A man of the match performance between the posts by Tim Melia was the difference as Sporting Kansas City earned themselves a draw, ending a three game losing skid against the hosting Portland Timbers.
The KC keeper, who started 2014 as an MLS Pool keeper, earned his paycheck and his spot currently as the #1 for Sporting as Melia came up with seven saves while standing tall and organizing the defense as the Timbers launched a total of 18 shots.
Prior to the match fortunes and spirits in regard to the defense were bolstered as team captain Matt Besler rejoined the team from the US Mens National Team. This meant that the recent starting line would be back, the same as had been part of the three recent defeats. And yet while Portland’s offensive statistics were enlarged the likes of Kevin Ellis, Saad Abdoul-Salaam, Seth Sinovic, and substitute Jalil Anibaba assisted Besler in keeping the Timbers attack at bay.
In the end it didnt matter in terms of the missing players for either team, neither was able to find the break through though the match was played at a blistering pace that could be found in some of the top leagues in Europe.
In the first half both teams didnt translate the pace of the game into creative opportunities it was the second half where Portland put the game into a next gear. Not that it helped.
Melia stopped balls sailing into the box, balls from diving headers, overall dominating performance and deserving of the rose.
Each team deserved what it got. Neither is as happy as they’d like to be
