Terrible was the ideal word for Gio Savarese side after a dismal start

Minnesota United 3, Portland Timbers 2

TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

For the Portland Timbers coming to this match with all the momentum after a wondrous midweek performance at home and netting an important win against a hardened Columbus Crew, the odds of netting another win on the road was within reach.

By facing a troublesome Minnesota United but the Loons with a long absence from home dating from August 4, todays match was to be a sort of homecoming for Adrian heath and company after a long spell on the road.

With the Rose City squad looking to register another win, this time on the road, and the odds of notable result was within their reach and many possibilities of shaking the road blues the Timbers have been experiencing lately. 

Still by facing a struggling Minnesota United at home the Portland squad was aware of having its hands full with a squad looking forward to net much desired win and at home were they been away for quite some time. 

For this match the Portland Timbers manager sent a different lineup, resting his paramount players in Diego Chara, Diego Valeri, Zarek Valentin and Larry’s Mabiala instead with his trademark 4-3-2-1 formation the defensive back looked promising. 

As Gio with his trademark moves in his initial, eleven in writing everything looked good and for this match timbers recent acquisition in rookie Tomas Conechny was to make his first start next to Sebastian Blanco.

Hard at work was the Minnesota squad immediately going at work early in the match, when Darwin Quintero took Julio Cascante in the 18’ minute and passing to a wide-open Romario Ibarra scoring the first goal of the evening.

Still persistence pays off after several Minnesota tries and Darwin Quintero being a total nightmare for the Portland backfield whom we saw a heroic and amazing goalkeeper making all sorts of saves preventing another goal rout for the visiting Timbers. 

However, in the 36’ minute the dynamic duo of Quintero and Ibarra came to presence for the dismay of the Portland backfield when Romario Ibarra took a pass filtered through the Portland defense and beating Steve Clark for the second goal. 

The Minnesota squad having the momentum and total dominance in the match these took advantage of the situation, when a well-placed Rasmus Schuller found an opportune Michael Boxall to add the third score of the game.

I mean terrible was the ideal word that Gio used in an interview were he did not heisted to show his frustrations after seeing his side playing so mediocre and without any ambition seeing a repeat of Wednesday but this time in the whole half.

As second, halves have been the stage for the Rose City squad, to make their comeback, this time these deliver a rally with a first goal scored brilliantly from 30 yards from Alvas Powell putting his squad within two and plenty of time. 

In this play with a corner taken by Andres Flores and refused by the Minnesota defense, the rebound came hitting at Alva’s Powell feet and the men scored a beauty of a goal in the 55’ minute, giving Portland a lifeline in the match. 

No later, the Portland revival came in with Gio Savarese making his substitutions with Diego Chara, Diego Valeri these two for sure their experience became the difference maker but fell short in the end. 

After the second Portland goal, involving Diego Valeri passing on the left to Jorge Villafaña to Sebastian Blanco in the 79’ to put the Portland squad within a goal however the intents of the visitors were stopped by a brilliant Minnesota keeper  Bobby Shuttleworth.

 

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