Portland Timbers and Orlando City drew 1-1 at Providence Park. The first half was slow and had Orlando looking like they had an edge over the locals in ambition and energy, but it wasn’t enough and the first half ended goalless. The second half, tuned up the intensity and gave the spectators a game.
Both goals came in the second half. First, Orlando opened the scoring via their Brazilian midfielder Junior Urso in the 54th minute after breaking in the box with a run through the center and skillfully assisted by their also Brazilian star Alexandre Pato. José Carlos Van Rankin tried to check the run, but Urso got in first and his right footed strike went past goal keeper Aljaz Ivacic.
The game turned up the heat and was at times very physical, the referee brandished seven yellow cards, two of them for Timbers defender José Carlos Van Rankin, who was ejected at minute 76.
From then on, with the game in full acceleration, the ten-man Portland Timbers were able to find their way back to the game when Orlando City’s Andrés Perea conceded a foul in the penalty box on Christian Paredes. The referee did not doubt it, and Paredes himself, got the equalizer.
Portland Timbers star midfielder Sebastián Blanco, who was subbed in for Dairon Asprilla in minute 62, almost had the final word when his strike, the last action of the contest, was narrowly saved by Orlando City goalie Mason Stajduhar. Mason draw the cheers of his team mates as the referee’s whistle ended the engagement.
The afternoon match saw the reappearance of two of Portland regular starters of their 2021 campaign. Both had been off action due to injuries. Defender Dario Zuparic was in the starting line up, while Eryk Williamson drew the cheers of the fans as he entered the pitch in minute 86 after the ACL injury that cut short his 2021 campaign.
With this tie, the Portland Timbers remain unbeaten at home since October 2021, and are looking at extending the statistic when they host LA Galaxy, next Sunday, April 3rd at Providence Park. Orlando will travel back home where they will be hosting LAFC on April 2nd.
