As the saying states,
the early bird gets the worm and the LA Boys immediately felt their presence in
Providence Park with a double from their Captain Robbie Keane and striker Gyazi
Zardes. With back-to-back goals, sealing the match and netting them three
points of gold in an away match for the Angelinos.
Suddenly the Boys from
Tinsel Town were on the lead and controlling the match throughout the whole ninety-three
minutes, thanks in part to their Boss Bruce Arena and his always-effective 4-4-2
formation that became lethal to the Portland Timbers attackers and its offensive
game.
In a game that both squads
had a perfect run, one of them had to give in or continue with their fortunes
intact, for the visiting Galaxy and its defensive might were lethal at the end
for the home squad. Whenever the Timbers started something going, all of a
sudden their backfield became present and reinforced with the midfielders
doubling every play the locals had near their area.
Still for the Portland
Timbers suffering all sorts of key absences and not having its eleven complete,
this time Liam Ridgewell the main core of its defense was out with an injury
that was felt very heavily by the PTFC backfield. Very well seeing how Nate Borchers
carried out of the field in a stretcher, who many state he can miss several
matches and here we will see the core of the defense relying very heavily on
its bench.
The Portland squad
being on the canvas, but not their fighting spirit and insistence of causing
havoc on the LA keeper never ceased until the end, although Darlington Nagbe
and Diego Valeri felt the Galaxy defense. The opportunities being on the PTFC
side where there, the unfortunate side was that their game was not as dynamic and consistent
as last week against Seattle.
As the tale of the tape
favors very heavily to the local Portland Timbers with eighteen shoots and two very
clear close calls as goals with plays from Lucas Melano in the first half and Darlington
Nagbe in the second, still this was to be an afternoon of good fortunes for the
Hollywood blokes.
One thing the Timbers
Manager should consider and taken advantage in this match was the element of surprise,
especially in the 41st when Zarek Valentin took the shoot outside
the area and put the score at 2-1.
Now the Portland Timbers
with key injuries ahead their match against always hardened and difficult SKC,
being opportune for the PTFC postseason ambitions and maintain themselves above the red line in the remainder of the
campaign.
For the Portland Boss
Caleb Porter his magic of being a mover and shaker still endures, as the
announcement of new players and maybe another one will make his fourth in the campaign
and will shake his eleven.
To finalize the
Timbers in this match did not showed any ambition or drive to overcome and dominate
its Western Division foes, as the Angelino’s did trail in the stats but at the
end played more smartly and with more push to win. The locals thought they had it easy bit it did
not work like that because the visitors despite having exemplary eleven and
having the upper hand in the match.
The Portland Boys are
the reigning and defending champions, whoever they play they shouldn’t be to
loose and give any liberties to its foes and not let let them play like the early ones that scored both goals and one that almost could benn the go ahead goal for LA.
This PTFC squad is
poised for much higher and ambitious campaign as well winning despite seeing
some of its core in the disabled list, the other half should come up big and
make it as an all-around statement that this squad is for real.
The Portland Timbers
just announced he arrival of former Magpie defender a veteran of
many battles in Steve Taylor alongside newcomer Vytautas Andriuskevicius who both
with an understanding can become the 1-2 punch in the Timbers defense needs.
Even with Gerra and
Cole the PTFC should played with hunger and a winning mentality throughout the
game, looking for more and even decimating Van Damme in the middle as in the
sides the Galaxy looked a bit vulnerable, anyway, there’s always a next time,
with no surprises!
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Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
Photos Credit, Courtesy and Property
of Portland Timbers Football Club and Craig Mitcheldyer
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