Kevin Nagle, majority owner of Sacramento Republic FC, with some encouraging news via Twitter

Not sure what this means in terms of who gets the next round of expansions --word on the street is that Minneapolis and Miami are still ahead of Sac-- but it sure sounds auspicious.

@srfc_kevin: I've talked to @MLS, we are at the top of their list for the next round of expansion. #BuiltForMLS

— Sac Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) March 17, 2015

Ridgy on draw with Galaxy and Saturday's match at SKC

Defender Liam Ridgwell makes a few remarks in a video clip posted on Oregonlive.com We encourage optimism around here and accordingly applaud his sentiments.

Timbers 2:2 Galaxy in Sunday evening debacle at Providence Park

Although I can take no real joy in having accurately predicted the outcome of Sunday evening's match, one must be satisfied with what little consolation one can find in such dismal circumstances, so at least I've got that going for me.

Because let's be honest; it's not so much the fact that the Timbers managed to yet again snatch a draw from the jaws of victory as it is the galling way in which they contrived to pull it off.  A draw would not be nearly so vexing had it been due to a rally to come from behind rather than the traditional "we forget how to defend for a few minutes after every goal we score," that to the contrary, allowed a basically outplayed and solidly beaten Galaxy to come away with a draw on the road that should have been a loss.

On the plus side, the game itself was fast-paced, full of action but not too chippy, fairly well refereed --without any of the egregious calls that so often mar MLS competition-- and in general, a credit to the league's ongoing journey to international relevancy.

The match began at a good clip with the Timbers pressing early for a decent look at goal on a Nagbe pass to Adi in the third minute.  The Galaxy, for their part, were not impressed and managed to collar two corner kicks in the first 20 minutes with some dangerous-looking pressure of their own.  It was a real back and forth until the 31st minute when the Timbers launched a flawless counter that covered the distance of the pitch in a series of passes from Chara to Nagbe to Wallace and finally to Adi who barely stayed onside while managing to slot it home inside the far post.

The champs seemed to take this as a personal affront and pushed hard for the remainder, determined, it appeared, to find an equalizer before the half.

Nothing doing.  While the Timbers defense didn't look stellar, it did look functional (as opposed to last year's) and new backline additions, Asprilla and Borchers, together with Kwarasey at goalkeeper, displayed an encouraging level of competence.

Early in the second half, the Timbers seemed to lose their mojo and gave up several dangerous opportunities to Keane and Zardes, LA's rightly-feared pair of forwards, neither of whom are accustomed to missing such giveaways.  In the 65th minute Zardes hammered home this rather obvious point as the Galaxy easily put together a counter that ended with a Villareal pass into the box that Zardes tapped in to bring the score even.
The rest of the half was played at a similar pace as a handful of subs brought fresh legs to the field, but both sides kept it together and it very much looked as if, barring any last minute melt-downs on the part of the Timbers (something that they are unfortunately known for), the match would end with a 1:1 draw.

However, this is not how we do things in Portland.  No sir.  First, on another brilliant counter in the 89th minute, Nagbe passed across the box to Adi who adjusted a trifle before knocking it in, and then, in the 92nd minute, with one minute of stoppage left, the Timbers plum forgot to defend, let LA take another corner, and got ready to cry themselves to sleep as Galaxy sub, Gordon, marked by a guy half his size, easily headed it in for the draw.



Other Notes and Questions:

• LA looks credible and dangerous without Donovan, a loss that everyone wondered about.  Are they the same team?  Absolutely not, but they are still a tough nut to crack and with the anticipated arrival of Stephen Gerrard at centerfield this summer, I'm not exactly going out on a limb when I predict that they will yet again be a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.
• The Timbers actually looked pretty good.  I absolutely hate it that they threw away two points in a way that makes it appear that they've learned nothing from their past mistakes, but again, they actually looked pretty good, and when you consider that they were lacking both Valeri and Johnson, there may very well be cause for optimism.  

  

       

Big Test Ahead for Timbers on Sunday

To say that Sunday's match against the LA Galaxy is a day of reckoning for the Timbers is probably overstating the case by half, but it would also be a mistake to simply dismiss it as just another "second match of the season" in which a win, while nice, is not critical.


So here's why LA matters:

The first thing to say is that the Galaxy are the league's reigning bully-boys.  While sides like Seattle and Toronto FC and Orlando SC and NYCFC have gaudy rosters and appear to be playing well, none of them are, at face value, anywhere near as scary as the league's reigning champs who, with a convincing victory over Chicago, showed what everyone already suspected --that LA is fine without Landon-- that the rest of the league is on notice.

Which is just to say that the Timbers will have their work cut out for them Sunday evening at Providence Park.  A win will mean a definitive --if not yet set in stone-- turn-around from last year's doldrums, while a loss, especially at a rainy Providence Park, may well signal a return to last season's dithering, though of course, in the continuing absence of both Valeri and Johnson and possibly Chara, excuses can and probably will be made.

Anyhow, the take-home point here, if there is one at all, is that a Timbers win means exciting things for Portland especially if it happens with two or possibly three of their star players out, while a loss or a draw, while not the end of the world, will have a feeling of an inevitable return to last year's sorry early season shambles, whether that connection is fairly made or not.

For LA, a win will be no more than confirmation of what they clearly already believe, which is that they are the best side in the league and will only get that much better when Stephen Gerrard joins the midfield in summer.  A loss or a draw for the Galaxy can and probably will be written off as the result of early season rust --and the Galaxy is notorious for heating up only later in the season-- together with playing in rainy conditions at Providence Park which is well-known as a difficult venue for visiting sides.

My rash prediction is that we are in for a draw and that the Timbers won't truly hit their stride until a bit later in the season when all of their important missing pieces are returned and worked back into the system.        

Colorado Rapids 2:2 Portland Timbers

It was another weird game with any number of odd weather-related variables together with the usual element of dodgy officiating, a few blatant blunders, the odd moment of brilliance and a determined possession-oriented Timbers side that in spite of what would have been the obvious thing to do, managed to pull off yet another draw on the road.

Frustrating, confounding, deeply confusing and yet still inspiring of hope are all terms that apply to the Timbers thus far in their tenure under MLS newcomer head coach Caleb Porter.

On the one hand you've got a team that's given up the first goal in all four of its MLS regular season matches, while on the other, you've also got a team that's dominated match statistics and that has managed to fight back from every deficit but one (and that against Montreal who are currently undefeated and who seem to be on a rampage) to come away with a point.

   

Portland Timbers Fell The Union

The Portland Timbers racked up another win Friday night in a 1-0 victory against the Philadelphia Union at Jeld-Wen Field (JWF) in Portland before a sold-out and rain-besodden crowd. Defender Mamadou "Futty" Danso (Futty) scored the winning goal in the 72nd minute with a well-placed header off of a clinical corner kick from Timbers captain Jack Jewsbury. The win was the Timbers' second straight in MLS play and their fourth straight at home.

On its face, the game was a classic match-up of contrasting styles, pitting the Timbers, who are developing a reputation as a fast-paced attacking team that favors a good offense, against the Union, who have already distinguished themselves as one of the league's stingiest defensive sides and who favor a plodding pace that wears opponents down. Knowledgeable prognosticators predicted a low-scoring game in which the team that scored first was likely to bring home the win, and in fact, this is largely what happened.

What remained intangible were a variety of unknowns such as how well the so far indomitable-looking Union defense would hold up in the pouring rain and before the roaring crowds at JWF; how well the Timbers would deal with the frustration of trying to crack the Union's wall-like defense; how well the Union would be able to cope with the Timbers' offensive fire-power and obvious superiority in terms of speed.

In the starting minutes, a few things became clear. For one, an early fourth minute offside call against Portland forward Jorge Perlaza showed two things: one, that the Union defenders were struggling with the speed of Timbers' overlapping wing attacks, and two, that the young Timbers side lacked the discipline to easily deal with the Union's stacked defense.

Matters carried on through much of the first half with the Timbers wings making a hash of the Union defense up the sides, but finding themselves unable to execute in the final third of the pitch as the Union's vaunted back-line closed down all efforts on the box.

The Timbers made a variety of shots and created vague opportunities while dominating possession, but were unable to execute. In the 26th minute, Futty had a chance on a header off of a Jewsbury corner kick, but like all the others, it was wide of the net.

In the latter part of the first half, Philly began to poke holes in what looked to be a flagging Timbers defense and were able to create several chances of their own, including a 39th minute shot on goal that Timbers goalkeeper Troy Perkins saved with great aplomb.

The second half of the match began with vigorous play on both sides, but soon degenerated to the original theme of the Timbers pushing with superior speed and attacking down either wing, and the Union relying on solid defense and counters. In the 62nd and 63rd minutes the Union rallied offensively and applied real pressure on the Timbers defense which in the past, has been known to collapse. However, the Timbers managed to clear it and in the 72nd minute a do-over of Jewsbury's corner to a Futty header found the back of the net to put the Timbers up one.

The Union fought hard, but scoring goals is not in their DNA, and despite a 79th minute pair of subs that included Jack McInerney coming in as a forward for midfielder Amobi Okugo --a move clearly intended to up their offensive power-- they were unable to thwart a Timbers side that wasn't content to sit back on their lead, and that, to the contrary, continued to threaten until the whistle was blown. To their credit, the Union made a final desperate attempt in the 86th and 87th minutes on a throw in to a six yard shot by Sebastien Le Toux that ended in a tangle, but not before Timbers keeper Perkins was able to lock it away. A series of yellow cards were distributed, but by then, the party was over.

The Timbers remain 4-0-0 at home in regular MLS league play and with this win move into third place in the MLS Western Conference behind the LA Galaxy and Colorado Rapids. The Union remain in second place in the MLS Eastern Conference, but have officially been put on notice that pure defense probably won't cut it at the upper levels.

Other Notes and Questions:

Two weeks ago the Timbers got their asses handed to them by the LA Galaxy in a 3-0 blowout that must have been, quite frankly, embarrassing. To their credit, far from laying down and playing the poor little expansion team that bit off more than it could chew, they turned around and gave Real Salt Lake --widely considered MLS's finest team-- their first loss in a brutal match that could have easily gone either way, but that in the end was won by the Timbers' speedy offense that kept blazing down the wings and making things happen.

Not good enough? OK. This time it was against the Philadelphia Union, a team that, while for my money is nowhere near as complete as Real Salt Lake, is also known for its defense and is also ranked high among current MLS sides.

What happened? Again, a torrent of speed and blistering pace on the part of the Timbers eventually found a hole for the win.

All of which raises the question: are the Portland Timbers for real? Are they a side that has to be taken seriously even though they do bear the "expansion team" label?

From here, it looks like it would be a mistake for any team to take the Portland Timbers for granted. We'll see how the "boys in green" progress through the season, but I think it's safe to say that they are no longer a sure win for anyone.

Everybody likes to say that Portland supporters have a big notion of themselves in the same way that all expansion team supporters do, but the word around the league is that the Timbers Army has upped the ante significantly and that when you play at JWF, you know you're in a fight. Name me another stadium in the league that can do a call and response on the level of "We are the Rose City! You can't stop us!" and then we'll talk. My guess is that the crowd intensity at JWF just might have something to do with the fact that the Timbers have yet to lose there in regular season play.  

Timbers and Sounders FC Fight to a Draw at Qwest Field

The Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC ended it in a draw Saturday night at Qwest Field in Seattle before a sold out crowd of 36,593 rabid supporters in the first match of this season's Cascadia Cup. Timbers defender Mamadou "Futty" Danso scored the equalizer in the 65th minute off of a Jack Jewsbury free kick. The set piece was virtually identical to last week's home game winner against the Philadelphia Union, and further cements the Timbers' growing reputation as set piece specialists.

"Their game...is predicated around free kicks and set pieces," said Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid after the match. "That's what the danger is, that's what they live for."

The match was the first of the Cascadia Cup, a supporters-created three-way derby between the Timbers, Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps. This year is the first time since its 2004 inception that all three Cascadia Cup participants are in MLS and is accordingly widely expected to attract the largest crowds and most fervent fan-base yet. Saturday night's match at Qwest did not disappoint in that regard.

Both teams stated during the week that they wanted to come out strong and take an early lead, but it was Seattle that got the best of the first ten minutes of play. Despite a soaking wet field and pouring rain, they used crisp passing and decent ball-control that initially had the Timbers on their back foot. The Timbers, who debuted their "Rose City Red" kits for the match, soon regained composure however, and pushed back to create some early opportunities of their own.

The momentum continued to shift back and forth in the first half with the Sounders showing better passing and ball-control on the sloppy field turf, while the Timbers created more dangerous opportunities with their always-deadly forwards and on several set pieces. The sides looked evenly matched however, and it came as no surprise when the half ended scoreless.

In the second half, the Sounders once again came out guns blazing, and this time Uruguayan midfielder Alvaro Fernandez shot one in at the 52nd minute off of Roger Levesque's cross to a Fredy Montero header. The Home crowd nearly brought down the stadium in celebration, but if anything, it seemed to invigorate the Timbers who came roaring back, seemingly all the more determined for the deficit.

Following Danso's 65th minute goal, there was a noticeable change in momentum, and while the Sounders were able to create a few more chances on goal, especially near the end when an exhausted Timbers back-line began to flag, most of the final third of the match belonged to the Timbers. "They were terrified of us, every set piece we got," said Timbers head coach John Spencer in post-game comments that are sure to win him no friends among Seattle supporters. "They were scared they were going to give up a goal."

Other notes and questions:

While it will go down as a draw on paper, everyone knows that the match was basically a win for the Timbers who remain winless on the road and undefeated at home. With Jeld-Wen Field looking increasingly like a fortress, Seattle's failure to get a win at Qwest does not bode well for their chances at Portland. Since this is so, and since the Vancouver Whitecaps are continuing to struggle and currently hold the bottom spot in MLS's Western Conference Standings, the Timbers have to be slight favorites to win the Cascadia Cup. It will be no small accomplishment for a first year expansion side.

The Timbers Army (TA) and Emerald City Supporters (ECS) appear to have largely behaved themselves for their first MLS meeting. One might hope that this will silence many of the fear-mongers on either side who've been preaching for months about the supposed specter of crowd-violence, but it probably won't since you cannot reason someone out of a position that they did not reason themselves into. In any case, both TA and ECS leadership deserve credit for having taken a hard-line against those who would make trouble.

Despite its reputation, Seattle appears to have struggled more with the rain and the soggy field than did Portland. As Schmid himself said, "I think the weather suited them a little more in the sense that they just try and go direct anyway to a certain extent, and knock it up to their big men. They were a bit better at that game than we were." There's irony for you, or not, depending on how familiar you are with Portland weather.