Here they come, those
hardened and one of a kind Portland Timbers, who all of a sudden are playing
one amazing football. With an afternoon match scheduled in the Colossus of
Morrison Street, the mighty PTFC played like one amazing squad.
Whenever the Rose
City squad plays the Midwest chaps of the SKC, these matches have the essence
of an all-around Derby, as both elevens always have something to start a
friction between one another.
As the case of Diego
Chara and Benny Feilhaber, suddenly became embroiled in a feisty exchange with
one another, unfortunately the luck was not on the native from Colombia, after
putting a hand on the face of the Kansas player and this making a scene worthy of an academy award.
The official of the match
Baldomero Toledo, after witnessing the action, this did not hesitate to show a
direct red to Diego Chara. Hurting this side of the midfield and with the Colombian
being an overzealous defender, that could damage the Timbers game.
Although the PTFC
left with just ten players to front a very offensive and physical SKC and its
striker core, the backfield did an excellent game and came big in their determination
to shut down the Midwest attack in the whole ninety minutes.
With last week match
in CCL, this exposed a very talented defensive and offensive minded Vytas Andrieskevicious,
who in yesterday’s match played as if he was in a European match and was responsible
for the Timbers first score and offensive attack on the sides.
Very well, another
recipe for success for Caleb Porter was the 4-4-2 formation sent with both Jack
Mc Inerney and Faneando Adi to disrupt the likes of SKC keeper Alec Kann who in
the beginning minutes of the match looked like a calm afternoon and a the end
he was showered with a storm.
Nothing personal as
the PTFC after last week loss in Children’s Mercy Park by a lone goal and the Rose
City strikes were unsuccessful, this time was another story and very well sealed
the deal for the locals. Not getting mad and playing intelligently in what
seemed a very physical match that saw two red cards from both squads’ players.
As the first half
became a ten men match for both, when in the 39th Sonny Mustivar did
the unthinkable and committing a flagrant foul to Diego Valeri, which costed
him the remainder of the match, after a malicious tackle, on that play, the
referee gave a direct red.
After the half ended
on a draw at zero, both squads were poised to start mayhem over one another, as
the first nineteen minutes were a bit dull, not when Vytas started his escape
all alone, nice to be an unknown. Nearing the area and sending a nice volley
that Mc let go for Don Diego to shoot for the opening goal in the 65th.
After that score, the
SKC strike forces started its run towards the north end of the field and start something
going offensively, but their problem became in the name of Jake Gleason and his
defensive backfield- that never gave up and played an amazing match. Very well
seeing how the left side for the Timbers Boss filled outstandingly with the new
Lithuanian defender.
As the KC Boss Vermes
hurried his eleven to continue the pressure and trying to dominate the match,
the Timbers match play by play stopped the attack of SKC, although at times
beating their defense at times but not completely.
The buck did not
stopped for the Timbers all around revival in its offense, after Valeri inspiring
play that opened the score, and then came another awesome play by Darlington
Nagbe inside the SKC area and overpowering his defenders. This play became lethal for the visitors, when
this became the second goal of the afternoon in a pass to Captain Jack Jewsbury
who arrived in an opportune time to push the ball like a cannon on the 87th
minute.
The buck did not stop
there and Adi shaking off five defenders and outfoxing them to push the ball in
the 92nd to seal the deal and with this goal feast for the Timbers,
it catapults them above the red line and putting their record at 8-8-8 with 34
points.
At the end the tale
of the tape does not lie about a total dominance in time from the visiting SKC
lads, when they had more possession of the ball with 71% to the PTFC with just
28.1, very well Gleeson saving the day three times along clearing his posts 21
times.
A game that exposed a
new Portland squad and showing off lots of improvements, especially if are to
hit the road with two matches to play DC United and Seattle Sounders in the
second part of the Cascadia Derby with a renewed Sounders squad.
I hope that Steven
Taylor and Liam Ridgewell can start alongside Vytas and Powell or let this
latter one position for grabs, the PTFC can become a very stingy and tight defensive
side in the reminder of this campaign, were every win will count!
For now, the Portland
Timbers are to focus in every match possible in order to turn things around and
stay put above the red line that is one of Caleb Porters ultimate of challenges
with his lads, as well reach the promise land of the postseason.
You Are My Sunshine!
Post Contents and Property of Fern
Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
Photos Credit, Courtesy and Property
of © Portland Timbers Football Club and Craig Mitchelldyer 2016
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Major League Soccer. com 2016
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