to improve, though, is his distribution. Ivačič attempted a total of 34 passes, and he had a passing accuracy of 35.3%. Granted, the Timbers were playing direct, but still. If that’s the plan, you want the team’s goalkeeper to be more clinical with his passes, right? Out of those 34 passes, 30 were long and only 4 were short, which of course gives more room for inaccuracy.
Strong defending
If there’s a department where the Timbers are lacking more than others, that’s defense.
Portland has 11 goals against, the second most in the West conference after Real Salt Lake. So, they needed to revamp in this regard—a complicated task playing on the road, since teams tend to be stronger at home.
Nonetheless, they did improve against Dallas. We could see how the home team didn’t find proper channels to put the ball on the box, since the Timbers would put many people in the middle while staying organized. This made it possible for them to recover balls and make clearances.
All 32 Timbers’ clearances. Source: Opta
Zac McGraw continues to be by far the King of Clearances for this team. In this game, alone, he made a total of eight, followed by Dario Župarić with six. And what about this block by McGraw?
The Timbers showed they can dominate if the entire team puts in a defensive effort, as we could see in the first half. The second half was a different story, though. The right side of the field became the preferred flank where Dallas would build its attack and Portland focused so much on the players passing the ball there, that they often missed the one coming from the middle, which became the obvious passing option.
That was how a Dallas goal happened. Thank goodness it was called off due to offside.
The crossbar denies Moreno, but Boli saves the day
The most dangerous and best-attacking sequence in the first half for Portland was undoubtedly the one they created 30 minutes into the match. It was a counter-attack that started and finished with Santi Moreno.
In said play, the team got from one end of the field to the other with just three passes. Sadly, the post denied Moreno.
And after an entire half with Portland in the driver’s seat, things leveled in the second half. Dallas ended up outshooting the Timbers 17 to six, with 11 of those shots happening in the last 45 minutes.
Despite this, Portland kept trying to create chances with fast transitions. That is how a promising counter-attack happened in minute 70. It was three Timbers against the world like it happened in the first half, but the difference was that the team was tired and unlike the first half, the ball ended nowhere near Dallas’ goal.
The home team goal came through a set piece, a corner. Portland tried to clear the ball without success and left five (!) opponents unmarked inside the box. One of them, Facundo Quignon, ended up scoring in the 74th minute.
Source: MLS/Apple TV
Searching for the equalizer, Juan David Mosquera could’ve scored in the 76′, but the goalkeeper Maarten Paes made a great save.
The subs came in at minute 86 for Portland. With Moreno and Eric Miller out, Larrys Mabiala and Franck Boli got into the match.
The Timbers had to wait until second half stoppage time to level things up. The play started with Diego Chará sending a long ball to Dairon Asprilla, who was on the right wing. He beat his marker and sent a back pass. Boli was faster than any Dallas player and got to that ball first, hitting a powerful diagonal shot that beat Paes.
“Our substitutions came in at the right time, and they provided what we needed,” said coach Savarese after the game. “After they found the goal, the group had that belief that they could not give up and that they could come back. What a great start for Boli, who came into this game and scored the tying goal that gave us the point.”
The man of the game, Boli, talked with the press about how the game unfolded. “It was a very interesting match,” he said. “There were a lot of moments and chances for both teams. If we could have finished our chances, we could have won the match, to be honest. It was fun to watch from the sideline. We started well, and once I came in, I knew it was for me to get participation minutes. I am thankful that the coach gave me at least five minutes. I enjoyed it, and I was lucky to be there at the right place and the right time to score the goal and help us get the tie.”
For sure, this was a valuable point gotten away from home, and the fact that the equalizer came after the 90 minute mark made it even better. To be honest, it felt like a win: Portland not only played good soccer most of the match, but now they have reasons to believe. Now they can believe that, despite all the injured players, the men coming from the bench have the key to keep going and find results.
Now, what’s next? It’s rivalry week! Portland will continue their road trip and will face Vancouver at BC Place next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. PT.
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
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