Timbers Evander Ferreira scores the first half only goal of the first half during the Portland Timbers match against New York FC. Photo by Diego Diaz
New York City Football Club took the pitch at Providence Park for the first time since they defeated the Timber to win the 2021 MLS Cup on penalty kicks. Portland lost at home to the Chicago Fire Wednesday night while NYCFC came to Portland riding a 10-match winless streak.
Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese made three changes to the lineup he used against Chicago. Defender Larrys Mabiala got the start tonight while Zac McGraw is on international duty for the Canadian’s men’s team and Marvin Loría started in the midfield rather than Dairon Asprillia, who is out due to a hamstring injury. Defender Juan Mosquera took the place of Eric Miller on the back line.
Portland started the first half with a sense of purpose but took some time to get in sync. In the 4th minute, Juan Mosquera sent a cross to Franck Boli but Franck’s right footed shot went wide of the goal. Play continued with New York fighting to get the ball out of their territory and the Timbers looking to make a move through NYCFC’s defensive line.
New York took a free kick in the 23rd minute that was deflected by Christian Paredes who went down after the save with a potential head injury. He rejoined the match after being assessed by the training staff.
Mosquera had an attempt in the 28th minute that went just high and wide to the right of the net. Portland continued to press and their effort paid off ten minutes later. Parede delivered a cross to Loría from the right side of the box, who fought off defenders to quickly pass to Evander. Evander was primed and in perfect position to send the ball flying to the back of the net, putting the Timbers on the board first 1-0.
In the 41st minute, Boli had a right footed shot from the center of the box that was saved in the center of the goal by homegrown NYCFC keeper, Matt Freese. He was assisted by Santiago Moreno. Head referee Nima Saghafi blew the whistle on the first half after one minute of stoppage time.
Portland started the second half with a substitution bringing on midfielder Noel Caliskan for Paredes and New York substituted out Gabriel Pereira for Argitinian forward Matís Pellegrini. In a post match interview Coach Gio said that he was unsure of Paredes’ condition but is hopeful that he will be available for next Saturday’s match in Minnesota.
Timbers forward Franck Boli. Photo by Diego Diaz
Boli took a right footed shot from a difficult angle in the 46th minute that Freese caught in the center of the goal. He was assisted once again by Santi Moreno. New York took possession on the following play and started to put together a play that Timbers’ defender Mabiala interrupted with a foul on the outside of the box, earning him the first yellow card of the match.
New York’s Pellegrini took the set piece service sending the ball to the head of Keaton Parks, who’s header was unreachable by Portland’s keeper, Aljaz Ivacic. New York scored the equalizer in the 51st minute.
Ivacic made the save on the following play when he caught Talles Magno’s header in the center of the goal. Magno was assisted by Kevin O’Toole with a cross. Evander’s right footed shot from outside the box was saved in the top center of the goal in the 60th minute.
Magno sent a left footed shot from the left side of the box in the 68th minute that Ivacic saved with a dive in the bottom left corner of the goal. Two minutes later, Claudio Bravo earned the Timbers’ second yellow card for an unnecessary foul.
In the 75th minute, Bravo took a left footed shot from the left side of the box that was saved in the bottom right corner by Freese. Santiago Moreno had the assist.
Portland made their next substitution in the 76th minute bringing on forward Felipe Mora for Loría. Mora has not played in Providence Park since the last meet up between these two teams during the Cup. He underwent cartilage restoration surgery on his left knee in August of 2022.
Evander’s right footed shot from outside the box was saved by Freese in the bottom right corner of the goal in the 77th minute.
New York made another substitution in the 80th minute bringing on defender Stephen Turnbull for Mitja Ilenic. Both teams made their final substitutions in the 86th with Nathan Fogaça coming in for Boli and Andres Jasson replacing Magno.
The final minutes of regular time saw the competitiveness and drive of both teams intensify in an exchange of bad fouls. Turnbull found his way into head referee Nima Saghafi’s book with a yellow card in the 90th. Saghafi pulled Evander aside in the 90+3 for a stern talking to followed by showing him a yellow for shoving his hand into the face of a NYC player.
Juan Mosquera desperately tried for a right footed shot from outside the box that was saved in the 90+4th minute of stoppage time. The final play of the match was a set piece with Evander on service from the left just outside the box. As all true Timber’s fans know, we live and die by the post. Evander’s shot ricocheted off the right post and the final whistle was called.
The Timbers walk away with only one point at home in a 1-1 draw.
Timbers forward Felipe Mora in his come back match. Photo by Diego Diaz
