by Matt Hoffman (@mhoff)
“This one hurts.”
Those were the first words out of Caleb Porter’s mouth when he addressed the media following the Timbers match against Saprissa on Wednesday night. Needing a win to advance, the Timbers came up short with a 1-1 draw.
It was evident from Porter on down to the silence of a sullen Timbers locker room that the team’s exit from CONCACAF play was a massive disappointment.
“It’s a very devastated locker room in there. They all feel it. That’s how I feel, too,” an uncharacteristically dour Porter said in his post-match remarks.
Portland created chance after chance against a very good Saprissa side, breaking through once and coming so tantalizingly close on so many different occasions.
“[The Timbers] played very well, created chances,” Porter affirmed before conceding, “But it doesn’t matter because we didn’t get the result.”
Perhaps it is for the best Portland has a short turnaround and a must-win game on Sunday against Vancouver whose coach, Carl Robinson, was among the 16,977 present on this cold and soggy Autumn evening.
The Timbers failed to advance for the second time in as many attempts in CONCACAF play, but there was a silver lining on those dark clouds that linger above Wednesday’s result.
The league got a chance to showcase a world class atmosphere. Despite the chilly, soggy, cold, some 20,000 fans came for a non league match. The Timbers Army continue to impress with had another magnificent tifo right on the heels of the Poloroid tifo.
In his post-match remarks, Saprissa’s coach Carlos Watson described the atmosphere as “excelente.” He described his team as being “uncomfortable.”
Jack Barmby played his best game as a Timber. Porter said so himself. Barmby’s first match with Portland was as part the rotation of players brought in to audition for the left back position and it went quite poorly, to the tune of 4-1 defeat to Orlando.
The Timbers Summer Transfer moves have fit the bill. Barmby doesn’t have to play left back anymore (that position has been aptly filled by Vytas). Say what you will about the Timbers abbreviated off-season and Gavin Wilkinson’s being overburdened managing two, the GM has found genuine players to fit roles of need.
We don’t know the figures and salaries but Steven Taylor has been remarkable filling in for Nat Borchers. When you consider the number of center backs Portland has had, is Steven Taylor not in your top 5, possibly even top 3?
Portland can create without Valeri and Adi. Nearly two-thirds of Portland’s goals have been scored by either Diego Valeri and Fanendo Adi. If you include assists, that number goes up. That Portland created so many chances without either playing a single minute is a testament of the team’s depth and Porter’s management.
Portland won the possession battle against a possession giant. It’s easy to fall into the trap that Saprissa fell back and let Portland have possession, if you don’t know that Saprissa is viking when it comes to possession. Possession, you could say, is Saprissa’s various breads and butters.
“What really put us in danger is we lost ball possession. That’s what we are known for ball possession.”
Saprissa is the most successful non-Mexican club in this competition with three championships and twice being runners up. Two MLS clubs have made it to the final but MLS has yet to win the tournament.
Portland is making strides but is on par with other Major League Soccer clubs with their lack of CONCACAF success.
You can point to any number of variables. The travel. The field conditions. The complaints about the questionable officiating. Scheduling CONCACAF games against the playoffs and Knock Out rounds during pre-season.
Finally, add in the league’s salary cap restrictions and the league’s ability to be constantly knocking on the door seems impressive.
Moral victories won’t help the Timbers now but a win on Sunday will place Portland above the red line and accelerate the healing process for Portland.
