Tonight, we saw two teams that left everything out on the pitch and in the end settled for the draw after many considered a wild, rollercoaster game with both sides combining for a total of eight goals.
In the end once again, the Timbers’ defensive blues came to bite them to surrender their two-goal lead that in the final minutes to the Claret and Cobalt and deny the locals a much-needed win.
Still, the way the Portland Timbers are a far cry from the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando are a far cry when they were playing with heart, unity, and resilience. Saturday’s result showed a frustrating side of Gio after his team surrendered four goals on the night.
As the Rose City side came ready to play in spite of the rival coming with a lot of momentum, they displayed a great game through the whole ninety-four minutes but in the end, we can state they were too complacent defensively.
Diego Chara opened the scoring just six minutes into the game, taking advantage of the visitor’s keeper blunder and capitalizing on the play to score his first goal of the season.
Coming to this game, manager Giovanni Savarese had all the best moves when he placed Jeremy Ebobisse as a winger on the right side and putting Jaroslaw Niezgoda in the frontal attack, seeing positive results.
Kudos to Jaroslaw Niezgoda for scoring his second goal of the season in the 21st minute after the visitors tied the game minutes earlier. The man from Poland gave the Timbers the lead again and going into halftime with the advantage.
However, three minutes into the second half again the game became tied when RSL Damir Krellach leveled matters until the 70th minute when Sebastian Blanco screamer of a goal put the Timbers ahead, 3-2.
Fifteen minutes later, Felipe Mora scored the go-ahead and supposedly insurance goal in the 85th minute, but in the end comes to the visitor’s manager Freddy Juarez making notable substitutions.
When Giuseppe Rossi and Sam Johnson coming in four minutes apart, they would take advantage of the Timbers’ defensive flaws.
Rossi scored in the 90th minute and many thought that the game was going to end like this until another substitute Sam Johnson delivered the goal that earned his side a point.
A sour turn around in the end for the Portland Timbers and for a manager in Gio seeing his lead and possible three points going down the drain as Real Salt Lake somehow rallied from two goals down late.
Many state that defense wins games. Not today as the Portland Timbers’ defensive backfield did not show any urgency in its game and not taking every one of those goals scored by the visitors seriously and showing no effort.
In the end, it was two points dropped by the Timbers.
Goals
Diego Chara 6’ PTFC, Corey Baird 19’ RSL, Jaroslaw Niezgoda 21’ PTFC, Damir Kreilach 48’ RSL, Sebastian Blanco 70’ PTFC, Felipe Mora 85’ PTFC, Guiseppe Rossi 90’ RSL
Highlights
Diego Chara scoring the opening goal for his first goal of the season
Jaroslaw Niezgoda scoring his second goal of the season
Sebastian Blanco scoring a beauty of a goal
Felipe Mora scoring his first goal of the season
Steve Clark defensively making game-saving plays that could bite the local side ugly
The defense needs to put more urgency in the backfield
Gio’s moves paid off for Jeremy Ebobisse playing as a winger and Jaroslaw Niezgoda as a # 9
Men, of the Match
Sebastian Blanco and Diego Chara
Portland Timbers
