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Houston Dynamo

Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps and Houston Dynamo Take A Trip to Snoozefest in 0-0 Draw

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

The match was supposed to be a team in-form against a team well rested. In a match that was crucial for both teams to climb out of the bottom of the West, neither team provided anything memorable. 

Playing their second of three matches in a span of seven days, the Whitecaps went up against FC Dallas in a battle of who can score the least goals. As two of the worst defensive sides in MLS by a lot of the metrics, it certainly felt like goals would be on the menu for both. Spoiler, neither of them scored.

“We had good energy,” “When we’re in the opponent’s half, in the final third, around the box, I felt we didn’t have the spark, we lacked it.”

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-3-3

FC Dallas: 5-3-2

Match Stats

Scoring Summary

None

Statistics

Possession: VAN 50.8 – HOU 49.2

Shots: VAN 8 – HOU 8

Shots on Goal: VAN 0 – HOU 1

Saves: VAN 1 – HOU 0

Fouls: VAN 11 – HOU 13

Offsides: VAN 2 – HOU 2

Corners: VAN 4 – HOU 7

Cautions

24′ – VAN – Andy Rose (Yellow)

42′ – HOU – Hadebe (Yellow)

83′ – HOU – Fafa Picault (Yellow)

83′ – VAN – Caio Alexandre (Yellow)

Match Report

The Whitecaps opened the match with a strong showing, clearly building from that high of finally winning last week. Other than that, it was a defensive battle besides a chance from Dajome. It was not a good chance, but a chance in front of goal to say the least. 

Houston almost pounced immediately after Dajome’s failed attempt. Urruti had a strong free kick from 25 yards out, but it hit the post and amounted to nothing. Keeping the draw intact. Other than those two chances, it proved to be a very slow start to the match. 

For both teams, that was far from a bad thing. With the two teams being poor defensively, I’m sure they would take the result going into the half. Both are desperately needing a victory but didn’t want to do so at the cost of their defence. But it didn’t make for good viewing. 

Moving onto the second half, it was just more of the same. A couple chances from our Colombians and another Urruti chance, but even with those, neither team looked like scoring. 

Certainly, both teams will feel like it was an opportunity missed as they had every chance to try and grab a hold of this game. Alas, they didn’t want to do so at the cost of sacrificing offence, leading to a quiet night. 

Ultimately, at the end of the day, a draw does nothing for either team and they both seemed to realize that. Choosing for the safety of 1 point instead of going for the 3 points at risk of finishing with nothing at all. So I guess Whitecaps fans take that as a slight win. 

Post Match Thoughts

Despite the poor showing today, taking 4 out of 6 points during a stretch of matches is also a positive. Things are trending on the up and up and we can only expect, hopefully, good things going forward. 

So now, the Whitecaps will get 3 days off before heading to LA to take on a resurgent LAFC team that has won 3 games in a row. For a team who has struggled in games against LAFC, having lost their last two away games to them by a combined 13-1, it won’t be an easy game. They will have to bring their A-game and then some on Saturday. 

We have not seen that in a while so let’s hope the Whitecaps can deliver. 

“There’s a feeling of a certain frustration that we could have won today. But there’s also a feeling of, ‘OK, it’s good. Let’s go!’ They’re disappointed, the players, of not getting that extra thing to win the game, but they’re not in a bad place.”

“We know the type of points we need to make the playoffs but you cannot think like that. Right now, you just have to think game by game, trying to get points, and not doing too much calculation and bringing anxiety.”

 

The Whitecaps face off against an in-form LAFC side at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT. You can catch the match live on TSN1/4 and ESPN+.

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Stumble into International Break After 2-1 Loss

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

The Whitecaps head into the international break with a 3 match losing streak after falling 2-1 to the  Houston Dynamo. They were hoping that this clash against the Houston Dynamo would give them some life heading into the break, but instead, they were left reeling after the defeat to their MLS Western Conference rivals. 

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-4-2/4-3-3

 

Houston Dynamo: 4-3-3

 

Match Stats

Scoring Summary:

8‘ – HOU – Memo Rodríguez

42‘ – HOU – Maximiliano Urruti (Memo Rodríguez)

80‘ – VAN – Déiber Caicedo (Lucas Cavallini)

Statistics:

Possession: HOU 39.1% – VAN 60.9%

Shots: HOU 14 – VAN 11

Shots on Goal: HOU 3 – VAN 2

Saves: HOU 1 – VAN 1

Fouls: HOU 15 – VAN 10

Offsides: HOU 1 – VAN 1

Corners: HOU 6 – VAN 6

Cautions:

21‘ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (Yellow)

22‘ – HOU – Derrick Jones (Yellow)

32‘ – HOU – Joe Corona (Yellow)

52‘ – VAN – Janio Bikel (Yellow)

81‘ – VAN – Michael Baldisimo (Yellow)

82‘ – HOU – Boniek García (Yellow)

88‘ – HOU – Fafa Picault (Yellow)  

 

Match Review

After a strong start to the season, the best we have seen under MDS so far, the Whitecaps have lost 3 games in a row after Saturday. We are finding ourselves back to where we started last year, after seemingly making positive strides to start the new year. 

The Whitecaps would start off the match with most of the possession but found themselves woken up in the eighth minute thanks to Dynamo midfielder, Memo Rodriguez. Memo pounced on a loose ball in the area to give Houston the early advantage. 

After the first goal, the Whitecaps would continue to hold the majority of possession and a few chances came with it. Thanks to efforts from Alexandre, Cava, and rookie Javain Brown, it appeared as though the boys had a bit of spark to them. 

Naturally, no goals came from those chances but they were a solid effort as the team did not look down and out. They continued to apply pressure to try and get themselves back into the game. 

However, the Dynamo were not having it. Having escaped the swarm of pressure practically unscathed, Houston would make the Whitecaps pay for their poor finishing, as Urruti would find his team’s 2nd goal in the 42nd minute. Off of a corner, he found himself completely unmarked at the back post, allowing him to volley home an emphatic finish to extend the lead. 

We go into the half down by two having failed to capitalize on key chances. MDS also brought on Baldisimo at the half for Teibert who was having another mediocre game. How he continues to start is beyond me. It also appeared that the Whitecaps moved to a 4-3-3 (should have been from the start by the way) formation, just like last match against Minnesota. 

Unfortunately, it was just too much of the same old story for the Whitecaps while on the  road. They came out of the gates slowly and were deservedly punished for it. Because of this, they spent the rest of the match just trying to drag themselves back into it. 

The second half wouldn’t see too many chances fall for either side, a few here and there but nothing too exciting. It wasn’t until in the 80th minute that the Whitecaps found some life thanks to a giveaway at the back from the Dynamo. Cavallini picked up the loose ball and found Caicedo wide open inside the box, who calmly dribbled past the Dynamo goalkeeper and smashed the ball into the back of the net. 

This would be Caicedo’s first goal of the season! He has been hungry for it and 100% deserved it. This would also be the Whitecaps’ first goal from open play all season. 6.5 matches, or 620 minutes… That is scary to even think about. But for this match, I will take it. 

 

Post Match Thoughts

This match is a weird one to report on. On one hand, you are obviously disappointed in how the match ended as well as our recent form, 3 losses in a row… But then on the other, you have to admire how they did not put their heads down and give up. They still fight for every match, it’s just that they should not be trying to dig themselves out of the hole they already created. 

The story is the same as it has been over the last few years, the Whitecaps are just their own enemy. This is costing the team so many points and it’s just going to bite them in the butt more often than none. This lengthy international break could not come at a better time. 

We know that MDS likes to stick with trusty 4-4-2 formation cause it is very well balanced. This helps us retain possession so much as well as keep control of the midfield. Despite that, there are just not enough chances being created. It’s time to go full into the 4-3-3. 

The team has done this two matches in a row now, switching formations at the half along with bringing Baldi into the match. The team has more life in it and their play looks much more fluid. It is a small sample size to go with, but I think reassessing the 4-3-3 and making that the main focus going forward would be beneficial. 

 

“Yeah, I think we have an assessment to do,” Dos Santos said. “Okay, we played these first 7 games, we saw the tendencies of each player, we saw the qualities of each player, what’s the best way to originate chances, and now, we have to figure out what’s the best way to play.”

 

With the whole squad being close to being fully healthy, this is a chance for the Whitecaps to reset and find their footing again. Hopefully returning to some sort of the form they showed in the first few games of the season. It’s still early in the season, meaning that there’s still plenty of time to get this ship back on track. I just hope it happens sooner rather than later. 

Following the FIFA international break from May 31 to June 14, the Whitecaps take on Real Salt Lake on Friday, June 18. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT at Rio Tinto Stadium. Watch it on TSN or ESPN+

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Portland Timbers

Timbers hold off Dynamo for first MLS win of 2021

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

It wasn’t always comfortable, but the Portland Timbers held on for a 2-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo in Providence Park on Saturday night.

Cristhian Paredes celebrates with Felipe Mora. Photo via Portland Timbers (used with permission)

Cristhian Paredes redeemed himself from an own goal to score the winner ahead of a reunion with his former club on Wednesday.

Coming off a tough 1-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps in Week 1, the Timbers redeemed themselves with a solid home performance against Houston’s A-team.

Gio Savarese went with a rotated squad for this match with a midweek meeting against Mexican giants Club América awaiting on Wednesday.

Homegrown player Blake Bodily started at center forward in his MLS Regular Season debut and struggled to get touches, though he did make a few good runs. Felipe Mora would replace him in the 59′.

“It was definitely a little different…playing up top is certainly not my first position,” said Bodily. “I think I did an OK job but I think I can improve.”

The night was sadly underscored by the passing of Diego Valeri’s father, Luis. The emotions of the night were felt by more than just El Maestro.

Match Recap

It wouldn’t take long for the Timbers to strike first, as Dairon Asprilla guided a Pablo Bonilla cross into the side-netting from the penalty spot in the sixth minute. Asprilla ran straight to the bench to celebrate with Diego Valeri after the opener.

Houston had a chance of their own in the 16′, but Fafa Picault’s shot from the top of the box went wide.

Houston tied the match in the 28′ when Cristhian Paredes mistakenly flicked a Tyler Pasher cross past Jeff Attinella off a short corner kick. It originally looked like Houston’s Boniek Garcia got the touch, but replay confirmed it hit Paredes.

Pasher was besting Bravo on Houston’s right flank in the first half, beating him twice before recording his second assist in as many MLS starts (see above).

Urruti was greeted with jovial jeers after tactically fouling Marvin Loría and receiving a yellow card. He had 15 goals in 28 MLS starts as a Portland Timber from 2013-15.

Diego Valeri and Dario Župarić swapped in for Yimmi Chará and Larrys Mabiala at halftime. Usual starters for usual starters makes sense for saving minutes; this was probably predetermined.

Things got spicy five minutes into the second half when Bonilla accidentally elbowed (hopefully) Picault in the face. No cards were given, but a foul was called on Bonilla.

A similar incident followed in the 54’—Bonilla caught another player in a similar way. Tempers would continue to flare, as a late Ismail Elfath foul call on Župarić caused a ruckus in midfield.

Tuiloma missed a great offensive set piece chance in the 69′, but the breakthrough would have to wait.

Three minutes later, Tuiloma would assist Paredes’ revenge—lumping the ball up to Felipe Mora, who headed it perfectly into the path of Cristhian Paredes to smash home. 2-1 Timbers with ~20 minutes to go? Let’s go.

In the shadow of the smoke, Williamson replaced Loría as Portland’s fourth sub of the match. Van Rankin replaced Bonilla in the 82′ to round out Gio’s swaps for the night.

Even with the 2-1 lead, Portland still looked vulnerable; giving balls away in their own third, wasting possessions, and nearly allowing Pasher to slide a in for a goal in the 85′.

Portland were not without their chances. Multiple counterattack opportunities went begging, with the 87′ Mora-to-Valeri fastbreak being the most dangerous. Valeri’s shot flew over the bar, and Asprilla’s effort would too a couple minutes later. Right on time another two minutes later (90 + 1′ by now), Van Rankin’s darting run and fantastic one-two with Mora produced yet another skied shot.

Asprilla nearly assisted a Mora goal in the 90 + 2′ but the pass drifted half a step too far. Nevertheless, the final whistle sounded like a crowd (with real fans!) enjoying Portland’s first MLS points of 2021.

Other Notes & Quotes

Asprilla was his usual self, including the goal:

  • Made a brilliant move to get past Adam Lundkvist before committing a caution-worthy foul a minute later in the first half.
  • Engaged in a few noteworthy clashes with Zarek Valentin on the other side of the box.
  • A header at the back post struck right to Marko Maric.
  • Nearly curling a great solo effort into the corner—slipped instead.
  • Bolting down the left side deep into the game and beating Houston’s whole midfield before poking Valentin in the face for a foul.

Portland registered 23 shots with five being on target, while Houston totaled only 10 and three, respectively.

Gio explicitly mentioned the impressiveness of the win with squad rotation, specifically with “having [Paredes’] fresh legs” next to Diego Chará in the midfield.

Last but not least, I found this at the end of the night. Enjoy.

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Portland TimbersUncategorized

Expectations & Predictions: Portland Timbers vs Houston Dynamo

by Charlie Folkestad
written by Charlie Folkestad

The Portland Timbers step into tonight’s match with high expectations. Last week, an MLS-season-opening loss to Cascadia rivals Vancouver dampened the excited mood for the season, albeit without usual starters Sebastián Blanco and Jeremy Ebobisse.

This week Portland face another team that reached a surprise result in week one: the Houston Dynamo, who beat San Jose 2-1 behind a match-winning goal from former Timber Maximiliano Urruti. The Dynamo and head coach Tab Ramos ran a 4-3-3-ish formation that conceded 60% of possession to the Earthquakes. But more on that later.

Urruti will be flanked up top by Tyler Pasher on the left (who put up .89 goals plus assists per 90 in the USL Championship last season and assisted Urruti’s goal last week) and Fafa Picault on the right (who struggled mightily on a last-place Houston squad last season). Ariel Lassiter, Darwin Quintero, and Christian Ramirez may offer attacking support off the bench.

Liga MX vet Joe Corona and third-year Dynamo man Matias Vera are the holding mids, while #8 Memo Rodriguez usually pushes a little higher up to create the bulk of chances (sound familiar?). Memo scored the opener last week for Houston with some great 1v1 skill after Houston’s high press forced a turnover.

The back line consists of left-back Adam Lundqvist, MLS vets Boniek Garcia and Tim Parker in the middle, and (another) former Timber Zarek Valentin on the right. Goalkeeper Marko Maric had three clean sheets in 23 games last season.

There have been questions about squad rotation as the Timbers host Club América in the Concacaf Champions League this Wednesday, but I don’t think Gio will bite. This is an important game against a Western Conference opponent, and at home no less.

Portland are still likely without both Blanco and Ebobisse, and of course Niezgoda remains out until mid-June. That means we’ll probably see the same starting XI as last week, including the formidable Dairon Asprilla. I would like to see Marvin Loría start over him, but I’m nitpicking.

Houston will probably use that high press again at times against Portland, but what worked best against the Timbers last week was Vancouver’s mid-low block that seemed to target (or rather suffocate) Diego Valeri. When Blanco is off the pitch, Valeri is the only one who can consistently create chances for the Timbers. With so many weapons this usually works out fine, but…injuries. Overall I expect a classic MLS regular season match—you know, the ones which are famously impossible to predict.

In all seriousness, the Timbers could and should win this match. I’m looking for a 2-0 win, although I’d settle for 1-0. The big emphasis has to be on the attack that struggled to create anything last week, while the back line gave up a stupid set-piece goal to the Whitecaps.

We haven’t seen enough of this season yet to say exactly how Portland might unlock Houston’s defense, but I have a hunch it revolves around Yimmi Chará. I predict he scores in this match.

Follow @doublepostpod for total coverage of tonight’s match (and every match!), including our postgame reaction podcast later this evening.

As always, RCTID!

cover image by HOUSTON DYNAMO FC via MLS (used with permission)

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Portland Timbers

Portland takes down Houston and Group F

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Portland Timbers defeated the Houston Dynamo in a Group F showdown Saturday night.

In what was perceived to be one of the potentially weaker matchups from the “Group of Death” prior to the MLS is Back Tournament, overachieving results from both Portland (2-1 win against the Galaxy) and Houston (3-3 draw vs L.A.F.C.) in the opening round flipped the script.

Pre-Match Questions and Predictions

  • How will Portland’s back line deal with the speed of Houston’s attackers?

  • How much will the Timbers possess the ball in Houston’s final third?

  • Which team will score the first goal?

L.A.F.C. passed circles around Houston in the first match (71% to 29%), but that’s also what L.A.F.C. do to everyone. I’m interested to see how much of Portland’s possession can be intentional and effective.

I only have one prediction for this match: Diego Valeri scores a goal.

Excluding the incisive pass to Sebástian Blanco as part of Portland’s first goal against L.A. Galaxy, we haven’t seen Valeri do anything magical yet this tournament. I’m not asking him to do it, I just have feeling he will.

Lineups

Portland (4-2-3-1)

  • Steve Clark (GK)

  • Jorge Villafaña, Bill Tuiloma, Larrys Mabiala, Pablo Bonilla

  • Diego Chará, Eryk Williamson

  • Sebástian Blanco, Diego Valeri (c), Yimmi Chará

  • Jeremy Ebobisse

Houston (4-3-3)

  • Marko Maric (GK)

  • Adam Lundkvist, Maynor Figueroa, Aljaz Struna, Zarek Valentin

  • Memo Rodríguez, Matías Vera, Boniek García (c)

  • Darwin Quintero, Mauro Manotas, Alberth Elis

Match Recap

First Half

2’ – Free header in the box by Tuiloma off a Valeri free kick is nothing difficult for Maric in goal.

6’ – Attacking sequence in Portland’s defensive third is quelled successfully (unlike the “quelling” going on in Portland’s streets). Bonilla is thumped by Figueroa while chasing the clearance and Maynor gets a yellow for a ferocious tackle.

15’ – Tuiloma sticks in a cautionable challenge on Manotas, but the free kick from just outside the box doesn’t trouble Clark.

20’ – Fantastic line-breaking ball from Diego Chará to Diego Valeri ends in a lost ball and gargantuan effort from midfield by Houston.

21’ – Good combination at the top of the box from Yimmi, Jebo, and Williamson. Eryk’s shot is saved by Maric and the eventual follow-up is inches wide from Blanco.

24’ – Another tough tackle—this time from Williamson to Memo Rodríguez—earns the match’s third yellow card as the first half hydration break commences.

27’ – Giovanni Savarese gets interviewed on ESPN again and it culminates in another dangerous moment for Portland’s defense as Bonilla gets beaten out wide and Houston earns a corner.

30’ – Diego Chará concedes a free kick in a dangerous position. Figueroa’s free kick is thankfully just wide, as Clark was nowhere near it.

32’ – Big chance from Portland goes begging as no one gets on the end of a trickling cross.

35’ – Cutting ball from Blanco finds Jebo up top. He takes it wide and looks like he’s setting up for a cross but JEBO STRIKES A ROCKET FROM A CLOSE ANGLE AND THE TIMBERS LEAD 1-0!! WHAT A GOAL!

36’ – Boniek attempts to strike back, but the ball is well wide.

38’ – Quintero muscles Tuiloma off the ball and breaks free, but the Elis shot is just wide of the far post. Portland playing with fire when they commit numbers forward. Real back-and-forth affair here.

42’ – Great buildup from Yimmi, Valeri, and Blanco fizzles out in the box, but Portland are doing a great job of finding space from wide areas.

45’ – Shot by Manotas is smothered by Clark after a combo between Manotas and Quintero. Ensuing corner kick is a little too close for comfort.

Halftime Thoughts

Wow. That was a rush. Very entertaining match, with plenty of chances for both teams. One of the worst of said chances turned into a fantastic finish from Jeremy Ebobisse, who continues to score goals at center forward just when Gio’s about to put him back on the wing. Set pieces are still something Portland can improve on defending, both direct and from corners.

Second Half

51’ – Blanco finds space deep on the left but can’t send a head-able cross Jebo’s way.

52’ – Blanco sends Yimmi with an ambitious throughball, but Yimmi’s touch just doesn’t make the cut.

59’ – Diego Chará makes a classic challenge on Elis in the box and the Timbers work well to get a 2v2 with Valeri and Blanco up the pitch. Blanco is rushed by Maric, though, and his shot rolls wide.

60’ – Savarese brings Andy Polo on for Yimmi Chará. Adding some like-for-like speed with a little more midfield stability.

61’ Great long ball finds Williamson on the right side of the box. He finds an open Valeri who stretches a defender AND PUTS IT IN THE BACK OF THE NET! RIGHT IN BETWEEN THE LEGS OF STRUNA!! 2-0 TIMBERS WITH HALF AN HOUR TO GO!!

Called it. Yes, that opening blurb was written prior to kickoff.

The question now for Gio is how long will he want his best players on the field? Is it too early to start thinking about rest?

69’ – Right on time, Jebo is off for Jaroslaw Niezgoda and Eryk comes off for Marvin Loría.

70’ – Jarek stretches for a ball that he touches around an opponent and sends Valeri down the right. The cross goes begging, but great chemistry from Portland’s old and new players.

72’ Loría makes a darting run with the ball and embarrasses Vega with a nutmeg but isn’t able to score.

74’ – At the final hydration break, the Timbers are succeeding with flying colors. Fantastic synergy to forge possession coupled with solid defending (Bonilla sticks in a tough but successful slide as I type this).

78’ – Blanco earns Portland’s first corner (lol) and it eventually falls to Valeri with the ‘keeper out of position, but he crosses it just wide of goal.

82’ – As Bonilla takes a stretch break, it looks certain that the Timbers will secure their third straight win and be on top of Group F going into the final match against L.A.F.C.

84’ – The INSTANT I tweeted this, Jarek skied a shot from Ale Moreno range. Yikes.

85’ – A handball from three minutes ago by Villafaña is reviewed and given as a penalty. His flailing arm was really not necessary. Elis converts the penalty comfortably and it’s now 2-1. Oh dear.

All Timbers fans collectively went from “Wow! Great match! We’re making a lot of progress!” to “Uh oh. What do we have here?”

88’ – Elis is sent off. As a ball came in over he and Tuiloma’s head, Elis’ arm swings into the face of Bill and it’s a second yellow. That’s gonna hurt quite a bit for Houston fans, as Elis won’t be available for the penultimate tie against the Galaxy anymore.

That’s pretty harsh for a sending off, but you won’t hear me complaining.

  • EDIT: Originally, everyone thought it was a straight red for Elis, but his two cautions actually came just over a minute apart. That makes more sense.

90 + 4’ – Small but exemplary act for Villafaña as he fails to clear another meager ball. If anything needs improvement, it’s his play so far. (He then proceeded to make two great defensive plays, so way to read my mind, Jorge).

90 + 7’ – Valentin’s long throw is cleared by Mabiala and the match is over! Only a bit of nerves at the end. Portland have six points from the Group of Death and are through to the Knockout Stage!

Final Thoughts

The Timbers are good again! I would not bet against this team to win the tournament at this rate. Exceptional play with minimal mistakes—far from perfect, but Portland got it done once again. The improvement from one match to the next is already showing, and without any confidence or results sacrificed to do so. Man of the Match is Valeri for me, although it’s tough to choose just one player.

Standings provided by SofaScore LiveScore

Time to sit back and watch El Tráfico with a clear conscience!

[Cover image from @TimbersFC]

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Portland Timbers

Timbers need stability against Houston

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda


Photo by Andy Witchger via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Photo by Andy Witchger via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Portland Timbers currently sit atop Group F after defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Monday night.

Their next test is against the group’s biggest surprise so far: the Houston Dynamo. Houston was part of a thrilling 3-3 draw against projected group-winners L.A.F.C. on Monday.

Standings provided by SofaScore LiveScore

Group F Matches to Watch

  • Portland Timbers vs Houston Dynamo

    • Saturday, July 18th, 2020 @ 5pm PT

    • Watch on ESPN

  • L.A. Galaxy vs L.A.F.C.

    • Saturday, July 18th, 2020 @ 7:30pm PT

    • Watch on ESPN

Despite winning all three points against the Galaxy, Portland lacked a definitive identity on the pitch. In the first half, I lamented the crosses to no one that plagued the Timbers last year. With all the creative attacking talent that Portland possesses, it was clear that the creativity aspect was weak. A Marvin Loría rocket at Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham was the best chance of the first period.

All that changed in the second half.

Goal Breakdowns

The goals came from exceptionally good offensive play by Sebástian Blanco and others, but also exceptionally poor defense from the Galaxy.

  • On the first goal, Jeremy Ebobisse is the catalyst in the midfield. The young forward knows where the space is before he receives the pass from Eryk Williamson (1) and turns to play to Diego Valeri. Valeri finds Blanco on the right before DV8 and Jebo make runs to the center of the box.

    • Here’s where that creativity comes in. Blanco could have sent another cross over everyone’s heads, but instead he takes his time (2), waits for Jebo’s run, and sends a difficult-to-defend ball towards him.

    • Yimmi Chará does a great job both getting a shot on target and recovering possession. He finds Valeri, who has a longggg time to pick out a longggg run from Blanco (3).

    • Bingham follows a bit, and once Blanco picks his head up to see the ‘keeper out of position (4), it’s a simple cross-and-finish with Ebobisse for the 1-0 lead (5).

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This is the quick buildup play that Portland fans are used to seeing from the Timbers. It’s also a valuable style of play considering the circumstances of this tournament: L.A.’s defenders were clearly feeling the heat deep into the second half. If Portland can consistently exploit the fitness issues from other teams, there’s a deep MLSiBT run ready to be made.

  • Portland’s insurance goal was started by great rotation from Williamson, Valeri, and Diego Chará in the midfield during the thick of a Portland possession spell.

    • The instant Valeri finds space (1), Yimmi runs right between both Galaxy center backs. This causes Giancarlo González to peel away from Jebo, who can then receive the ball.

    • Jebo should probably pass to Blanco wide on the right here (2), but his deflected shot ends up with Blanco anyways (3).

    • Seba nods the bouncing ball over Galaxy left back Emiliano Insúa (4) and some truly awful defending from González sees Blanco in on goal. Spoiler alert: Seba finishes (5).

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While this goal can mostly be chalked up to atrocious defending, good on Blanco to capitalize on the mistake. Also, don’t forget how this began. Although Jebo took a questionable shot, you need your shooters to take chances. It was also great link-up play from the midfielders to even get there.

Defensive Concerns

Defensively, Portland showed signs of improvement, but nothing tangible enough for us to get too excited about.

Obviously, Dario Župarić had a pretty poor game—earning his second yellow card in the 75th minute—but the entire back line was subject to scrutiny throughout the match.

If you want tangible evidence, look no further than the first 15 minutes of the second half. Javier Hernández missed two chances (including a sitter) and Cristian Pavón couldn’t direct anything else into the net, either.

Lest we forget the almost-goal by Gordon Wild that would have pulled one back in the 82nd minute for the Galaxy, if not for a slim offside call.

  • Even with all the Galaxy’s missed chances, they still pulled one back at 89’.

    • It starts with a bad pass from Bill Tuiloma to Blanco that is intercepted by Pavón (1). The Timbers are structured for ball possession, so Pavón makes it all the way to Portland’s box untouched.

    • With Jorge Villafaña still upfield, Pavón has an easy overlap option to Wild (2). This pass also forces Tuiloma to step and cover Wild (3).

    • Simultaneously, Cicharito makes an extremely-intelligent run behind Chris Duvall and Larrys Mabiala, neither of whom pick him up. Note his change in position from frame (3) to (4). From there it’s a simple finish for #14 (5).

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Make no mistake, Portland earned the win against the Galaxy. But it’s safe to say Houston have a much more potent attack than the L.A. Galaxy at the moment.

Check out their highlights from a 3-3 tie with L.A.F.C. here.

A couple things to note:

  • Houston have their defensive struggles as well, even without L.A.F.C.’s Carlos Vela on the pitch. This match is a toss up, if not a slight Timbers edge.

  • The Dynamo attackers (particularly Alberth Elis) are very fast.

  • Župarić is suspended and won’t be available for Portland, but that won’t make a huge difference considering his subpar play thus far. Expect Tuiloma to be the replacement.

  • I questioned Williamson’s start over Cristhian Paredes, but the youngster proved himself worthy with a great performance. Peep his interview with Ross Smith on the PTFC Podcasts channel (Spotify link is here) if you have the time.

Hopefully Portland can keep things afloat against the Dynamo with quick, smart buildup play and a tighter defensive block. Other than that, there are still more unknowns than specifics to work on.

Follow me on Twitter @folkestad3 for live tweets during the match and a recap afterwards!

[All still images were taken from this highlight video]

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Portland Timbers

Timbers add depth with MLS veteran Chris Duvall

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
1040px-Chris_Duvall.jpg

The Portland Timbers have announced the signing of defender Chris Duvall for the 2020 season.

https://twitter.com/TimbersFC/status/1232455374801752064?s=20

Career History

Duvall made 67 appearances for the New York Red Bulls from 2014 to 2016, ironically making his first professional start against the Timbers on May 24th, 2014.

Duvall was traded to the Montreal Impact for second overall pick Johann Venegas before the 2017 season, where he made 45 appearances over the next two seasons.

After being traded for a 2020 third-round SuperDraft pick in 2018, Duvall made only four appearances (one in MLS) for the Houston Dynamo. He spent much of his time with Rio Grande Valley FC, Houston’s USL Championship affiliate.

Duvall was waived by Houston on August 6th, 2019 and had a brief stint with the USL Championship’s Oklahoma City Energy.

Roster Depth

Duvall has been with the Timbers for weeks now as a trialist. He is expected to be the backup right back behind starter Jorge Moreira, who was one of the best attacking defenders in the league last year.

Of course, that dichotomy demonstrates one of Moreira’s consistent problems from last year: tracking back.

Duvall is much less of an attacking threat (2 goals and 7 assists from 102 career matches) than Moreira, but he should provide better cover defensively.

The 28-year-old Duvall brings six years of MLS experience to the table, and helps stabilize a position that took a significant hit with the loss of Bill Tuiloma for a couple months to a calf strain and the departure of Zarek Valentin in the offseason via the MLS Expansion Draft.

While Tuiloma’s main position is center back, his previous experience at right back made him the next man up behind Moreira.

Welcome, Chris!

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