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Portland Timbers

Santiago Moreno and the Timbers struggled against a physical, organized Vancouver team.
Portland TimbersVancouver Whitecaps

Timbers look listless without Williamson, drop points at home to Vancouver

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

A lot of Portland Timbers fans assumed the team would find three points against Vancouver, a 10th-place team who the Timbers had already beaten in BC Place this season.

The Timbers were red-hot, having gone unbeaten in five since the international break and destroying their rival Seattle Sounders 3-0 away. But instead of collecting a convincing win, the Timbers had to fight for a home point.

The most obvious observation from the night was not referee Ramy Touchan’s inability to control the game (though it certainly existed) but the Timbers’ inability to break down a staunchly defensive Whitecaps team without midfielder Eryk Williamson.

Williamson, who was out on yellow card accumulation, had five assists in his last six matches prior to missing this one. Moreso, he was a creative cog in the center of the park.

Felipe Mora ultimately bagged a game-tying goal, his first of the season, but it was still a night on which Portland could’ve collected all three points.

The Timbers had the best of the first 15 minutes, but Vancouver at least showed they had the ability to catch the home side’s back line off guard. That came to fruition in the 32nd minute, when Brian White slipped behind Claudio Bravo on the back post for the opening goal.

White’s diving header from a Ryan Raposo cross should have been a wake-up call for the Timbers, but instead it allowed Vancouver to bunker in. From there, the Timbers struggled to do anything more than cross and hope.

Sebastian Blanco was not delivering his signature dangerous services, Santiago Moreno was not getting into spots where he could dribble at defenders, and Yimmi Chara’s had only one move recently — the cutback.

Portland kept turning up the pressure in the second half, but nothing was working. Their three best chances of the night ended in two world-class saves (from Isaac Boehmer on his first MLS start) and one world-class block (from Jacob Nerwinski).

Then, in a midst of endless crosses, a lifeline.

Felipe Mora came on in the 72nd minute. Ten minutes later, Niezgoda knocked down a cross into Mora’s path. He was fouled from behind for a clear penalty kick, and converted it right down the middle to even the tie.

Portland went to a back-three late, but still didn’t have the creativity to break down Vancouver’s nine-to-10-man defensive block.

The Cascadia Cup is still firmly in Portland’s reach, though the Timbers will need to earn a result versus the Sounders at home depending on how Seattle plays the Whitecaps.

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View from the Timbers away section in Seattle.
Portland Timbers

Timbers in pole position for Cascadia Cup after huge win in Seattle

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

The Portland Timbers have not claimed the Northwest’s premier regional soccer trophy since 2017.

Since then, the annual round-robin competition between the Timbers, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps has been claimed by the Sounders each year (the Cup was not contested in 2020 due to lack of fans in attendance).

On Saturday, the Southern-most Cascadia club took a massive step toward reclaiming it.

A first-half header by Jaroslaw Niezgoda gave the Timbers an unlikely lead in Seattle last Saturday afternoon before Santiago Moreno’s penalty and Dairon Asprilla’s breakaway goal sealed the deal in the second half.

Portland now have six points from their two away legs of the Cup. A 3-2 win in Vancouver on April 9th also included goals from Niezgoda and Asprilla, who are now joint-top scorers in the competition alongside Seattle’s Raul Ruidiaz, who bagged a brace against the Whitecaps earlier this season.

Seattle sit in second with three points, while Vancouver are yet to earn a point.

Moreover, the Timbers have both remaining Cascadia matches at home. They host Vancouver this Sunday at 7:30 p.m. and Seattle on August 26th at 7 p.m.

A win against Vancouver plus a win or draw against Seattle could see the Timbers mathematically wrap up the Cup before the Sounders visit BC Place in September.

Visit thecascadiacup.com to view the full table and tiebreakers (head-to-head results, then head-to-head goal difference).

Portland have the fewest Cascadia Cup claims (four) since its inception in 2004. Vancouver have won it six times, while the current holders have seven times.

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Santiago Moreno celebrates with Dairon Asprilla after converting a penalty kick in the 34th minute.
Portland Timbers

Timbers down Dynamo 2-1 for second straight win

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

Ten yellow cards? Damn.

Two goals in three minutes? Wow!

Six points in five days? Even better!

The Portland Timbers defeated the Houston Dynamo 2-0 in Providence Park in Portland Wednesday night. Santiago Moreno scored a first-half brace for the Timbers, who are now riding a three-match unbeaten streak since the international break.

Bill Tuiloma’s second yellow card in the 75th minute meant Portland had to finish the night with 10 men, but it was probably worth it for the Timbers, who now find themselves one point outside the Western Conference playoff picture.

Standings provided by SofaScore LiveScore

Match Summary

Prior to the match, the Timbers Army unveiled their annual Pride Tifo. This year’s edition did not disappoint.

Former Timber Steve Clark was a fan favorite up until this season, when he signed with Houston. He was given a resounding “DODGY KEEPER” chant by the Army, as is customary for any visiting goalie in Providence Park.

This match was chippy from the opening whistle, with 19 fouls and six yellow cards being issued in the first half alone.

Both teams had chances, with Bill Tuiloma making two crucial blocks in the first half to prevent would-be Dynamo shots on target.

Moreno belted home a penalty past Clark in the 34th minute after Yimmi Chara drew a foul in the penalty area.

Moreno celebrated his first goal by running to the bench and dancing with fellow Colombian Dairon Asprilla. Ironically, Moreno has essentially replaced Asprilla in the starting XI this season after being brought on as a U22 Initiative signing last year.

The younger Colombian wasn’t done, though. Just two minutes later, he put the finishing touch on Portland’s best team goal of the season.

Unlike on Saturday, the Timbers’ opponents came out with more punch in the second half. Houston subbed on Darwin Quintero Jr in the 58th minute, and the 34-year-old scored a wonder-strike in the 65th to make it 2-1.

Things got much worse for the Timbers 10 minutes later, when Tuiloma received his second yellow card for a hard foul.

Up 2-1 and down a man, the Timbers still didn’t cover themselves in glory. Houston maintained 73% of second-half possession, firing off 15 total shots (five on target).

Aljaz Ivacic made five saves and three high claims, and Gio Savarese brought on two center backs to go to a back five. Portland missed multiple counterattacking chances, but wasted just enough time to escape with three points.

Notes

Portland are still without a hat trick in MLS play. Moreno is the latest to miss out on a third goal, while Jaroslaw Niezgoda netted a brace with no hatty on Saturday.

Niezgoda was replaced by Felipe Mora in the 61st minute, though Savarese didn’t plan for it to be that early. According to the head coach, Niezgoda experienced some tightness before leaving the pitch.

Portland are now unbeaten in seven straight matches against the Dynamo, with their last loss coming in May 15th, 2019.

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Jaroslaw Niezgoda scored his fourth and fifth goals of the 2022 season Saturday night.
Portland Timbers

Timbers crush Colorado Rapids in 3-0 rout

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

A Sebastian Blanco penalty kick and second-half brace from Jaroslaw Niezgoda gave the Timbers a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids in Providence Park Saturday night. It marked the Timbers’ first win since their 7-2 rout of Sporting Kansas City on May 14th.

The air was heated, the match was heated, and Colorado’s back line was set ablaze by the Timbers’ attack. In tandem with a fully-packed Providence Park, it truly felt like the Timbers were capital-B Back.

Niezgoda joined Bill Tuiloma as the team’s joint-top scorer, with each man netting five goals in the 2022 season.

Match Summary

The Timbers dominated the first half chance-wise but still conceded a few scary moments and six corner kicks. Santiago Moreno stood out on the right wing, making the right passes and gliding past defenders with ease. Once the Timbers completed their usual wing-switch, though, he was much less effective on the left side.

Cristhian Paredes suffered a non-contact injury in the 20th minute, prompting Eryk Williamson’s first appearance since his hamstring injury against Philadelphia on May 22nd.

Despite constant chaos, the biggest moment of the first half came in stoppage time. Moreno sprinted to touch a ball he had no business reaching, then Colorado goalkeeper William Yarbrough cleaned him out at the edge of the penalty area. Yarbrough, clearly concussed, left the game as the referee awarded a VAR penalty.

Yarbrough’s replacement was the much smaller Abraham Rodriguez, whom Blanco sent the wrong way with his kick from the spot. After a chaotic first 45-plus minutes, the Timbers entered halftime up 1-0.

Niezgoda’s first goal was off a beautiful ball over the top from Tuiloma. The Polish striker settled the ball with his shoulder/chest (NOT arm/hand, as confirmed by VAR) and smashed it past Rodriguez for a true striker’s goal.

He’d find the back of the net again just two minutes later: Williamson recovered the ball and dribbled it into Colorado’s box uncontested, where he fired it into Niezgoda on the doorstep.

The USMNT-hopeful Williamson had a number of flashy plays on the night — a no-look pass here, a casual spin move there, and some head-juggles sprinkled on top.

A Niezgoda hat trick would have been icing on the cake, but Portland will gladly take the three points and a clean sheet. If they can start stacking wins with another home game against Houston on Wednesday, they could start thinking about a playoff run.

That being said, they have a steep uphill climb. Only time will tell if they can scrap their way into the dance once again.

Standings provided by SofaScore LiveScore

Notes

  • Diego Chara received his 100th regular season yellow card in the 21st minute. It is his fifth caution this season.
  • Gyasi Zardes struggled, missing plenty of solid chances. He was mostly used as a decoy in buildup, pulling Bill Tuiloma out to the sideline to open up space.
  • Tuiloma had a late free kick carom off the base of the post. It would have been his sixth goal this season.
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Sebastian Blanco heads a ball against the Galaxy.
Portland Timbers

Healthy Timbers concede late header, draw 1-1 at LA Galaxy

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

The Portland Timbers seemed well on their way to their first road win in over two months. Instead, they played to their fourth 1-1 draw of the 2022 season.

Yimmi Chara’s 38th-minute goal gave the visitors a 1-0 lead before Dejan Joveljic finished a header in the 88th minute to square the score.

The Galaxy threw plenty of chances toward Aljaz Ivacic’s goal all game. The Slovenian goalkeeper made four saves, including two spectacular ones in the first half, but it still seemed like Portland’s game as the clock wound down.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez missed a golden opportunity at the back post off a flicked corner in the 67th minute, and it seemed Portland would see things out for a crucial three points on the road.

Instead of finding an insurance goal, the Timbers put things into cruise control. They expected the inevitability of three points, rather than taking them.

Larrys Mabiala switched off for half a second, allowing Joveljic to beat him to the near-post header.

The Timbers came back from a three week international break with healthier legs. Diego Gutierrez was the only player on this week’s injury report, which has typically included a laundry list of players this season.

Felipe Mora made his season debut in the 85th minute, while Jaroslaw Niezgoda and Claudio Bravo made their first starts since May 7th and April 23rd, respectively.

Portland had their chance to build a ton of momentum in their first game at near-full-strength since last year’s MLS Cup. Now they must scrap their way out of the Western Conference basement to make a signature playoff run.

The Timbers host Colorado next Saturday, June 25th at 7:30 p.m. and Houston next Wednesday, June 29th at 7:30 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast on Fox 12 Plus / ESPN+.

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Santiago Moreno against the Philadelphia Union.
Portland Timbers

Timbers fail to react, dealt 2-0 home loss by Union

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

The Portland Timbers needed a result. They did not get it.

After a bipolar pair of games last week (scoring seven in a home win and losing late away), Portland needed to show they were ready to compete with the league’s best.

Instead, they got complacent.

Aljaz Ivacic watched two Philadelphia goals trickle past him and the Timbers sunk back down to 10th in the Western Conference.

Philadelphia stole a goal just five minutes in through Daniel Gazdag’s overhead kick off a long throw-in. The ball slowly trickled past Ivacic, who stood rooted to his spot.

Ivacic redeemed himself five minutes later with a reaction save against Alejandro Bedoya, but he would again stand still as Pedro Santos gave the Union a 2-0 lead early in the second half.

Portland struggled to respond. When they finally did so in the 69th minute, Sebastian Blanco’s rebounded goal was called back for offside in the build-up.

In reality, it never felt like Portland had a chance in this game. They passed and passed and passed their way into the final third, but were horrendously uncreative once they got there. The home side’s first shot on goal came in the 86′.

Notes

Eryk Williamson left the match in the 15′ with an apparent leg injury, being replaced by Santiago Moreno. Williamson missed the second half of last season with a torn ACL. He walked off the pitch under his own power.

Portland tried in vain to equalize before half, but shots from distance by Moreno and Justin Rasmussen were off target. The Timbers’ only other first-half shot was a Bill Tuiloma header — also wide — compared to Philadelphia’s 10 attempts.

Portland’s next match will be a cross-country trip to Miami. That match will be at 5 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 28th.

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Nathan-Timbers-SKC
Portland Timbers

Timbers score historic seven goals in rout of SKC

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

Sebastian Blanco is back.

After a lengthy injury recovery stemming from last season, Blanco reminded everyone in Providence Park why he’s Portland’s best attacking player.

“We can’t be afraid to attack 1-v-1,” Blanco told broadcasters postgame. “We scored enough to make up for the last five or six games,” he joked.

Two goals and two assists in the second half cemented Blanco as the best player on the pitch Saturday night as the Timbers buried Sporting Kansas City 7-2. Nathan Fogaca scored a brace of his own on his MLS debut for the Timbers, starting in place of Jaroslaw Niezgoda and Felipe Mora.

Nine goals, two red cards, 10 cautions, and (hopefully) a midseason revival for the struggling Timbers.

Highlights

An unmarked Bill Tuiloma headed home the opener off an Eryk Williamson set piece 12 minutes in.

Kansas City immediately put the pressure on after the opener, attacking rookie left back Justin Rasmussen with winger Johnny Russell. The Scot peeled away from Rasmussen to finish the fourth goal of the second half in the 56th minute.

Portland nearly doubled their advantage just before halftime. Williamson stole the ball in midfield and played it through for Nathan, but the MLS debutant had his shot saved by Tim Melia.

As soon as the second half kicked off, though, it was clear it would be Portland’s night. Blanco doubled the lead just after halftime with his first goal of the season — a volleyed effort from a Cristhian Paredes lob — closely followed by a cutback chip of Melia and a pair of assists to Nathan.

Even after a Josecarlos Van Rankin birthday red card and a Marinos Tzionis goal a minute later, Portland seemed in full control of the game. A second yellow for Robert Voloder reduced SKC to ten as well, and the shootout continued — for Portland, at least.

At 5-2, the Timbers still weren’t done. Marvin Loria pounded the ball past Melia with his left foot and Santiago Moreno dribbled past the veteran ‘keeper on a breakaway. Portland’s seven goals were the most in club history, and the most by any MLS team since 1998.

Sure, SKC desperately pressing for goals opened up the counterattacking options for the Timbers, but the home side took their chances ruthlessly.

Notes

Seven Timbers missed the match with injuries, while Larrys Mabiala sat out due to health and safety protocols.

Dario Zuparic and SKC’s Kortne Ford had a head-on collision in the 39th minute, causing a lengthy first-half stoppage. Both players stayed in the game.

SKC are now without a win from their last seven MLS matches.

Portland still have never produced an individual hat trick in MLS play. Yimmi Chara put three past CD Marathon in the Concacaf Champions League last season, but both Blanco and Nathan were taken off before they got real chances to make individual history.

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Loria NYRB
Portland Timbers

Timbers fight for a point in New Jersey

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

Any result would is worthy of applause in Harrison, NJ for a depleted Timbers squad which hadn’t scored in three games.

Jaroslaw Niezgoda gave the visitors a 53′ lead with a near-post finish before Aaron Long swept in a knocked-down corner  for the 67′ equalizer. Final score: 1-1.

Portland’s starting XI was without at least six potential starters against a Red Bulls team which hadn’t earned a win at home.

Patryk Klimala, New York’s No. 9, was in health and safety protocols and missed this match.

New York (predictably) pressured Portland’s inexperienced outside backs, sentencing Portland to long clearances and fewer recoveries.

When the Timbers did work the ball up the pitch, Santiago Moreno was on another level. Portland’s U-22 midfielder kept the ball in tight spaces and mixed defenders with ease.

He had a beautiful would-be assist to Chara, who skied the shot, and an even better strike from distance which hit the crossbar.

New York were not without their chances. John Tolkin squared a ball instead of shooting it in the first half. Tom Barlow hit the side-netting from a decent angle in the 59′. Bingham dropped a couple saves that could have been held.

In all, though, the Timbers showed good fight in a match where everyone expected them to roll over. Gio Savarese once again proved he can motivate his team, even when they have no business being in a tie.

Portland visit LAFC in a cup match Tuesday before hosting Sporting Kansas City next Saturday.

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Nathan Fogaca Timbers
Portland Timbers

Why Portland’s new striker news is underwhelming to some

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

As reported by MLS’s Tom Bogert this morning, the Portland Timbers have signed T2 forward Nathan Fogaca to a first-team contract.

This came after multiple promises from Timbers GM Gavin Wilkinson that the club would sign a new striker. Wilkinson explicitly mentioned they were looking to use their third U-22 slot on said striker on the Soccer Made in Portland podcast last week.

He even put out a teaser last night through The Oregonian.

“We’ll have a number nine signed within the next 24 hours that will help the club and put us in a better spot and give us some positional depth,” Wilkinson told Clarke.

“We originally had three options: one in Mexico, one in Switzerland and one in Costa Rica. There were different challenges with each, and it got to a stage where the value for the expense couldn’t be justified.”

Bogert followed that up by mentioning Portland were looking at a youth national team striker from Europe, but that they didn’t want to force anything prematurely.

Essentially, it looks like the Timbers struck out on their main targets and settled for Nathan.

So what?

I have nothing against Nathan. He has experience playing in a tough Brazilian league and had a solid scoring record in the USL Championship last year. He has a good first touch and is a genuinely good finisher.

Let me be clear: I want Nathan to succeed on the Timbers. I’m excited for him. Nathan, if you’re somehow reading this, I’m rooting for you.

But there’s a few problems with this dynamic that’s been created.

Problem #1: This was not the signing fans were “promised.” More than that, it’s another slight against a fanbase that’s tolerating more than enough of them already.

It’s also a slight against Nathan himself. What a terrible way to be introduced to the first team: not with praise for making the jump, but with disappointment for not being someone else.

Problem #2 (and the question that keeps burning a hole in my skull): Once Wilkinson knew Nathan was the guy, why release yesterday’s teaser? Sure, the language was guarded…

“We’re going to keep our powder dry and, if we need to, use the (U-22) funds that we have to acquire a player coming into the secondary window this summer,” Wilkinson said. “The number nine we are signing right now is somebody that can be in quick, it’s somebody that can join the club immediately, and is someone that won’t have a long transition period.”

…But fans already expected a striker signing. Any piece with the “we’re signing a new striker” headline is going to be underwhelming when the result is a second-team guy. This seems obvious.

Problem #3: Jeremy Ebobisse was a fan favorite both on and off the pitch. Portland sold him to San Jose because they had too many forwards on the roster — Felipe Mora and Jaroslaw Niezgoda were deemed to be more than enough goalscoring firepower.

Portland now find themselves with an invisible DP and two second-teamers complementing the injured starter.

Problem #4: The elephant in the region. The Seattle Sounders are playing for the biggest trophy in North America tomorrow night. They’re the favorites against a Liga MX team. If they win, they’ll be the first MLS club to ever do it.

Seattle re-signed one of their MVP candidates to a TAM deal last offseason. They also poached the best attacking player (Albert Rusnak) from the team that beat them in the playoffs (Real Salt Lake) because they felt like it.

Meanwhile, Timbers fans are stuck trying to hype themselves up about a player who scored nine open-play goals in 29 second-tier starts last year. The gap between front Portland and Seattle’s front offices has never been more apparent than right now.

Upshot

Ahead of the Colorado loss, I caught a little flack for asking whether or not the Timbers would make the playoffs. It was a serious question, and there’s no way anyone can look at this squad and think they’re playoff bound without bringing in more players.

The club wants to be good throughout the entire season. It’s okay if you don’t care or think it will be fine, but it’s also okay to hold them accountable for poor performances (amongst other things) at any point during the season.

This entire piece could go down as an overreaction by the end of the season. Who knows, maybe Nathan scores a hat trick off the bench next week. Maybe Portland goes on a patented winning streak and grabs a Champions League spot of their own for 2023.

I think the more likely outcome is this: we see just enough good things to get the fans somewhat excited, followed by key players returning from injury, and a solid summer signing that gets the Timbers back on track for the playoffs.

At least I hope so.

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ivacic-colorado
Portland Timbers

Portland’s goalless streak continues with dismal loss at 10-man Rapids

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

Two goals conceded in three matches? Not terrible.

Zero goals scored in three matches? Disastrous.

This result was bound to peg consecutive scoreless draws as positive or negative for the Portland Timbers, who fell to the Colorado Rapids 2-0 on the road Saturday evening.

Diego Rubio’s first-half free kick and a smooth stoppage-time finish from Mark-Anthony Kaye gave the Rapids a well-earned win.

Despite going down a man, Colorado maintained control of the match. Aljaz Ivacic saved a 1-v-1 chance from Jonathan Lewis and Portland never gained any sort of momentum, even after using all five substitutions.

The Timbers’ best chances were all wasted:

  • Marvin Loria had a decent shot go right to Yarborough. Loria also skied a shot from close distance into the parking lot.
  • Zac McGraw’s header was saved comfortably by William Yarbrough.
  • Dairon Asprilla skipped a left-footed shot wide from the top of the 18.
  • Even a beautiful one-two between Yimmi Chara and Bill Tuiloma failed to hit target.

Ivacic had a standout performance in goal, making four difficult saves. He also went face-to-face with Auston Trusty in the 66′ after Trusty invaded his space during a high claim. Both players received cautions.

Those were two of the 11 total cautions in Commerce City Saturday night.

Match summary

The Rapids hadn’t lost a regular season* home game in over a year — with the asterisk being Larrys Mabiala’s 90th-minute playoff winner on Thanksgiving 2021, of course. He wouldn’t be as fortunate this time.

A sleepy first half woke up with a Diego Rubio free kick in the 30′. Mabiala received a yellow card for the hard foul leading to the free kick, and Rubio hit it right over the center back’s head for the opening goal.

Rubio’s fortunes turned in the second half, though. His slide tackle on Justin Rasmussen earned him a second yellow, bringing Colorado down to 10 men for the remaining half-hour.

Colorado had a goal called back by VAR in the 22′. Lewis blocked Ivacic in a narrow offside decision, denying Lalas Abubakar the opener.

Portland had a few key injuries in this one:

  • Marvin Loria replaced Sebastian Blanco in the starting XI.
  • Eryk Williamson made his second consecutive start for Diego Chara.
  • Justin Rasmussen started in place of Claudio Bravo at left back. 

Blanco and Chara were listed as out on this week’s injury report, but Bravo wasn’t.

Colorado’s newest player, Gyasi Zardes, missed a golden opportunity to open his Rapids account in the 55th minute. Zardes, who’s fallen out of favor with Caleb Porter in Columbus, started and played 80 minutes in his Rapids debut after signing on April 22nd.

Next up

Portland has a tough stretch ahead, with a trip to New Jersey next weekend and a midweek cup match at LAFC.

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