After a sorry state
of results on the road as well at home, the sudden revival experiencing lately by
the Portland Timbers, is seen as one all-around revival this squad.
Not bad road trip
these had recently, after seeing a notable improvement in their game and this being
their Achilles heel, especially in the away games.
The accumulation of
points is seen as a plus.
The hunger and
determination shown in BC Place that delivered a notable win by one goal and
then going to BBVA Stadium considered a fortress for the Houston Dynamo, here
PTFC almost delivered the unthinkable.
Still you must state
that the Portland Boys have their momentum back and they are showing it despite
the odds against them and four points in two matches especially on the road is
somehow of an achievement.
As they say after the
storm calm prevails, finally manager Caleb Porter who is a total hero with his
moves and improvisations in his initial elevens, finally, things are going his
way and maybe the PTFC is to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
By far the young guns
put by manager Porter in the lineup are paying up and these are showing somehow
their desires of competition without any inhibitions with the current starters
vying for a place in the big squad.
As Manager Caleb Porter
starting this sort of contest among his players for the best of the team and so
far is paying up in the past two matches and maybe for the rest of the campaign.
Despite last
Saturdays, match in Houston being a draw and the Portland squad caught and
allowing the locals to even the score, still the draw had all the essence of a
win that at the end the Timbers have return to its plus side with the hunger
and poise showed lately.
With this type of
play in the final stretch of league play, Portland can assure a spot in the postseason
without any opposition as well make a decorous run in the postseaon.
Still there is work
ahead to recover many areas of need in the team but with the arrival of Larry’s
Mabiala, the Congolese national has injected a lot of security and assurance in
his teammate playing with him in the backfield.
Especially by
defending their minimum lead and not let the opposing teams score a late goal
and drop some important points, very well getting it to produce a more ambitious scoreboard by adding more goals.
Also the resurgence
in every match by Sebastian Blanco is proving effective in the Rose City attack
as well making a one two combination in the front with his compatriot Diego
Valeri, is starting to work as expected.
Because a team is
composed of eleven players and not one to depend on the likes of Diego Valeri,
now we are seeing true teamwork for the Portland squad delivering positive
results.
So far the positive
results for the PTFC has allowed them to sit a bit pretty in fourth place with
a two point lead above the red line over San Jose and one point ahead the Caps
and above the Sounders by a game difference.
The Portland Timbers
are finally recovering and seeing their long sought renewal back, now is to
take advantage in every match to win all the points as possible to close this
campaign on the plus side and not miss the postseason.
Post Contents and Property of Fern
Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
Photos Credit and Property of
Portland Timbers Football Club 2017
Photos Credit and Property of Thomas
B. Shea- Houston Chronicle 2017
Photos Credit and Property of © 2017
Major League Soccer
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