How would the Timbers react to the second game of a three game road trip? Not well, it would turn out.
by Matt Hoffman
Portland suffered their first loss at BBVA Compass Stadium (opened in 2012) as the Houston Dynamo scored twice in the final 15 minutes to defeat the Timbers 3-1.
So far this season, when things go well for Houston, they tend to go very well. Saturday was no exception. Prior to last night’s match, Houston had scored thirteen goals across eleven matches, with nine of those goals occurring in just three of their eleven matches.
That Houston would have scoring issues wasn’t entirely unexpected. The team wasn’t previously known for its scoring prowess under Dom Kinnear. The team brought in a new coach with no MLS experience and its big marquee signing, Erick “Cubo” Torres, has not made an appearance with the team as he is still on-loan to Chivas Mexico.
Houston has skimmed water with the majority of their goals coming from set-piece opportunities with 16 different players making starts as coach Owen Coyle searches for the right combination. Ten players have a least one goal and one assist as Coyle continues to tinker.
Giles Barnes, who scored the game winning goal, has been pacing the club. Barnes scored his sixth goal of the season in the 75th minute, as Portland was unable to clear the ball from it’s own box.
The Dynamo patiently moved the ball before substitute midfielder Alexander López found Barnes open near the penalty spot and Barnes made a one-touch finish from close range.
Will Bruin bagged the brace after leading off the scoring in the ninth minute off of a free kick. In the 83rd minute, Jermaine Taylor’s long ball soared over the Timbers defenders. Bruin was able to track it down and chip it over on-rushing goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey.
Down 1-0 at the half, the Timbers were able to equalize right after the half as Diego Valeri, in his second start of the season, found Fanendo Adi for his fourth goal of the season and Valeri’s 28th assist of his MLS career.
That would be the only time Houston ‘keeper Tyler Deric would be tasked that evening as he finished the night without recording a save as the Timbers would record only two shots of the evening while having a combined 16 blocked cross, shots, and passes.
Caleb Porter didn’t mince his words post-match:
“Give Houston credit, they executed well and we didn’t. We knew Houston was going to be dangerous in three ways – set pieces, crossing, and counter-attacking. They executed in those three ways well; they scored three goals that way.
“It’s a long season [and that]this is [only]one game.”
The Timbers remain on the road and, in a strange scheduling quirk, will be back in Canada for the second game in three weeks as they play fellow three-win club Toronto FC.
