The Portland Timbers were tonight in Seventh Heaven with a 7-2 thrashing against an ill-fated Sporting Kansas City, including a brace from Sebastian Blanco and debutante Nathan Fogaça.
This team can score and for sure Nathan Fogaça is the answer that Gio Savarese was looking for to solve the Timbers goal drought. But today, it was against a team struggling offensively and mostly in its defensive game.
For tonight’s match, Giovanni Savarese had the perfect starting lineup and did not keep Cristhian Paredes on the bench, but on the offensive attack as the Paraguayan is having a one-of-a-kind season.
From the start, Sebastian Blanco delivered with a brace and a couple of assists alongside Cristhian Paredes and Erik Williamson contributing with both in today’s win.
If we say that the Portland Timbers exorcised their demons, it must be an understatement as today’s game could be that they played a team with a slump and several of its notable players on the injured list.
It is first time that the Timbers scored seven goals in a match. If we say the word bizarre, you may be right as this is the ideal moniker for a very entertained second half at the Colossus of Goose Hollow.
Despite the dominance in the first half in the stats for visiting SKC, the Timbers went into the half with a 1-0 lead after a header from Bill Tuiloma that put the Rose City side ahead with just 12 minutes on the clock.
As SKC tried to rally at the start of the second half, not even a minute passed by when Sebastian Blanco scored his first goal of the season in the 46th minute assisted by Cristhian Paredes. This score gave the Timbers a 2-0 lead with more to come in the remainder of the second half.
Six minutes later came the second goal from Seba when a combination with Yimmi Chara on a counterattack the Timbers went 3-0 up with the cushion goal in the 52nd minute to put the Timbers in the driver’s seat.
However, this wasn’t over for the Timbers as Nathan Fogaça delivered on his dream debut with a couple of scores in the 56th and 69th minutes, making Providence Park a total madhouse.
SKC managed a consolation goal from Johnny Russell, taking advantage of Rasmusen and Ivacic blink answering back for the visitors and putting them on the board in the 57th minute.
SKC substitute Marinos Tzonis in the 75th minutes scored a second consolation goal.
In the end, the Timbers with scores from Marvin Loria extending the lead in the 88th minute and Santiago Moreno in the 90+2nd minute to culminate the feat of seven goals and conclude the Timbers goal drought with a 7-2 rout.
Goals
Bill Tuiloma 12’ POR, Sebastian Blanco 46’ POR, Sebastian Blanco 52’ POR, Nathan Fogaça 59’ POR, Johnny Russell 57’ SKC, Nathan Fogaça 69’ POR, Marinos Tzionis 75’ SKC, Marvin Loria 88’ POR, Santiago Moreno 90+2 POR
Men of the Match
Sebastian Blanco, Bill Tuiloma, Nathan Fogaça, Marvin Loria, Santiago Moreno, Cristhian Paredes, Erik Williamson, Yimmi Chara
Portland Timbers
Sporting Kansas City
