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Real Salt Lake

Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Fall Deeper After Suffering 0-4 Loss To Real Salt Lake

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

After giving myself 36 hours to think about the match, I can finally dive right into it. The Whitecaps let in another extra-time goal but for some reason it did not sting as much as the previous four. They gave up a goal in the first and last minutes of the game as Real Salt Lake took control early. It was almost poetic. 

With one win in nine matches, the Whitecaps were hoping to build off of the little momentum of back-to-back road draws against the Seattle Sounders and FC Dallas. Unfortunately for the Whitecaps, it just did not happen. It’s not like they played terrible, they just did not look like a team. There appeared to be a plan set by Marc dos Santos, but no one seemed to be on the same page. The result showed that. 

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-3-3

Real Salt Lake: 

Match Details

Scoring Summary

1’ – RSL – Damir Kreilach (assisted by Aaron Herrera)

57’ – RSL – Damir Kreilach (assisted by Justin Meram)

74’ – RSL – Albert Rusnak (penalty kick)

90’+4 – RSL – Anderson Julio

Statistics

Possession: VAN 55.2 – RSL 44.8

Shots: VAN 10 – RSL 18

Shots on Goal: VAN 2 – RSL 8

Saves: VAN 4 – RSL 2

Fouls: VAN 7 – RSL 9

Offsides: VAN 0 – RSL 0

Corners: VAN 5 – RSL 4

Cautions

24’ – RSL – Pablo Ruiz (yellow)

81’ – RSL – Donny Toia (yellow)

 

Match Report

“We don’t deserve to have nine points, but we don’t deserve to have 16 points either. Maybe we deserve to have 12 or 13 points, so nine is heavy on us,” he said. “It’s a very difficult scenario we’re in. We have to find solutions, and we will for sure.

Image via Lucas Muller

The Whitecaps are officially on an eight match winless streak or only have one win in ten matches. Whichever way you spin it, it is not looking good for the Whitecaps. They cement themselves at the bottom of the Western Conference but now find themselves in a three team race for the bottom of the entire league. The only teams below them are Inter Miami and fellow countrymen, Toronto FC. Coach Marc dos Santos seems to think we deserve a better fate, but I’m not so sure on that one. 

To start things off, RSL got going early after a nice ball in behind the backline. Justin Meram did well to flick the ball to Damir Kreilach. From there the RSL #8 did well to get a toe to the shot, which deflected off of Erik Godoy and over Thomas Hasal to open the scoring for the visitors.

It was a tough blow to concede so early especially for Hasal who has not started since his injury last year. What a way to go in your first start, with a howler… To be fair the defense did not do him justice as Godoy did not track back quick enough. You have to play a bit tighter with a player like Kreilach.

The rest of the first half was fairly uneventful despite a couple chances for both teams. The Whitecaps did a good job at holding possession, 55%,  and controlling the game for the most part. They were hoping to build momentum going into the break. They just needed to generate chances. 

Like most of the season, the Whitecaps went into the second half with a bit of fire under their asses. Brian White and Cristian Dajome had a couple of excellent chances but they just could not capitalize. These missing chances would prove to haunt them as RSL came knocking soon after. 

After a great stop from Hasal, RSL winger Justin Meram whipped in a wonderful ball into the box for an unmarked Kreilach who headed it right into the back of the net. Netting himself a brace in the process. Another defensive relapse where the player loses his man. This seems to be a trend as of late…

After being down two goals in the second you would think most teams would be down and out. Especially against a solid defensive team like RSL. After some good saves from Hasal, it seemed as though the young keeper could help this team build some momentum for a comeback. 

Whitecaps came at RSL with a couple of incredibly close chances thanks to efforts from Deiber Caicedo and Brian White again. Caicedo helped set up both chances but White could not get the ball in the net. Despite having a 1v1 with the keeper. This is not the first time White has botched a couple chances. This is someone the FO paid $400k for by the way. 

Not taking your chances proves costly for the Whitecaps. RSL would once again punish them for their lack of cutting edge. Once again, it would be Meram, with the veteran doing well to win a penalty in the 73rd minute. Giving his team a chance for a third and the game ending goal. RSL DP Albert Rusnak stepped up to the spot, and he made no mistake with his effort, putting it past Hasal into the corner.

While it was a good penalty by Rusnak, I have to commend Hasal for having good awareness and positioning as he was almost able to get a hand on it. The young Canadian has potential, he just needs a little bit more time to grow. 

Not much happened for either team for the rest of the match. The next bit of action did not happen until the dying minutes of the game. After coming on as a substitute, Anderson Julio scores an absolute rocket in the 94th minute giving the fans a memorable victory.

Post Match Thoughts

I can’t say I am too happy about this loss. The last few matches have hurt a bit but this just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. The Whitecaps have extended their winless streak to eight games now and are just one away from tying the clubs previous record of nine. I understand that without two of our main starters it would be a tough match but I did not expect this. 

There is something to be said about our Canadian neighbor Toronto FC though. I’m sure fans and neutrals alike don’t forget that they recently fired their coach after such a poor start of the season. It’s safe to guess that something like this for Marc dos Santos is in the minds of fans everywhere. We were all a bit surprised when Sportstalkonline’s Joshua Griffith asked point-blank if he thought he was the man to coach this team. 

Naturally he responded with: 

“One hundred per cent, yes. But it’s a question to ask somebody else.”

 

The Whitecaps have ten days to prepare for the next match thanks to the Gold Cup. They have two more games scheduled at Rio Tinto before hitting the road for the next three. With restrictions lightening up, and Toronto and Montreal announcing their returns to Canada, one of the biggest factors working against the Caps may be removed. 

Let’s hope this prospect of going home helps build momentum going forward. If not, I fear what could happen to the team otherwise. 

“First thing it’s gonna take for us (to turn it around) is to go back home. I think that’s such an important factor, and it’s been very hard on all of us to be here. That’s the No. 1 thing,” said Dos Santos. “It’s a big factor always playing away, but one thing is playing away. There’s no doubt that we have to make sure that we go back to Vancouver as fast as possible.”

“I’m gonna have to be creative, I’m gonna have to find solutions. And I’m gonna have to think about that very well but I’m incredibly motivated to prepare for the next game.”

 

The Whitecaps now enter a 10-day break between matches before another Western Conference contest against LA Galaxy on Saturday, July 17 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Kickoff  is set for 7 p.m. PT. You can catch the match live on TSN1/4 and ESPN+.

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Transfer Talk: “Scottish Messi” to Distract From Losing Streak

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

It has been a long while but we are back with some new Whitecaps Transfer News! Hopefully this helps distract you fans away from the tough losses the team has endured as of late. 

We are going back to Portugal but this time it’s not with one of the bigger clubs. The Whitecaps’ constant struggle to find a #10 could finally be coming to an end with the “Scottish Messi”. The Whitecaps are interested in signing Scottish midfielder Ryan Gauld, who is currently playing with SC Farense in Portugal, according to a report from AFTN Vancouver.

Gauld joined SC Farense on a two-year contract in 2019. He scored nine goals and added seven assists in 33 matches last season. He was one of the few bright spots in what was an otherwise disappointing season for relegated Farense. Gauld has grown his market value significantly since joining the club from $660,000 in 2019 to $5.5 million. The Aberdeen native earned praise as one of the top playmakers in Liga NOS. 

According to Transfermarkt, Gauld’s transfer value is listed at $5.5 million. The rumored salary of $3 million per season would make Gauld the highest paid player in Whitecaps history. He would also be one of the top 10 highest paid players in Major League Soccer. 

The 25-year-old Scottsman would be exactly the kind of offensive playmaking threat the Whitecaps have been looking for. A creative attacking midfielder that can score goals while also distributing and setting up his teammates. Even though he was not Schuster’s number one choice, he would still be an excellent addition to this otherwise creativeless team. 

Gauld could be that missing link between the midfield and strikers. Our DP striker, Cavallini,  hasn’t been able to work with a playmaking option underneath him since arriving. His production shows that. We all know Cavallini can be a great striker, he just needs the service to prove that. 

The Whitecaps have yet to score a first half goal and are currently tied for the second worst goal difference. They sit second to bottom in the Western Conference at 2-6-1. The team needs something to turn it around. We are still early enough in the season but things need to change now. Hopefully the signing goes through and maybe we gain some hope. 

 

The Whitecaps take on the league leaders and Cascadia rivals, the Seattle Sounders, tomorrow evening in Seattle. Kick off is at 6pm PT and you can watch on TSN 1 or ESPN+.

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Kick Off Season in Utah

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

The time has come!! It’s officially preseason for the Whitecaps and we finally have news on who we’re playing to start the season AND where. Surprise, we are not starting the season in Vancouver due to COVID restrictions, and rightly so. Similar to how we did it in Portland last season, the team will be staying with Real Salt Lake in Utah to ensure we play games. 


Image via Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Image via Vancouver Whitecaps FC

After this first month of the 2021 Training Camp, the boys will head south to Utah in April to start the MLS regular season. The Whitecaps will be training at America First Field during their stay in . Due to travel restrictions between the U.S. and Canada, Vancouver, along with the other two Canadian MLS clubs in CF Montreal and Toronto FC, will begin the season in the U.S. with each club hosting matches in a U.S. city: 

  • Whitecaps in Sandy, Utah Rio – Tinto Stadium

  • Toronto FC in Orlando, Florida – Exploria Stadium

  • CF Montreal in Miami, Florido – Inter Miami CF Stadium

It seems to me that the other two got super lucky with their temporary location placement but that’s just me. I know I’d rather be in Florida than Utah. Then again maybe not cause COVID. 

Big boss, Axel Schuster on starting play in Utah,

“We are very thankful to John Kimball and the entire Real Salt Lake organization for welcoming us into their family, their facilities, and providing a home away from home,” “We will have a first-class set-up in Utah including an exclusive training pitch, gym and locker room. Also, special credit to our operations team as this is a monumental undertaking and player care is an important focus at our club.”

The Whitecaps will start their second decade in MLS as they “host” Cascadia rivals Portland Timbers on Sunday, April 18. This is a real tough way to kick off the season. We have not had the best record against the Timbers as of late. While we barely hold the overall advantage against the rags, 40W-30L-18D, we have still lost the last 4 meetings. This will be a true test for the boys, especially for the new guys. Let’s hope for a solid start!

The ‘Caps will then head to Orlando, Florida for their second match of the season, to face fellow Canadians Toronto FC on Saturday, April 24. In 2020, the cross-country rivals faced each other three times, with the home side winning each time. The first two at BMO Field in Toronto, and Whitecaps winning 3-2 in their memorable return home at BC Place back in September. Altogether, the Whitecaps have another winning record of 40W-34L-16D against Toronto, tracing all the way back to their NASL years. When it comes to MLS though, we are 5W-6L-2D against Toronto. Which is never favorable, but I will take those odds. 

Shchuster on our opening opponents and the possibility of playing at home this season, 

“We are looking forward to kicking off the 2021 MLS season against two of our rivals, Portland and Toronto,” “We will absolutely miss seeing and hearing our fans at BC Place to start the season. Rest assured, our main objective is to play as many of our home games in Vancouver as possible. We’re working very closely with the league and public health officials and look forward to a time when our fans can safely attend matches at BC Place once again.”

For more Whitecaps news and current team updates, follow me on twitter!

@Michael_James32

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Portland Timbers

Expectations, predictions for Timbers-RSL

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Portland Timbers will face Real Salt Lake at 6:30pm PT on Wednesday, October 14th from Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. The match will be broadcast locally on Root Sports and streaming nationally on ESPN+.

The match will be blacked out on ESPN+ for those in Root’s Northwest “geographic region,” which includes all of Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, and most of Idaho. Plan accordingly.

Odds and Prediction

Let’s jump straight to the point here: As has been the case for the last few matches, we can unequivocally say that Portland should win this match. The Timbers have won their last five, with 17 goals scored in that span.

With all that said, Portland are NOT the favorites to win tonight—RSL are.

  • RSL: +135

  • Draw: +260

  • Portland: +175

Despite RSL’s awful run of form (last win was against LA Galaxy on Sept. 23rd, D-L-L-L since then), and despite their best player (Albert Rusnák) away on international duty (shoutout Slovakia), there could be a few explanations for this:

  • RSL are at home

  • Gio will be rotating the squad heavily

  • Eryk Williamson is suspended via yellow card accumulation (learning well from Diego Chará)

With all that being said, this line is still pretty poor (in my humble opinion). Without a reasonable explanation, Portland will win 4-1, and I think Niezgoda finds a way to get on the scoresheet again tonight. I’d love to see him start.

Follow @doublepostpod for live coverage and postgame quotes.

And, as always, Go Timbers!

[cover image via @TimbersFC]

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Come From Behind for the Dub!

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via MLS

Image via MLS

This match was the best that the Whitecaps have played in a while. They scraped together 3 points after conceding in the first half after a moment of poor defending. The goal came from an easy tap-in from RSL striker Damir Kreilach . Other than that, the defense and the team in general, played extremely well! After that, it was all Whitecaps from there. The boys pulled out a dramatic second half comeback win over Real Salt Lake on Sunday evening, collecting all three points in a crucial matchup between two playoff hopefuls.

Lineups: 

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-2-2

A few notes regarding the starting XI:

  • Jake Nerwinski has his 100th match for the Whitecaps!

  • Cava and Bikel both come back to the starting XI

  • Evan Bush gets his second start over Merideth

  • Veselinovic comes on for a suspended Andy Rose at CB

  • Teibert plays at the wing again after excelling last match

  • Still no Baldi

Real Salt Lake: 4-2-2

Match Stats

WFC Man of the Match: Érik Godoy

Referee: Silviu Petrescu

Scoring Summary

37′ – RSL – Damir Kreilach (Justin Meram, Maikel Chang)

71′ – VAN –  Douglas Martinez (own goal)

75′ – VAN –  Lucas Cavallini

Statistics

Possession: VAN 49% – RSL 51%

Shots: VAN 8 – RSL 8

Shots on Goal: VAN 3 – RSL 3

Saves: VAN 2 – RSL 2

Fouls: VAN 18 – RSL 24

Offsides: VAN 2 – RSL 3

Corners: VAN 6 – RSL 7

Cautions

14′ – VAN – Fredy Montero (yellow)

23′ – RSL – Marcelo Silva (yellow)

40′ – RSL – Pablo Ruiz (yellow)

43′ – VAN – Janio Bikel (yellow)

58′ – RSL – Aaron Herrera (yellow)

61′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (yellow)

76′ – RSL – Douglas Martinez (yellow)

79′ – VAN – Cristian Dájome (yellow)

90’+7′ – VAN – Ranko Veselinović (yellow)

Match Review

Whitecaps win! Whitecaps win!! After a 4 match stretch of not getting a result, the Whitecaps came back from behind in the second half to get the 2-1 dub against Real Salt Lake. The result draws the Whitecaps with RSL at 18 points apiece in the Western Conference standings, and just one behind Colorado Rapids and Houston Dynamo for the eighth and final playoff spot. 

I will never get used to this, even if it’s just temporary…


Image via MLS

Image via MLS

The match was played at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon. As stated before, this will be the home for the Whitecaps for the remainder of the season. 

Both teams came out flying from the start of the whistle. VWFC held it down on defense and played very well in comparison to the last few matches. After a few lively back and forth shots, RSL came out ahead after Damir Kreilach scored the game’s opening goal in the 37th minute for RSL. A cross coming from the right wing went to Justin Meram at the top left of the 6-yard box. Meram headed the ball to a wide-open Kreilach in the middle of the field and he put a one-timer past Evan Bush, who made just his second  start for the Whitecaps. 

The Whitecaps hit the ground running out of the halftime break as Vancouver was able to produce chances on goal early. Michael Baldisimo came on in the 66th minute then the opportunities started to produce results right away. VWFC produced an equalizer in the 71st minute after an RSL own goal. After trying to clear out a perfectly placed, driven Michael Baldisimo ball, RSL striker Douglas Martínez, mistakenly placed a header that fell perfectly under the crossbar to tie up the match at 1-1.

MORE EVIDENCE THAT BALDI SHOULD BE STARTING.

Minutes after the first Whitecaps goal, they tacked on one more! It was a go ahead goal for Lucas Cavallini. Baldi, AGAIN, sends a well placed ball across the pitch to Adnan. Who then plays it into Montero, who’s initial shot was saved. Cava came in for the rebound and pounds the ball into the back of the net. Clearing the way for a Whitecaps comeback to get their first win in 4 matches. 

Post Match Thoughts

While the Whitecaps can celebrate the win, and I will too, it was still a scrappy match. 9 yellow cards over 90 minutes. That is actually insane. 5 of them coming from VWFC. This has been a topic over the last few matches. The team seems to have some sort of disciplinary issues as of late. There have been a total of 13 yellow cards and 4 red cards over the last 5 matches. I am happy to see some sort of fight and passion from the team, it’s just starting to get out of hand. 

Free Michael Baldisimo! Every match when he comes on, he makes an instant impact. This match against RSL was no different. He kicked off both goals with his pin point passes and his grit. He is always battling in the midfield and is always looking for that next pass. He is a player for the future and he should be someone we build around. 

The pairing of Cava and Fredy is causing problems for many defenses in the league. With Cava starting to find some form, he will not be stopped once he hits the ground running. He has stated multiple times how much he enjoys playing with Fredy, so let’s hope MDS sticks with the pairing for the rest of the season. 

Before Baldi came on, the midfield pairing of Bikel and Owusu was struggling a little bit. They were getting over-run too much and were not able to be that outlet for the defense to the attackers. The start of the second half was much better, but I feel having 3 players in the midfield might be the best option moving forward. Those two with Baldi all starting will be key to the potential success of this Whitecaps team. 

Up next for the Whitecaps, a super tough Wednesday night meeting against an inform LAFC back at Providence Park. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT live on TSN and ESPN+

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Two in a Row! Whitecaps Win Back to Back!

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via Whitecaps FC Twitter

Image via Whitecaps FC Twitter

Two matches. The Whitecaps have won two matches in a row for the first time since May of last year. That is just crazy. The team are in crazy good form and they have been fighting for every match. The boys went to Salt Lake City to take on RSL and came out with a 2-1 victory. A pair of second half goals from Milinkovic, his first of the season, and a lat game winner from Cavallini. A little bit of masterclass from your MOTM, Fredy Montero, sure helped a bit as well. This win also pumps them to 15 points on the season and lands them in a playoff position. If they keep this form up, there is no way they don’t make the playoffs. 

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-2-3-1

Only one change to the starting 11 this time around. Ali Adnan replaces Bair and swaps sides with Dajome. Adnan is no stranger to LM, but it is a bit out of position. He also offers a different dynamic in the final third and going forward. 

Real Salt Lake: 4-2-3-1

Match Stats

VWFC Man of the Match: Fredy Montero

Referee: Kevin Stott

Scoring Summary

53’ – VAN – David Milinkovic (assisted by Cristian Dájome)

81’ – RSL – Justin Meram (Maikel Chang)

84’ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (assisted by Fredy Montero)

Possession: RSL 63.1% – VAN 36.9%

Shots: RSL 25 – VAN 8

Shots on Goal: RSL 4 – VAN 3

Saves: RSL 1 – VAN 3

Fouls: RSL 12 – VAN 9

Offsides: RSL 0 – VAN 2

Corners: RSL 10 – VAN 6

Cautions

8′ – RSL –  Kyle Beckerman (yellow)

15’ – VAN – Janio Bikel (yellow)

41’ – VAN – Ali Adnan (yellow)

63’ – RSL – Kyle Beckerman (second yellow, red)

68’ – RSL – Donny Toia (yellow)

90’+1′ – VAN – Thomas Hasal (yellow)

90’+2’ – RSL – Corey Baird (yellow)

 

Match Recap

The Whitecaps were riding high after their exciting win against Montreal this last Wednesday. Marc dos Santos and the boys were ready to go and take points in Salt Lake City. Real Salt Lake came out on all cylinders with our defence having to buckle down and take on pressure until the end of the first half. RSL came close to getting on the board a few times and outshot the Whitecaps 13-2 before halftime. Thomas Hasal said, “Not Today” as he was able to conjure up a pair of critical saves to preserve a clean sheet during the first half.

The boys got the opening goal in the 53rd minute when Fredy Montero played a perfectly weighted ball over the top to Cristian Dajome, who passed it back in front of net for a streaking Milinkovic for a go-ahead goal making it 1-0. The goal is the first in MLS for Milinkovic, who also assisted in each of the previous two matches. 

A comeback proved to be difficult for RSL  after Kyle Beckerman got sent off in the 63rd minute. Beckerman drew his second yellow card of the match after VAR showed he actually kicked Hasal’s head in a scrum for the ball in the 6-yard box. His ejection left RSL with only 10 men over the final 27 minutes.

MLS journeyman Justin Meram came to the rescue for RSL as he leveled the score in the 81st minute. Maikel Chang floated a pass into Meram near the back post and headed it forward for his third goal of the season making it 1-1 with just less than 10 minutes left of play.

Just three minutes later, the Whitecaps were off and running! Sprung by a perfectly weighted long ball from Michael Baldisimo. Montero attacked along the right side and left a well-placed cross for Cavallini who slid in for his first MLS game-winner. 

Cavallini came off the bench for the first time after serving a suspension in the last outing against Montreal. Baldisimo now has three assists in his first five MLS matches. The academy graduate has proven himself will be fighting for a place in no time. Montero finished with two assists on the evening, after tallying two goals and an assist this last Wednesday against Montreal Impact.

While the Whitecaps did not play particularly too well, they were still able to grind out a win away. This helps them move in the rankings in the Western Conference. They are now above the line with 15 points and are in a playoff spot!! The boys are in hot form as of late so there is no doubt they can keep it going. 

Cava and Fredy linked up incredibly well once Cava came on. This is exciting news that can potentially prove to be what MDS has been looking for all season. If they can play together, along with Dajome and Milinkovic, then things are going to start looking really good for the Whitecaps. 

Let’s hope they can keep the momentum going and make it 3 wins in a row on Wednesday, September 23 when they visit LAFC. Kickoff at Banc of California Stadium is at 7:30 p.m. PT, live on TSN1 and ESPN+.

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Portland Timbers

Timbers choke late lead, draw RSL 4-4

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Portland Timbers tied Real Salt Lake by a score of 4 to 4 at Providence Park in Portland tonight. The match itself was pure madness, especially in the late stages.

Lineups

Only one change from last match for Portland as Jarosław Niezgoda replaces Marvin Loría. This will be an interesting approach from Savarese, and one that I like on paper. Loría is more of a pure winger than both Jebo and Jarek, so maybe the Timbers will shift to more of a 2-forward front—or maybe we see more Jebo on the Wing™.

Also, a reminder that Portland are still without Designated Player Yimmi Chará, who is out with a shoulder injury.

Match Recap

First Half

2’ – Jebo gets into a good spot on the right side of the box, but the Timbers can’t create a clear shot.

5’ – Blanco gets a promising look at goal from outside the box, but his left-footed shot is fired over the bar.

6’ – DIEGO CHARÁ HAS SCORED??!!?? Portland’s high press forces a mistake from

13’ – RSL put a ball into the box and someone is accused of a handball, but referee Ismail Elfath insists not. Update: it was Chará, and he definitely did. The ball was cleared up at his face and his hands flew up instinctually. The ball definitely hit them, but I guess there is some pity in the Rose City right now, or at least from Elfath.

Portland are doing an absolutely atrocious job of clearing the ball right now. RSL are squeezing almost all of Portland’s defenders into the box, and it’s not a good sign.

18’ – Right on cue, RSL get their goal. Off a free kick, the ball falls to the near post and Mabiala’s clearance is more like a pass to Freddy Juarez, who is ready to poach the equalizer. 1-1.

20’ – Jarek scores a header off a corner kick!! Simple as that. Physically beats his defender and pushes the header into the back of the net, 2-1 Timbers! What a match!

Neither of Portland’s goals have been seen in real time by me. This Spanish broadcast isn’t dropping any hints until the ball is in the net.

24’ – Meram gets a header near goal after RSL find space along Portland’s left side. This match isn’t even wide open, though. Opportunities are just being taken at a very high rate.

30’ – Diego Chará gets a yellow card for an unnecessary foul on Baird at the top of Portland’s box.

37’ – Meram shakes Duvall to the ground and sends in a dangerous cross. Kreilach gets his head to it and Clark makes an impressive save down to his right.

40’ – Jarek nearly springs a counterattack, but can’t get his touch past the last defender. Portland retain possession, though; and work it up to Blanco, whose shot is over the bar.

45’ + 1’ Rusnák sends a shot over the bar and the half comes to an end.

Halftime Thoughts

What an odd 45 minutes of soccer. Chará stole a goal early on and RSL reacted by throwing the kitchen sink at the Timbers, getting their equalizer in the 18th minute. The Timbers then scored what some may call another flukey goal off a corner kick. It’s safe to say I’d be quite frustrated as an RSL fan right now.

Seriously, this match looks like a game of FIFA. (And believe me, I’ve been playing quite a bit of FIFA in quarantine.) But RSL are definitely the better team. Portland’s passing has been dreadful, and Salt Lake are looking like LAFC out there. At the break, RSL have 11 chances created, to Portland’s four. Rusnák has three just by himself.

Also, I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t mention the Chará handball one more time. That was definitely a handball. But whatever. The Timbers still have loads of room for improvement, and are fortunate enough to have the lead already.

Second Half

48’ – Tragic defending from Portland off a corner kick. The ball is tapped into the air and a wide open Kreilach karate-kicks the ball past Clark, who also could have probably done more. Regardless, 2-2, and Portland’s chances are only getting slimmer until they start to link some passes together.

56’ – Awkward moment for RSL as a very long clearance is chased and almost controlled by Niezgoda. He’s tugged a bit and goes down in the box, but that’s never going to be enough for a penalty.

57’ – Clever one-two by Valeri and Jarek, but Valeri’s return is just too far ahead.

61’ – RSL spins Portland’s defence around and a brave block from Chará on Rusnák is the only thing that prevents a goal.

The match is following a clear pattern now. RSL are pressuring hard in attack, and the Timbers are countering, winning corners, and doing nothing with them. The endless cycle repeats itself.

67’ – On the latest failed corner attempt, Mabiala commits a hard foul to curb an RSL counter. Valeri dove for a penalty shout, but Elfath was having none of it.

Felipe Mora comes on for Jarek, who had a quality showing by this squad’s standards tonight. Probably not as good as he wanted personally, but a goal speaks for itself. Overall, I like this sub.

70’ – BLANCO SCORES A GOLAZO!! WHAT A STRIKE FROM THE ARGENTINE! Portland has yet another counter, and Blanco takes full advantage from the right side. Textbook strike; he gets the ball to dip under the bar perfectly, and the Timbers have the lead for the third time! 3-2 Portland.

74’ – Valeri skies a perfect opportunity. Fantastic cutback from Mora allows him to slide the ball to Valeri in the middle, but that was far from El Maestro’s finest work. Portland are really starting to get a grasp of this game, winning the ball higher up the pitch and countering more frequently.

78’ – Timbers concede a free kick between the box and corner flag, and the counter is a Portland classic. Blanco, Williamson, and Ebobisse are 3v1 with an RSL defender, and Blanco takes a shot from a poor angle, pushing it wide of the post.

80’ – Now it’s Salt Lake’s turn to counter off a Portland corner. Rusnák leads the attack and earns a corner of his own. Their corner is popped up and Clark is fouled while collecting.

85’ – WOW! Onuoha hits the inside of the post for RSL after a mad scramble. On the other end, Mora has a 1v1 in the box and slots it in the near post! It’s 4-2 Timbers, and this match just keeps getting weirder and better.

89’ – Portland have a corner and Valeri plays the ball straight out of bounds behind the RSL goal. Not sure what happened there, but I don’t think it was on purpose.

90’ – And another goal. RSL pull themselves back in the match after Kreilach knocks down a cross and Giuseppe Rossi turns and fires it into the back of the net. 4-3 Portland. This one looked all but over, but it’’ll now be a tense four-plus minutes of stoppage time.

90’ + 2’ – RSL are attacking viciously. They smell blood in the water. Blanco and Valeri exit for Loría and Zambrano, and here’s where the gamesmanship begins from Villafaña.

90’ + 4’ – Zambrano has an intelligent switch towards Paredes, but Polo intercepts it and makes a great back heel pass back to Cristhian, who scuffs the shot. that’s not how you waste time.

90’ + 5’ – Are you serious? RSL bring it forward, Baird dribbles through many defenders, and Sam Johnson rifles a shot past two sliding defenders to tie the match, 4-4.

The match is over. Portland have (basically) lost, 4-4.

Final Thoughts

What did I just witness? The entirety of that match was pure chaos. Every goal, every save, and every play just felt like it existed in a dream. I don’t know whether to feel more disgusted or shocked at Portland’s blown lead, since the lead itself was as improbable as it gets in the first place.

I actually don’t know what to think about this. Portland did not play well at all (other than in finishing), and the defensive problems were too obvious to overcome by the end.

This team needs some serious work, especially defensively. We can’t keep relying on individual moments of brilliance to get by.

Between this and the Blazers being eliminated, I’m ready for bed. Make sure you check under your bed for extra goals.

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Portland Timbers

Timbers prepare for RSL amid unique circumstances

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Portland Timbers did not play against the San Jose Earthquakes this Wednesday, as was expected. Instead, outrage about the shooting of Jacob Blake from around the American sports world flared up, postponing NBA, MLB, and MLS matchups that were previously slotted to take place.

The reactions from most organizations and pundits around the nation were understanding and empathetic to Black players and their decisions to not play.

Of course, Portland’s Jeremy Ebobisse has been one of the most outspoken MLS players regarding social and racial justice issues recently. The 23-year-old American forward started MLS’s Black Players for Change coalition, which is “Working to bring more inclusion across all of MLS.”

Giovanni Savarese ensured the media that Portland’s locker room culture was strong and that players understood the collective decision to postpone Wednesday’s match.

This was not the case of Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen, who took the protests as “profound to [him], personally” while speaking on local Salt Lake City radio station X96. Read more of his comments here. Hansen later apologized for his comments, but not before waves of accounts of his past wrongdoings were unearthed.

Simply put, Hansen now has countless accusations of racist comments and behavior against his name. MLS and NWSL have both released statements opposing Hansen’s comments. Additionally, both leagues have launched investigations into the Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals organizations.

To be abundantly clear, Hansen’s comments do not represent the views of the employees—including players and coaches—of RSL or the Utah Royals. The expectation is that MLS owners will force Hansen to sell his stake in the team.

Taking all this into consideration, there is still a game to be played. In a press conference Friday, Gio and Chris Duvall both said that the expectation was to play Saturday, and indicated that the team had continued preparations for tomorrow’s match as they would any other.

Expectations and Prediction

In terms of the match itself, Portland are the favorites despite losing to Seattle 3-0 last Sunday. Salt Lake, who beat Colorado 4-1 last weekend, had a relatively poor showing in the MLS is Back Tournament recently. Their 5-2 drubbing at the hands of San Jose knocked them out of the round of 16 after scraping past the group stage with four points.

RSL were slated to play LAFC on Wednesday, but that match was postponed with the others.

RSL are currently sixth in the Western Conference with nine points, while Portland are fourth with 10. Both teams have played six matches.

Standings provided by SofaScore LiveScore

RSL will be a tough team to beat. They have only conceded four goals in regular season (incl. group stage) matches, although those five from San Jose certainly curbed any defensive overconfidence.

As with most MLS matches, this one will come down to whichever team is more ambitious throughout the entirety of the match. Portland were on the front foot in the first half against Seattle, but crumbled once they went down a goal. RSL’s win over Colorado came after the Rapids scored on a 38th-minute own goal. Damir Kreilach’s screamer opened up a flurry of second half scoring, earning Salt lake the 4-1 win.

Justin Meram was subbed on for Douglas Martinez early on in that match, and gave RSL a dynamic option up top. He was involved with three of the four goals, including scoring the final goal in the 89th minute. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him cause problems for Portland’s back line.

Speaking of Portland’s back line, Chris Duvall has been a solid piece of a restructured defense for the Timbers this season. The MLS veteran, who joined the Timbers after being a trialist in the preseason, has replaced Jorge Moreira with a more robust defensive style, but his attacking presence has been notable, too. As you probably remember, Duvall’s fifth-minute banger against Seattle was called back by VAR, but that takes nothing away from the quality of Chris’ recent play.

Overall, I expect this to be a high-intensity match. Hopefully we’ll get to see the best out of these teams, with some extra rest being given because of the midweek postponement. Portland are at home, the odds are in our favor, why not have a 3-1 win?

[Image by Jared Martinez via MLS]

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Seattle Sounders

Sounders book trip to Conference Finals, beat RSL 2-0

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
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Gustav Svensson and Nicolás Lodeiro both score, as the Seattle Sounders take down Real Salt Lake.

The first half was a sloppy one for Seattle, yet filled with plenty of opportunities. The Sounders looked sloppy with the ball in the first 45. They had a passing accuracy of only 72.4%, which led to Real Salt Lake winning the possession battle at 62%. Despite that, Seattle still had the better chances at getting the opening goal. Big shots by Lodeiro and Ruidíaz just couldn’t find the back of the net. Heading into halftime, RSL had to be the team feeling better.

That good feeling didn’t last into the second half.

The man that has been nicknamed the Goose, Gustav Svensson, headed in the opening goal in the 64th minute. The assist went to Nicolás Lodeiro, who put his corner kick right where it needed to be. With the 1-0 lead, momentum was on the Rave Green’s side and they didn’t look back.

https://twitter.com/SoundersFC/status/1187210362216517632

In the 81st minute Ruidíaz found Nico, who rocketed a shot past Nick Rimando for the 2-0 advantage. The two of them helped lead Seattle all season, and sealed their trip to the conference finals.

https://twitter.com/SoundersFC/status/1187215111133396994

The win is arguably one of Seattle’s strangest of the year. On paper, they were dominated by RSL in every category other than shots. The Sounders had an even worse passing percentage in the second half, but as coach Brian Schmetzer said, that’s soccer.

“That’s the funny thing about soccer… They won the possession, but we had the better chances.”

Better chances they did, Seattle had 10 shots on goal to RSL’s 1. At the end of the day, it’s all about putting the ball in the back of the net.

Another big thing to come out of the match was the fact that Seattle had a shutout. They ended the regular season with two shutouts, but had struggled as of late in the playoffs when it came to giving up goals. They hadn’t had a playoff shutout since 2017, when they didn’t give up a goal until the MLS Cup Final. A very good sign as they continue their playoff push.

What’s Next:

Well, that all depends on tomorrow. The LA Galaxy and LAFC will face off in the other semifinal match. If LAFC wins, who is the number 1 seed in the West, Seattle will travel to LA next week. If the Galaxy win, then the Sounders will host the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday the 29th.

The Sounders are 0-1-1 vs LAFC this season, with a 4-1 loss in Los Angeles back in April. On the other hand, they are 1-1-0 vs the Galaxy in their two regular season meetings. The win came at home in that 4-3 shootout on the first day of September.

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Seattle Sounders

Real Salt Lake vs Sounders FC, a semifinal preview

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
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Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders will face off in the Conference Semifinals of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.

Seattle is coming off one of the most exciting MLS playoff games in league history, as they took down FC Dallas 4-3 on Sunday. The match took 120 minutes to finally decide the outcome, as we needed extra time when neither side would budge in regulation. Raúl Ruidíaz had the only non Morris goal for Seattle, opening up the score book in the 18th. Reggie Cannon 39′, Matt Hedges 64′ and Bryan Acosta 82′ had the three goals for FC Dallas. It was finally ended when Jordan Morris headed in a shot deflection for his 3rd goal of the match. Jordan’s three goals (22′,74′,113′), earned him the hat trick and pushed Seattle through to the semis.

https://twitter.com/SoundersFC/status/1185682957534556163

Real Salt Lake and Portland had an exciting game in their own right. Damir Kreilach gave RSL the early lead in the 28th minute when he headed in a cross that set him up beautifly. Portland would respond with their own header just two minutes into the second half. Sebastian Blanco whipped a corner into the box, finding the head of Dairon Asprilla who rose above everyone else for the equalizer. We would stand pat at 1-1 until the 87th. Jefferson Savarino slid in the winner after Portland wasn’t able to clear a pass rolling at the top of the box. Savarino punched RSL’s flight to the Emerald City.

https://twitter.com/realsaltlake/status/1185782237817499648

Real Salt Lake and Seattle met twice in the regular season, with both teams winning on their home pitch. Seattle won back in April, thanks to a lone Nicolás Lodeiro goal at CenturyLink Field. RSL returned the favor in August, dismantling the Sounders defense to the tune of a 3-0 result at Rio Tinto. Good news for Seattle, this match will be played on their home turf.

The key to this matchup is pretty clear, get the lead early. Seattle can ill afford to be behind early in the match, even with being at home. This match will be a quick turn around for both sides, but the Sounders logged more miles on their bodies in the opening round. Fatigue may be an issue for the rave green, so having to play catch up surly wouldn’t be in their favor. On the other hand, CenturyLink Field is one of the toughest places to play in the MLS. The longer it takes RSL to get into the game, the louder and more on top of you the crowd will feel.

Seattle’s defense, which has been hit and miss all season, has been known to make one or two costly mistakes a game. Real will need to capitalize on those mistakes in order to move on. The Sounders did have two shutouts to end the regular season before giving up three to Dallas in round 1. They will need avoid another shootout if they want a chance at the Western Conference Final.

Prediction:

I believe the Sounders will move on in a 2-1 result on Wednesday. In typical Sounders fashion however, I do think it will come down the final minutes of the match. Nicolás Lodeiro will be the hero and score the game winner, moving them on to the Conference Final.

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