The Portland Timbers are in need of the upcoming international break that hopefully will benefit the Rose City side with a rewarding rest. However, in a game dominated in the first half by the local Herons, a goal scored by Ecuadorian Leonardo Campana in the 27th minute lifted the home side with the lead going into halftime.
The Timbers are in much need to develop a game plan that every match they play it in its entirety and not just look to rally in the ending minutes as time ran out. This team doesn’t need to be alive in the second half, but in the entire ninety minutes of all the matches they play.
Coming into the second half before the home side ran out of gas in the ending minutes, they added another goal via substitute Robert Taylor coming in the 46th minute and scoring in the 59th to give Miami a 2-0 lead.
Still, not all was lost for the Timbers when its manager Giovanni Savarese started doing his moves in the second half incorporating Sebastian Blanco, Santiago Moreno, and Bill Tuiloma for Josecarlos van Rankin, Justin Rasmussen, and David Ayala.
That was when the Timbers started coming alive in their attacking options and looking more dangerous as they started to display and take advantage of Miami’s sudden lack of aggressiveness and focus in its game.
Despite some plays in the first half that became dangerous for the locals, the Timbers still couldn’t capitalize and saw some lag in Dairon Aspirilla’s game not playing like he did in 2021 and is hurting the team in a big way.
The defensive game displayed by the Timbers as in the first goal again Rasmussen again was beaten by Campana as well the second goal as the Ecuadorian was to attempt another header and Ivacic denied him in the 30th minute.
The second goal came on a rebound from Ariel Lassiter and the ball landing on Taylor’s feet to just push the ball to put the home side up in the 59th minute.
The Timbers pulled one back in the 78th minute on a corner kick where Cristhian Paredes took a short pass to Santiago Moreno who centered the ball and found an unmarked Bill Tuiloma becoming the team leader with five goals overall.
Again, the Timbers had a couple of opportunities in the 81st minute with Moreno making a pass on target to Nathan Fogaca only to see it denied by Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender.
Later, a precise pass from Sebastian Blanco to Cristhian Paredes inside the area and with a beauty of a shot that was met by the right corner post that the Paraguayan shot and bouncing to Blanco again to see his shot high.
At the end, how can the Portland Timbers can stage a turnaround or improve their game? Not that easy for a team that is lacking ideas, a game pattern, movement to score goals, and encourage a more dynamic game.
Where is Sebastian Blanco’s commitment or profile fit into a team that is recording its third consecutive loss? Maybe this break can bring some needed benefit to this depleted Portland Timbers team.
Goals
Leonardo Campana 27’ MIA, Robert Taylor 59’ MIA, Bill Tuiloma 78’ PTFC
Man of the Match
Bill Tuiloma
Portland Timbers
Inter Miami CF
