Tag: Yimmi Chara

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Soccer

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 2, LAFC 0

Photo Taken by the Amazing Matthew Wolfe

International duty made a mark on this game for both teams.

Five Los Angeles FC players missed the match due to international duty: Denis Bouanga, Stipe Biuk, Denil Maldonado, Christian Torres, and Cristian Olivera.

Three Portland Timbers got call-ups for their countries: Juan David Mosquera, Miguel Araujo, and Bryan Acosta. However, the most notable absence was Dario Župarić, who was out due to yellow card accumulation.

If you play against LAFC, you never know which stars will show up—even on the road.

Unfortunately for Will Ferrell, who is a member of the LAFC ownership group and made the trip up to Portland for the match, a shorthanded LAFC had no answer for the home side.

Interim head coach Miles Joseph led the Timbers to a 2-0 statement win over one of the best sides in MLS.

Although LAFC is struggling as of late, this takes nothing away from how tough of a season it has been for Portland, and how big of a victory this was.

LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy misplayed two balls in a span of two minutes that allowed the Timbers to strike first.

In the 28th minute, Larrys Mabiala had his biggest moment of the season with a headed goal off the corner kick.

 

In the 53rd minute, Claudio Bravo finished one of the best-worked goals of the season for the Timbers.

The home side were absolutely dominant in the second half and could have scored even more.

But Portland’s backline was the key. Defenders scored both of the goals and kept the clean sheet.

“I was really pleased with the performance from the start of the game all the way to the end. It was really a complete game for us,” Joseph said. “We even came in at half time and spoke a little bit about some adjust[ments] and showed a little bit of video again, and we came out an scored a goal in that exact way. It was pretty impressive.”

Photo by Matthew Wolfe
No Župerman? No Problem!

Larrys Mabiala filled in for Župarić and Araujo in both of their absences. Did he deliver? Absolutely.

His first half goal set the tone for the Portland Timbers.

Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Mabiala led the team in shots and shots on goal and was third on the team in possession won.

“The back line was shorthanded, but those are the same guys that are going out every day on the training ground,” Mabiala said. “We know what we have to do; the instructions are very clear from the coaching staff, and we all try to make a positive point. We are trying to show the coaching staff and everyone that the guys that are not playing that much, we can have a chance, and they can count on us whenever they need us. […] It doesn’t matter who’s playing just as long as we’re all targeting the same thing, which is getting the wins on the weekend to qualify for playoffs.”

His partnership with Zac McGraw and with fullbacks Eric Miller and Claudio Bravo helped preserve a rare shutout for the team.

Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Bravo, in particular, was brilliant. It doesn’t get much tougher than Carlos Vela as a defensive assignment, but Bravo met the challenge head-on. He also led the team in tackles, tackles won, possession won, shots on target, and tied for one goal.

Offense! Attack!
Photo by Matthew Wolfe

Joseph has led a resurgence for the Timbers in the attack.

In his four games at the helm, they have scored two goals in each.

Joseph said scoring was something Portland has been focused on in the postgame presser.

If he can somehow lead the team into the top nine of the table, does the interim title get removed for a permanent one?

Don’t say it

Could this Portland Timbers side really make a late season push? Joseph and the team are giving themselves a chance and making things very interesting.

McGraw put everything in perspective.

“It’s known to everyone we haven’t won two games in a row yet this season all year,” he said. “We need to build off this. Obviously, last year we went on a similar run winning games at the end, but it came down to decision day, and ultimately, we didn’t make the playoffs.

“All we can do is really go into Austin, which is not an easy place to play by any means, and push for three points,” McGraw said. “LAFC is a great team; they’re defending MLS champions, and it’s a big morale booster for the team.”

Matthew Wolfe
Photo by Matthew Wolfe
Photo by Matthew Wolfe
Photo by Matthew Wolfe
Photo by Matthew Wolfe
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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 1, Sporting KC 4

Credit: Kris Lattimore
Credit: Kris Lattimore

*Cue sad music*

The Portland Timbers played a depressing game on Sunday afternoon at Kansas. What it looked like a winnable match ended up a nightmare for the Timbers, who finished with a 1-4 score.

A good start and a terrible second half

The future looked bright for the Timbers when Franck Boli scored early in the game—minute 8’, to be exact—with a definitive one-touch. And even though Portland handed the ball over to Kansas City, the team didn’t look bad… at least in the first half. 

The Timbers’ defense was compact—as you can see in the video below, where Sporting can’t find the proper channels to move the ball ahead and they’re forced to switch the point of attack, which leads to an unforced error.

Nonetheless, that discipline got lost in the second half, when Kansas City figured the Timbers out. 

A massive hole in the defense

Dario Župarić missed the match due to yellow card accumulation, and his absence was felt. Larrys Mabiala replaced him, but unfortunately, he had a forgettable performance in the backline, even scoring own goal for Sporting. Mabiala also caused some turnovers that left more than one fan asking for him to be benched.

We already said that Portland lost their discipline in the second half, and that was clear in the second goal KC scored. If you look at the image below, you’ll see the huge gap the centrebacks left, which Sporting’s Dániel Sallói took advantage of.

Huge gap. Source: MLS/ Apple TV
Source: MLS/ Apple TV

Then, in the third goal, the Timbers got caught out of shape after Claudio Bravo’s pass didn’t find its target. Kansas City recovered the ball and sent a long pass that left Portland bewildered. Mabiala didn’t make things better by taking down KC’s forward inside the box and scoring an own goal.

The last tally of the game represented the second half in a nutshell. As you can see in the image below, the Timbers left attacking channels open, and KC had not one but two passing options that could’ve scored. The home team attacked the spaces pretty well, and Portland didn’t find a way to close them down, not even in the dying minutes of the game.

Source: MLS/Apple TV
Source: MLS/Apple TV

“We didn’t finish the game the right way,” said head coach Giovanni Savarese of the result. “But also I will take responsibility in substitutions, in changing the shape to a diamond to try to throw more players forward and try to create something more in the hope that we could find a way to tie with the players that we had. I take that responsibility.”

Boli as a No. 9

Boli has been the Timbers’ No. 9 in the last four games. He got the start for the fourth consecutive time against Sporting, and just like he did against Vancouver, he opened the score early.

It’s good that he’s getting playing time. But while Boli has managed to produce some goals in the final third, he also has missed clear chances in the last few games.

Against Kansas City, he had a clear chance at the end of the first half. Goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh was already beaten, and Boli had an empty net. Despite this, he couldn’t head the ball properly. (The chance yielded an expected goal probability of 36.36%.)

“It was hard to see the goal. I just tried to put it in, but, yeah, unfortunate,” said the forward regarding this chance. “We have to keep going and try again. It’s not easy.”

Time to find a new No. 9? Most likely, but the Timbers are almost out of options. Boli’s backup, Nathan Fogaça, has produced even less in the final third, and that’s maybe why coach Savarese keeps betting on Boli.

With this in mind, the news about Felipe Mora finally being in training for the first time in the season couldn’t be more welcomed. According to Oregonian reporter Ryan Clarke, he might be back in three weeks.

Timbers struggling with injuries again

It is no secret that Santiago Moreno has been one of the Timbers’ most reliable players this season. Sadly, he got injured against Kansas.

“Santi had a spasm in his back, and then he started feeling dizzy. I actually tried to hold it as much as I could on the field to finish the half. That way we made a substitution at the half,” said Savarese. “And still, with a little bit of dizziness, he was able to create a few moments, but he couldn’t run back. At some point, he couldn’t do some things because especially the spasm in his back beside the dissonance. So we had to change him.”

Despite that, Moreno was in training on Tuesday, which is a relief knowing the important match the Timbers have on Saturday.

When Moreno got injured, Yimmi Chará replaced him, but unfortunately, Chará also couldn’t stay on the field for long. He, too, got hurt, but unlike Moreno, he wasn’t in practice on Tuesday. 

What comes next

The Timbers don’t have the luxury to dwell too much on this result. They have only a few days to lick their wounds and be ready for the game against the Seattle Sounders in Seattle on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. PT.

It’s going to be a doubleheader, with the Thorns playing later, so we expect a good atmosphere—and hopefully some points.

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Soccer Timbers

Takeaways: Portland Timbers 2, St. Louis 1

Credit: Matthew Wolfe
Credit: Matthew Wolfe

After playing in the U.S. Open Cup during the week, the Timbers hit the road again Saturday to play against St. Louis. It seems like Portland is not afraid to go against tough teams this year; they beat the first and second clubs in the Western Conference table during April, starting with Seattle and finishing with St. Louis.

This win by Portland was special for the Western Conference, since the Timbers were the only team from it to win in week 10 of MLS play.

Even though both teams didn’t show much in the attack, the visitors were the ones who dominated the ball in the first part of the first half. It was a little weird to see, since most of the time, the Timbers are used to playing off the ball and making counterattacks.

By the end of the first half, all stats were pretty even, but Portland was slightly stronger than St. Louis in the final third.

Despite the Timbers’ decent half, they suffered a big blow when David Ayala got injured at the 19′ mark. The midfielder was marking Eduard Löwen when he hurt his knee, trying to close Löwen’s passing lanes near the box. The Argentinian had to leave the field on a stretcher.

Christian Paredes, the super sub

Although Ayala’s injury was awful to witness, it was nice to see the game Christian Paredes had. He subbed in in the 21st minute for Ayala, and he started to win aerial duels and create chances right from the start.

Paredes’ second half was even better. He was the player with the most chances created with five. Too bad Portland couldn’t convert more of them.

Besides chances created, Paredes was good in duels. He won seven total—the second-most second on the team.

Who was the first in this department?

Santiago Moreno, the unsung hero

Santiago Moreno finished the match with a total of 12 duels won. The Colombian had another game good game, contributing to both Timbers’ goals. In the first one, he sent this (below) great ball to Franck Boli. The forward couldn’t convert, but the play led to the penalty kick that gave Portland the lead.

Not only that, Moreno he held the ball and left three defenders behind in the look that led to Yimmi Chará’s winning goal:

 

Defensively, Moreno contributed with five tackles, the most of any player on the team. He was also strong in aerial duels with four. (The only Timber who won more aerial duels than him was Zac McGraw with five.)

Moreno has been instrumental all this time for the team, but for some reason, he hasn’t been recognized as much as he should.

Someone who has indeed been watched and under the microscope, on the other hand, is been Portland’s midfielder Evander.

Evander gets included in the MLS week’s best XI

The Brazilian has been trying to adapt to a new team in a new league this season. That is without mentioning the fact that he has been battling with injuries. It looked like he found some rhythm this week.

In the game against St. Louis, Evander registered seven shots (two on target, four off target, and one blocked) and one goal, the most shots any Timber attempted. Besides that, he created one chance and was second in the team in interceptions with three, after McGraw.

Evander's shots. Source: Opta
Evander’s shots. Source: Opta.

“I think he has adapted to the change and MLS very well,” Y. Chará said. “I think he will be an important player to us, especially this season. He has a lot of calmness that helps out in the team and will be able to help us out on the field.”

Evander had a good week. Even though he’s coming back from injury, and defense is not really part of his job description, it will be important for him to be better positioned while trying to mark inside the box.

The Timbers cannot afford the luxury of not being smart in defense. Unfortunately, St. Louis’ only goal scored showed exactly that—not only from Evander while he tried to mark Tomáš Ostrák but from the rest of the team, who left space for Célio Pompeu to score.

Welcome back, Yimmi Chará

The Timbers are getting their starters back little-by-little. This game marked the return of the younger Chará: Yimmi.

The Colombian entered the game in the 64th minute and made all the difference in the 82nd, when he finished with a low diagonal shot to score the winning goal.

It was promising to see Chará making an impact the very same day he came back to the field.

“I think it’s really nice to come back from the injury,” Chará said. “I have a really nice feeling from being back on the field with the team, scoring a goal, and leaving with three points.”

What the coach said

After the match, head coach Gio Savarese summed up pretty well how the season has been so far and how the game went.

“It hasn’t been easy to have so many injuries and trying to keep the team engaged,” he said. “Credit to the players because anyone I put on the field will put up a good fight, is going to be in a lot of work, and everyone has to believe to keep the Portland Timbers stay competitive. So credit to the players for going through all that difficult time.

“We have been close in all matches except the Atlanta second half,” he said. “I think today, with the mature performance we put in, with guys coming back, that can make a difference. With this maturity, we can get good results like we had today. St. Louis is difficult to play against. They are always high-energy. Today was a good day to get a win away from home.”

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Soccer Timbers

Timbers Outlast Vancouver Whitecaps in 1-0 Win

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

The Portland Timbers played a hard-fought match against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday night at Providence Park, ultimately coming away with a 1-0 win over their Canadian rivals. A stunning second-half goal from Yimmi Chara was enough to secure all three points for the Timbers and lift them into first place in the Western Conference.

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Soccer Timbers

Strong Defense and Yimmi Chará see Timbers through 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders

Photo by Matthew Wolfe

The Portland Timbers came into Wednesday night’s match against the Seattle Sounders just three points behind the Western Conference leaders, but left it in joint first place after a stout defensive performance and an opportunistic goal saw them win out 1-0 at Providence Park.

The Timbers started the match on the back foot, absorbing pressure from the Sounders in the opening minutes and fending off a series of corner kicks from the visitors.

As has often been the case in this fixture, however, the team that started the match on defense was able to get forward in transition. After keeping the Sounders from any clear chances for 13 minutes, the Timbers pushed forward and snagged the opening goal on the counter.

A long ball from Dario Župarić, knocked down by a Seattle defender, fell to Jeremy Ebobisse in the attacking half. In the gap between the Sounders midfield and backline, Ebobisse played a weighted pass through the defense for a cutting run from Yimmi Chará into the box. Arriving at the ball ten yards from goal, Y. Chará was able to get a touch to it as Sounders keeper Stefan Frei rushed off his line, poking the ball forward and into the net for the 1-0 lead.

The Sounders came close to finding the equalizer in the 21st minute when a deflected ball fell to striker Raúl Ruidíaz in space in the attacking end. Looking up, Ruidíaz picked out Steve Clark well off his line and, with the Timbers keeper back-peddling, went for a chipped shot into the open goal. The ball arched past the desperate waving of Clark, but was not on target and bounced just wide of the frame.

Chances continued to come for the Sounders as the half progressed, with a number of dangerous balls into the Timbers box forcing the Timbers to scramble in order to maintain their lead. But, despite 11 first-half shots from the visitors, the Timbers were able to go into the half still up 1-0.

The second half continued with a physical tone as both teams looked to disrupt the attacking flow of their opposition. The testiness was typified by a 55th-minute flashpoint when Pablo Bonilla dragged Ruidíaz to the ground by his shorts in the Sounders end and the Seattle designated player responded by lashing out and kicking Bonilla in the leg, resulting in yellow cards for both players.

Chances continued to come for the Sounders through the second half, but few were clear-cut as they faced a packed-in Timbers defense. Despite regular forays forward, the Timbers were able to consistently return to their defensive shape and avoid giving the Sounders any good looks.

As the match ground on and the Timbers maintained their lead, Seattle increasingly through numbers forward and left gaps at the back, inviting the Timbers to break out in dangerous fashion. Although the Timbers were able to get forward regularly in the final minutes of the match, no more goals were on offer for either side.

The Timbers are away against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday at Providence Park. Wait. What?

 

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Soccer Timbers

Timbers Run Roughshod Over Quakes in 6-1 Demolition

Photo by Matthew Wolfe.

The Portland Timbers brought home all three points from Saturday night’s road match against the San Jose Earthquakes, dissecting their hosts in a game that finished 6-1 to the good.

The Timbers started the match looking energized, taking advantage of the fresh legs in Giovanni Savarese’s starting XI to put the Quakes under pressure from the opening whistle. That pressure nearly paid off early on, as the Timbers were able to quickly create several chances off turnovers—including a Jeremy Ebobisse shot from the top of the box in the third minute that skipped just wide.

As things settled down into a pattern of fouls and disrupted passes, the Timbers lost some of their early advantages, but soon found a new avenue of attack through Bill Tuiloma and Julio Cascante carrying the ball forward from their positions at centerback and forcing the Quakes to lose their marks in order to step out and confront them.

With the match once again opening up for the Timbers, the visitors were quickly about to find a pair of back to back goals in the span of just three minutes.

First, in the 25th minute, off a corner kick Cristhian Paredes fought for control of the ball at the top of the San Jose box with Shea Salinas. In an attempt to touch the ball past the Quakes defender, Paredes popped the ball up into the air only for it to strike Salinas on the arm. Referee Rosendo Mendoza had no hesitation in blowing his whistle and pointing to the spot, and, despite the protestations of the Quakes, his call was upheld by the video assistant referee.

Diego Valeri, back in the XI after staying on the bench for the Timbers’ midweek draw against San Jose, stepped up to the penalty spot and hit a low, hard shot to the tight of Daniel Vega, beating the Quakes keeper for the opening score.

Just two minutes, later the Timbers were once again back in the attacking end, and again they struck in the aftermath of a spot kick—this time a free kick served in from long distance by Diego Valeri that was not properly cleared. After the ball was headed away from the box, Paredes played it back to Jorge Villafaña in space, and the Timbers fullback hit a curling cross into the box. As the ball dropped at the back post, Ebobisse rose up above the crowd and hit a skipping header off the pitch that bounced off the pitch and past Vega before nestling into the back of the net.

Of course, it would not be a Timbers game without opposition chances late in the half.

A pair of chances for the Quakes called Aljaž Ivačič into action during his first start for the first team. First, a chipped ball into the Timbers box found Carlos Fierro lurking between Cascante and Tuiloma for a snap header from inside ten yards. Ivačič was equal to the moment, though, and came up with a fantastic reflex save to palm the ball away before sticking out a leg on the follow-up shot to deny Nick Lima as well.

In the 44th minute, however, the Quakes opened their account. A low cross from Salinas out wide on the Timbers’ right found the run of Fierro entering into the box. The Quakes midfielder took the ball in stride, hitting a swerving first-time shot that blew past the dive of Ivačič and splashed into the back of the net to pull the scoreline to 2-1.

Early in the second half, the Timbers reclaimed their two-goal lead. In the 58th minute, Diego Chará pounced on a loose ball in the Quakes’ end and cut an angled ball back toward the top of the box. As a group of players scrambled toward the ball, it was the late-arriving run of Valeri that got the Maestro to the ball first. Valeri hit the ball on the run, powering a shot into a crowd of defenders that pinballed off two pairs of legs before wrong-footing Vega and rolling over the goal line to put the Timbers up 3-1.

The Timbers further extended their advantage in the 70th minute when they capitalized on another moment of confusion in the Quakes’ end. After a turnover deep in the San Jose half, Ebobisse got on the ball at the top of the box and, after creating space for himself on the dribble, hit a low shot along the turf that forced Vega into a diving save. The San Jose keeper got a hand to the ball, but it was Yimmi Chará who was first to react, dashing forward past the Quakes backline and tapping home a side-footed shot from point-blank range.

As the match wrapped up, the Timbers grabbed another. After D. Chará took the ball into the corner and was fouled in the 85th minute, Valeri stepped up to the free kick and served an out-swinging ball into the box. The service was perfectly weighted for Cascante, who had pushed forward for the opportunity, and the Costa Rican center back outjumped his defender to put a nodding header down off the turf and past Vega for goal number five.

Now facing a thoroughly demoralized San Jose side, the Timbers scored their sixth in the 87th minute to close the match out. A string of passes through the Quakes end carried the Timbers into the box and it was D. Chará who played a square ball into the path of Jarosław Niezgoda ten yards from goal. Jarek swept a shot forward that deflected off a defender and over Vega for the final goal of the night.

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Soccer Timbers

Timbers Escape San Jose with a Point, Draw Earthquakes 1-1

Photo by Matthew Wolfe

The Portland Timbers went to California with the upper reaches of the Western Conference within striking distance, but left stuck in seventh place after another disappointing performance saw them stumble into a 1-1 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes. Despite going up a goal in the first half, by the end of the match, the Timbers looked lucky to be bringing anything home at all from their trip down south.

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Soccer Timbers

Staying Focused and Winning the Midfield is Key as Portland Prepares for LAFC Test

Courtesy of MLS

After a slow start to the 2020 Major League Soccer season, the Portland Timbers came to Orlando with something to prove. Although they’ve only played two games in the MLS is Back Tournament, it seems as if they are starting to do just that.

With a pair of 2-1 victories, the Portland Timbers are one of just four teams to take all six points from their first two games. Against the Los Angeles Galaxy, Portland came out sharp and played with a sense of confidence and precision that eluded them against Minnesota United and Nashville SC. They continued that against the Houston Dynamo, playing between lines and controlling possession against one of the most dangerous attacks in MLS.

Through strong and inspired play, the Timbers have guaranteed themselves a spot in the knockout rounds with a game to spare. But just because they know they will advance doesn’t mean they are taking the next game off or will be complacent—at least not with a game against LAFC looming.

“I think there is too much at stake [to be complacent],” head coach Giovanni Savarese told reporters via a Tuesday morning Zoom conference. “First, we want to come away with three points and finish first in the group. We’re not looking at who we’re playing after, that is why the mentality is very strong. We know that it is going to be a competitive match, and they’ve always been competitive games every time that we play LAFC.”

As Savarese mentioned, these two teams have a history in knockout competitions. In the two seasons since LAFC joined MLS, each team has knocked the other out of the US Open Cup in exciting, albeit at times contentious, games. Despite sitting on only four points after two games, an easy argument can be made that LAFC, even sans 2019 league MVP Carlos Vela, is the strongest team in this tournament.

“We have seen in the last two matches that [LAFC] have been challenged,” Savarese said. “I think this is a group that wants to prove to everyone that it is no longer dependent on Vela because many have said that, so maybe that’s one part of LAFC at the moment. We expect a very competitive match, we know that they are very difficult to play against, and we will bring a very good challenge to them like we always have.”

There is Eduard Atuesta and Latif Blessing creating havoc in midfield. Savarese explicitly pointed out the importance of limiting one-on-one opportunities from dynamic wingers Brian Rodríguez and Diego Rossi. At striker, there’s always-potent  Bradley Wright-Phillips.

All of this talent available to head coach Bob Bradley is enough to give opposing coaches migraines. Staying focused for all 90 minutes is vital, but it is easier said than done against a team like LAFC.

“I think a major adjustment we need to have is finishing games a little bit stronger,” Eryk Williamson said. “We were up 2-0 both games and conceding late isn’t ideal, but it’s a clear focus point now and knowing us, LAFC’s strength is turning it on late in halves, and I think it’s something where we have to make sure that we are locked in for the 90-plus minutes.

“If we can disrupt them in any way possible and just continue to play our game with the fluidity we have up top and all the interchange to make it really difficult for them to get going.”

In all likelihood, whichever side controls the midfield will most likely win the game. Over its past two contests, Portland has made connecting play through midfield a priority. Managing the midfield means controlling possession, giving LAFC less time on the ball to pick out passes and easily dissect the Timbers’ shape. Emphasizing quick combination play also helps the Timbers create some one-on-one opportunities of their own.

“The combinations that we have practiced have been key,” Yimmi Chará said through a translator. “It is something that we have improved a lot, it’s something that we have been training on for a long time, and taking advantage of that space our opponent gives us. Up until now, it’s been one of the team’s strengths. Now, Gio Savarese wants us spatially to take advantage of those last few feet on the field so we can always take advantage of the one-on-one and come ahead.”

Another benefit of controlling midfield is that it helps shield Portland’s backline, allowing them to focus on defending deeper areas and to not be as concerned about leaving space if they have to help contain Rodríguez and Rossi out wide. If the Timbers can find some success in the midfield, they could prevent counter-attacking opportunities, limit the space LAFC desires, and control the ever-important balance between sending numbers forward in attack versus staying back.

“I know LAFC has a strong midfield and that we want to be known as one of the top midfields in the league,” Williamson said. “I think this is a good test for us as midfielders to win the midfield battle, but not only that, continue to help our backline defend Rossi and Rodríguez. It’s just a very good task for us and we’re excited for the challenge.”

According to Savarese, the Timbers will be playing with a full-strength lineup come Thursday night. He’s reported no injuries to the media, and despite fielding two full-strength lineups over the past week, he doesn’t plan to heavily rotate the lineup in anticipation for the knockout rounds.

Savarese anticipates that Bradley will play his strongest lineup, and once again emphasized the team’s collective goal of taking all three points and winning the group.

Thursday’s game projects to be one of the Timbers’ toughest challenges this season. As the press conference neared its end, Savarese put everything in perspective. The repeating message to the team has been to not take anything for granted, because just two months ago players were locked in their homes. Now, they prepare to take on last seasons Supporters’ Shield winners for the top spot in Group F.

“We enjoy being here, we’re excited to compete, we’re happy to be in a tournament,” Savarese said. “We missed this game when we were at home and now every game for us is a final.”