Chicago Fire 2, Portland Timbers 2
Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois
The Portland Timbers heading into Toyota Park and looking forward for their first win of the campaign. With the labels of all around favorites to net what seems to be that elusive first win of this 2018. The Portland Boys had to settle with a point and looking forward to next week match in Orlando.
Still back to the drawing board for manager Giovanni Savarese after seeing a certain defensive meltdown that allowed the local Fire strikers take their opportunities in full. Once again, goals that could be prevented the rest is well known.
With an early lead taken by the Portland Timbers with a marvelous, play in midfield with Sebastian Blanco as its author, robing the ball and shaking his defender to pass to a wide-open Diego Valeri. As last campaign MVP, the Andean doing his usual magic beat the Fire goalkeeper Ricardo Sanchez for the first score.
So far, in the campaign I believe in this initial eleven sent by manager Savarese to the field is the ideal one. by seeing some moves in the defensive backfield of Marco Farfan along with Zarek Valentin in the sides and in the center Bill Tuiloma and Larry Mabbialas as center backs. The repeat of his Dallas 4-3-2-1 formation would enable them to a sure win.
Still in the defensive midfield, we had Diego Chara in the center, With Cristhian Paredes consolidating in this position with another notable match and for Andres Flores making his first start and doing it nicely. As the frontal attack, once again the Andeans head it up along with Adi in the lone front.
As the first half, the Portland Boys had a display of their amazing football that going into halftime these had the upper hand and just needing 45 minutes to play of the second half to wrap this one up.
As the hunger and ambition shown in the first half, was missing in action, as well the defensive game giving many liberties to Bastian Schweinsteiger all sorts of open spaces. The German become at the end the hero of the match with his two assists considered as golden.
In one play in the 50 minute, the local Chicago Fire via a play with Basty to Brandon Vincent putting in the center the Fire first score came via an unmarked Nikola Nicolic scoring his third goal of the campaign even this up to the dismay of the Portland players.
Still do not call the Portland Boys quitters as a play started by Paredes and passing to Blanco the Andean sending it to Andres Flores in the right to put the ball in the center and for Blanco to head the second goal and his third of this 2018.
The Portland Timbers recover the lead and seeing how he went into the area unmarked versus a covered Adi surrounded by several Fire players, this could been the Argentinian second goal after a near miss in the first half denied by the post.
The Portland squad ahead in the scoreboard and going towards their first win of the season and within ten minutes it is when disaster once again came in the shape of Brandon Vincent who in the 84 minute put the score even.
As Basty once again making his presence and given a lot of space by Paredes, his shoot hit gold with a well-placed Vincent who headed the ball home and even it up for his side to share the points and deliver their first point.
At the end the Portland Timbers in every match despite some minor details, the initial eleven sent by Gio into the field are slowly adapting to his game demand and style of play. The only side of this story that luck has not been in the plus for them to deliver those first three points of gold.
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