With a hurtful loss
in Rio Tinto Stadium, the Portland Timbers are looking forward to a much-contested
final stretch and not letting go important results especially on the road.
As tonight’s result benefited
the RLS Boys in putting them above the red line and assuring for now a position
in the postseason as well having the upper hand on the PTFC with a couple of
wins in the campaign.
Still this loss maintains
the Portland squad in second place with 44 points above SKC that won over New
England and Seattle draw against Dallas.
The Midwest Boys displaced
the Sounders from third to fourth place and now are within reach of the second spot
currently held by the Timbers.
I can say about the result
in Salt Lake a bit unjust after the Portland Boys did put on a fight and
despite Diego Valeri prolonging his scoring streak to eight matches consecutively,
still the score was not enough for the Pacific Northwest squad to deliver
another positive result.
For the Royals
opening the score with a score in the 14 minute when Alberto Rusnak via an assist
by Luis Silva beating a surprised Jeff Atinella
who little he did to prevent the score and sending the whole of Rio Tinto into
a frenzy.
One thing lately the visiting
Rose City Boys have shown is determination and not letting their guard down,
these responded when the Andean almost had a goal and stopped cold by an
inspired Nick Rimando.
No later Diego
efforts did not went in vain when once again Dairon Aspirilla cross hit its
target when the Argentinian push the ball for the equalizer in the early stages
of the second half with 47 minutes in the clock.
However, the evening
belonged to the locals push and persistence in the Timbers backfield.
As fourteen minutes
passed when the RSL Boys, this time with Albert Rusnak once again made his
presence felt in the Timbers defense when he contributed in the play that
defined the match with a pass to Jefferson Savarino in the 61 for the go ahead
and winning goal.
For the Portland Timbers in every match we see
their game stepping up for the better, but with two notable absences in
Faneando Adi injury and Diego Chara yellow card accumulation, their presence
was felt dearly!
Still the Timbers need to step up their game and
ambition as they did when the start of the
second half with just a couple of minutes they scored via their talisman man
Diego Valeri and with a little consistence maybe they could rescue at least a
point.
With manager Caleb
Porter aware of the upcoming challenges ahead for him and his squad, he is to
step up his game and deliver in the remanding matches of the campaign to finish
with a comfortable position in the overall table.
Despite losing against
RSL, the PTFC can recover its form and continue to deliver important results in
the upcoming weeks to close the campaign with a positive note.
Very well preparing themselves
towards their next challenges in the postseason were they can put on a run and considered
among the favorites to be in the Western Conference final, with this team that
can play a resilient and one of a kind football.
The team has shown in
the end of this campaign a much-improved record in the road as well showing off
a lot of persistence when these are down in the scoreboard as an all-fighting squad.
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 © 2017
Major League Soccer
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