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