Sunday, September 4, 2022
The sun was beating down on Providence Park as the Portland Timbers hosted Atlanta United in a rematch of the 2021 MLS Cup final. Timbers’ midfielder Eryk Williamson and Coach Giovanni Savarese were both benched due to yellow card accumulation. Carlos Liamosa acted as the Timbers’ game day manager and Christian Parades took Williamson’s spot in the lineup.
The heat contributed to a slower start to the first half as both teams played with a deliberate pace to conserve energy. Timbers’ Santiago Moreno tried to strike first with an attempt on goal in the 8th minute. The Timbers followed that with a Diego Chara rocket from the center of the box that went wide to the right in the 10th minute followed by his brother, Yimmi Chara, taking the almost exact same shot in the 17th with the same result.
Timbers’ forward, Dairon Asprilla, was fouled in the 22nd minute by Atlanta’s José Purata earning the Timbers a set piece with Sebastian Blanco taking the shot from the foul line sending the ball just high over the bar. Atlanta’s Luiz Araujo attempt from the top of the box in the 31st minute was saved by Timbers’ keeper, Aljaz Ivacic, with Ronaldo Cisneros’ rebound shot going wide.
Atlanta’s Juan José fouled Santiago Moreno in the box earning the Timbers a penalty in the 36th minute. Moreno took the penalty kick sending the ball to the top left corner of the net scoring the first goal of the match. Atlanta tried to even the score with an attempt by Luiz Araújo in the 39th minute. The first half ended with the Timbers up 1-0.
The Timbers started the second half with an attempt by Asprilla in the 57th minute with the assist by Bill Tuiloma saved by Atlanta’s keeper, Raúl Gudiño. The Timbers made their first substitution in the 66th minute bringing in Jaroslaw Niezgoda in for Blanco. Tuiloma tried for a header off a set piece service by Moreno in the 69th minute that went just wide to the right.
Marivn Loría was substituted in for the Timbers in the 75th minute and immediately made his entrance known by launching the ball into the Timbers Army with his attempt on goal two minutes later. Dairon Asprilla earned the only yellow card of the match in the 78th minute for a bad foul. A foul by Atlanta’s Santiago Sosa on Diego Chara in the 81st minute led to another penalty kick for the Timbers. Asprilla stepped up to take the kick for the Timbers. With a slow stutter step approach he sent the ball directly to the back center of the net putting the Timbers up 2-0.
Atlanta’s Josef Martínez capitalized on a corner kick with a header goal in the 88th minute. The Timbers had one last attempt on goal by Cladio Bravo in the 90th minute. The final whistle blew after five minutes of stoppage time with the Portland Timbers earning their first win against Atlanta United 2-1.
