The Timbers played Rayados de Monterrey in the Leagues Cup Aug. 4 and lost by a narrow margin. After losing to Tigres off a late André-Pierre Gignac goal, Portland had two objectives: obtain a win, and minimize mistakes that could cost them the game, as happened in the previous match.
Soccer repeats itself
Tonight's Team 📝
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) August 5, 2023
▪️ Santi starts 🐣
▪️ Franck the Tanck up top 💥
▪️ Yimmi in support 💪@LeaguesCup x #RCTID pic.twitter.com/vgxtoNCVE9
Although the Mexicans had the first look of the match, the Timbers grew attacking-wise as the game went on. Santiago Moreno was on fire in the first half, distributing the ball here and there, setting his teammates with through balls, and carrying the ball to the final third. Franck Boli had two great chances in the first half. On both occasions, he fired a diagonal shot, but unfortunately, both went wide.
On the other hand, Monterrey tried to play on the counter and attacked with dangerous crosses, which Zac McGraw cleared over and over again. And although Rayados didn’t get as many chances as the Timbers in the first half, they broke through with a banger. Luis Romo carried the ball on the left and found Maximiliano Meza completely unmarked on the right, on the top of the box. Claudio Bravo tried to get there and block the shot, but it was too late, and Meza beat Aljaž Ivačič with the cleanest of technique.
The way the first half finished was a shame, but at the same time we have seen this story before: The Timbers start playing well, they’re fun to watch and generate great opportunities, but in the end, nothing ends up in the back of the net, and they have pay for not capitalizing on their chances.
The Timbers, once again, showed basic defensive mistakes. Monterrey’s came from a throw-in, and Portland had left Meza unmarked since the very beginning of the play. The Timbers defensive line never looked back to see who was sneaking behind their backs, and Meza took advantage of it—something Portland couldn’t do in the entire 90 minutes.
A very different second half
All the positive things we saw in the first half—the energy, the passing network the Timbers built so skillfully, Moreno controlling the tempo of the team—changed drastically in the second half.
Portland was clearly frustrated with how the first 45 minutes finished, and they couldn’t shake it.
But not everything was negative. The team still created some opportunities, and the defense did a good job overall. As is customary by now, Timbers’ centerbacks cleared almost every ball that fell into their box. That is how McGraw finished the game with 11 clearances.
Once the clock hit the 60-minute mark, head coach Gio Savarese decided to move the bench and sub in Felipe Mora and Yimmi Chará while benching Marvin Loría and Boli. More changes came as the minutes passed by in order to try to find the equalizer.
Monterrey could’ve doubled the lead, but fortunately for the Timbers, the ball hit the post. Dario Župarić had the last look of the game, but goalkeeper Esteban Andrada made a great save in the 95th minute to claim a clean sheet.
Some controversy
A potential handball inside Monterrey’s box late in the match could’ve given the Timbers the chance to equalize—and therefore, to stay alive in the Cup. But the referee didn’t award the PK, so Portland’s run in this Leagues Cup came to an end.
Savarese referred to that potential PK twice in the post-match press conference, and understandably so, knowing that that could’ve kept Portland in the competition.
Despite the elimination, he was happy with the way his team performed, knowing that Rayados de Monterrey is a Mexican powerhouse.
“We knew we were going to play against a great team. We prepared ourselves pretty well; we believed in ourselves,” he said. “We wanted to compete, and I think we did that against a powerful club, with a deep bench. I think both teams gave everything and played with their hearts.”
But the game didn’t end peacefully. After Luis Romo elbowed D. Chará in the dying seconds of the game, things got heated on the field. The referee showed Romo a red card, but after checking VAR, he changed his decision. Both D. Chará and the Rayados player were shown a yellow.
Savarese referred to this incident, too. “In the end, both competed with intensity,” he said, “and the way the game ended made perfect sense. I think it was a great game, and what happened at the end proved it. We both wanted to keep playing, but in the end, we got eliminated from the competition. The only negative thing is the potential penalty the referee could’ve awarded to us to make the result more fair.”