The magic of the 2013 Portland Timbers

As the game drew to a close last night at Jeld-Wen Field, there was an underwhelming feeling spreading through the stands in the stadium and the city and around the country for all the Timbers faithful. Real Salt Lake had won by 1-0 thanks to a Robbie Findley goal, bringing the aggregate score to 5-2 and eliminating Portland.

But the chanting went on and happy faces remained, for Portland had just achieved one of the most amazing one-season turnarounds in the league's history. Last season the team was losing matches left and right and goal scoring was so deplorable that the DP was benched and struggling Danny Mwanga was acquired from Philadelphia. This year the team lost a total of 6 matches at home and had an incredible unbeaten streak for much of the season.

The real change for Portland came through the addition of their coach: Caleb Porter. The former Akron coach was known for his attractive attacking style and great interpersonal skills with his pupils. It worked. Portland was fun to watch and hard to beat.

The addition of Diego Valeri and Will Johnson changed the shape and the direction of the team on the pitch and brought attacking and defending qualities that had lacked all through the first two seasons of the Timbers. Most importantly, however, was that Valeri helped Darlington Nagbe come close to reaching his potential as a bona fide MLS star.

Perhaps the greatest victory for the team this year came just a few weeks ago against none other than the Seattle Sounders. And better yet, this happened in the playoffs in a home-and-home series that saw Portland win both games convincingly. It was this, perhaps, that made most of us believe the team might go all the way.

Caleb Porter instituted a fluid form of attack with the ability to quickly shift all resources to defense, a total football approach championed by the Dutch in the 1970s and 1980s and adopted by many coaches throughout the world. He brought back Danso to the center back position and acquired Kah as his partner. Together with a repositioned Jewsburry at right back and Michael Harrington on the left and Porter had a key to fluidity and athleticism necessary for his total football scheme.

Portland is a young team. Only 3 years in the league. It is this fact which separates it from squads like Real Salt Lake. For all the magic and talent, there is little in the way of backup. Alhassan and Zemanski can only do so much and Ryan Johnson and Piquione and Urruti are not reliable strikers. In contrast, Salt Lake  has Sandoval and Velasquez and Plata.

Next season these holes will likely be filled and Portland might become an even stronger team. But Today we thank the Timbers for a wonderful season full of memories and goals and firsts and for going into Seattle and grabbing the win when it counted. We don't need the Dempseys and Martins and Eddie Johnsons of the footballing world to be great. Then again, what if we did add one or two marquee players to the team? 

Fight: Timbers earn first win vs Sounders in MLS play

 

Photo credit: AP

What a game. The Portland Timbers started the match early versus the Sounders at Jeld-Wen Field with a Kris Boyd goal in the 15th minute. Horst would double the score a few minutes later. Seattle's Eddie Johnson rounded out the score at 2-1 in the second half. It was a different kind of MLS game: honor, rivalry, and plenty of fighting.

This was the Cascadia Clasico, of course, one that dates back several decades to the age of the NASL. The on field rivalry plays off the natural competitiveness of the two cities in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is the more established, cosmopolitan place while Portland is an alternative, and proudly sustainable city. And this carries on to the teams: the Sounders play at CenturyLink Field, an NFL venue with all the commodities, while Jeld-Wen is solely a soccer field with a distinct "made in Portland" attitude.

On the pitch tonight were two squads in dire need of a win. Seattle had been winless in 6 matches, while the Timbers were cellar dwellers in the West. John Spencer, Timbers' coach, has been rumored to be in danger of losing his position. Whether or not this is true, the Scotsman needs to get his team out of the sophomore slump and give the Timbers Army the kind of game they are so passionate about.

And yes, Portland delivered. Boyd knew what was at stake, being a son of the Old Firm rivalry between Celtic and Rangers in Glasgow. Nagbe, Al-Hassan, Jewsbury, Chara and Futty remembered last year's loss at home and were looking to avenge it. Along with Palmer and Perkins, however, Jewsbury let the emotions get to him, and Freddy Montero, a proud Sounder, responded with unsportsmanlike conduct. Two red cards and a yellow card. But hey, that's what these games are about.

The fact that ESPN chose to air this match immediately after the England - Italy Euro game was brilliant, as it captured a different audience and showed the rest of Americans and the world how seriously the game is taken in the Pacific Northwest. Full stadium, Timber Joey, the Timbers Army, and the whole of Rose City watched their team win while singing proudly "When I root I root for the Timbers!"

Portland Timbers vs Vancouver Whitecaps: The live experience

The Cascadia Cup sets the stage for a magical mini tournament in the best soccer region in North America: The Pacific Northwest. The teams are the Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders, and the best attendance records in the league. The FutbolUSA desk was granted the opportunity to watch the match at Jeld-Wen field and the teams did not disappoint. True, as local Timbers followers, the 1-1 final score wasn't the best. But it was the experience that counted.

Today the skies were clear to begin the match and the pitch was a deep, bright green that some in our company thought was artificial grass. Nope, the real thing. The crowds of the Northwest are exemplified by the boisterous Timbers Army and the small band of Vancouver followers. The ride on the MAX was full of chants from supporters of both clubs. The General Attendance sector--Timbers Army territory--never quieted down, relented or were subdued by the weather or Vancouver's tying goal.

John Spencer was quoted as saying his team had played some of the best football this season, and the Scott is correct. It was a fast-paced game and very vertical at times with overlaps between Alexander, Chara, Alhassan and Nagbe. The goal was a justification of 13 shots on frame, and as the ball went in we all cheered in unison. Among our company were first-time spectators of the sport, and they yelled along with the rest of us for uncalled penalties, opening goals and the disillusionment of the opposing side's score.

The Portland Timbers have a long way to go this season if they aim to make the playoffs. Last year they were close due to impeccable home form. They have lost a couple here and it hurts more when they are unable to earn wins away. The Nagbe-Boyd tandem works great and the verticality and passing is also there. A couple of missing pieces in the back line due to injury and suspension derailed what could have been another 3 points in a 4-game unbeaten streak. Let's stress the unbeaten... they have to win, not tie if they want to make it far in the tournament. Until then and beyond them we shall keep on cheering and singing along "when I root I root for the Timbers!"

Portland Timbers vs Houston Dynamo: The Live Experience

The Portland Timbers lost their final home game tonight. It was a bittersweet end to an incredible first season. From a 5 game winning streak at home, to their 1-1 tie at Seattle and their 3-0 victory over LA Galaxy, the best team in the tournament, to a terrible win-less streak at home, to being in and out of playoff contention, it was a whirlwind season. And no, it's not over yet, but the mountain is getting too high to climb at this point and they no longer control their destiny.

As I reached the bleachers late, I could sense that there was purpose in Darlington Nagbe's play and Kenny Cooper waited to pounce in nearly every goal opportunity. But the final pass was not there today. Houston made the most out of its two chances. Two chances, two goals. Dominic Kinnear pushed his back line as far back as he could so that the midfield was elongated and congested. There would be few dangerous plays for the Timbers after Houston' second goal.

Whether it was Zizzo's ineffectiveness, Chabala's injury, or Alhassan's loss of pace, the cards just weren't there for a Timbers win tonight. But let's celebrate the game for what it was: a testament to the soccer fever gripping the Pacific Northwest, to MLS' best idea since its inception, to the passion of the fans, young and old, male and female. Let's toast to the Timbers Army's fight chants even in defeat, to Timber Joey showing off his saw although no timber was cut, to the inebriated pair behind (and in front) yelling at the ref, to the older couple cheering or covering their mouths in agony with every kick, to the toddler smiling at his surroundings as his caring parents chanted for their team, and to all the kids decked out in full Timbers gear, dreaming about being on that pitch someday. This why we go to stadiums.

When I root I root for the Timbers!

Portland Timbers vs DC United: the live experience

Fandom. That's the best way to describe a Portland Timbers match. The stadium, the people, the atmosphere is just amazing. Today we experienced the first Timbers game in MLS action versus a depleted, yet still consistent, DC United squad. The score was a negative 2-3 for a game that should have been a tie. But the experience is what really counts at this point in the club's early MLS career.

In terms of the game, I'd have to say that the second half was much better. DC United looked more lively in the first half and Perry Kitchen kicked off the scoring through a carefully choreographed corner (either by the DC offense or the Portland defense). Meanwhile, Portland struggled as Perlaza and Cooper lacked quality in their attempts and Jewsbury seemed absent. Can we blame this on the mid-week friendly versus storied Ajax Amsterdam? Hardly. I think the referee had more of an influence in this game.

Indeed, the second half was more entertaining, both goal-wise and on-field action. After a phantom offside call on Cooper's goal came a series of 4 penalties. Two missed, three by the Timbers and one by DCU. It was really just one PK for Portland that was repeated twice after Hamid stepped off his line (or DC players invaded the area?). We won't ever know for sure, I don't think. As for the PKs, Cooper hesitated twice and Hamid stopped it twice, regardless of whether it was legitimate. Jewsbury then stepped up the third time around and scored. A PK for DC a bit later returned the scoreline in favor of DC. Josh Wolff finished it off just 6 minutes before the end. Even though Perlaza scored again for Portland, it was too little too late.

The Portland Timbers now lie at a crossroads. They have lost their first game at home and what was usually a sure 3 points on home turf now means they must reacquire points away from the Columbia Gorge. For DC, however, things are starting to click. Add to this the fact that they will have nearly their entire team (injuries aside) to work with during the Gold Cup and the top echelon of the Eastern Conference looks more accessible.

Soccer aside for a moment. Cheers to the Timbers fans. The intimacy of the stadium and the incessant chants by the Timbers Army are enough to get most fans of the sport riled up. The stadium is as beautiful as it is historic and its lower capacity makes for a better experience both inside and outside. We were back on the road driving south into the Willamette Valley after just 15 minutes.

The Cascadia Clasico

Photo credit: AP

Welcome to MLS, Portland. And welcome back, Seattle. Tonight we saw a new incarnation of the Northwest Derby, the Cascadia Derby, the rivalry game that defines a sport. Yankees - Red Sox, Packers - Bears, Ohio State - Michigan, North Carolina - Duke, FC Barcelona - Real Madrid, Inter Milan - AC Milan, Emelec - Barcelona SC, America - Chivas. These are the games we wait to see every season, and every time we see it something special happens.

For MLS it's been more difficult to establish: DC vs New York? Houston vs Dallas? Real Salt Lake vs Colorado? The Superclasico Galaxy vs Chivas USA? Great approximations, even LA - New York is a good match between marquee players. But something else was missing, a little history, a more personal touch, some sibling rivalry.

And this is what the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers bring to MLS. An established derby dating back to the 1970s and the old NASL (North American Soccer League). It reestablished itself in the WSL and the USL divisions. The teams nourished the competitiveness between fans in both cities and players alike. Case in point: Roger Levesque, detested by the Timbers fans for consistently scoring on their team.

Tonight we saw a new brand of soccer in MLS. A different passion. Not just to win, but to beat the other side at every level of the game. It wasn't about points or even goals. It was about showing your passion for the jersey, the city, and picking your side.

On the pitch we saw Seattle at its best when Fernandez scored the first tally of the night. The Sounders pressed on the Timbers defense constantly at the start of the second half after an underwhelming first 45. You could feel the loss of Zakuani in their movement and the lack of a true creative force in their midfield. Portland started slow, allowed for Seattle's attack and answered with quick counters thanks to Nagbe, Cooper, Perlaza, Chara and Jewsbury. True to fashion, Jewsbury delivered a perfect free kick pass to "Futty" Danso and he headed the ball backwards above a stretching Keller.

One - one. All tied up in Seattle and now comes the cauldron at Jeld-Wen Field. Can the Sounders break down the boisterous crowd in Portland? Seattle fans are touch to match, especially their numbers. But Portland doesn't need a large stadium to show their dominance. All they need is their fans and the extra edge that comes along with any and every Clasico, derby, rivalry game.