The fans that fill Providence Park to capacity during every home game must be exhausted as the World Cup Break commences today. The home crowd was treated to another match that saw the Portland Timbers come back from an early deficit and draw even during stoppage time. This scenario seems to play out every time the Timbers take the field as they have scored late goals to draw even against the Columbus Crew, L.A. Galaxy, Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union. D.C. United were a very unlucky club as they gave up a late goal that sent them to a defeat against this resilient Timbers club. The victim in last night’s game was FC Dallas who gave up two very late goals in a match that was full of cautions and scrappy play.
The Portland Timbers are a club that seem to be unable to pull together a complete game every time they take the field. They are second in Major League Soccer with twenty-eight goals; however, they are third in MLS in giving up twenty-seven goals. Head Coach Caleb Porter has been very vocal about his team’s inconsistent play and feels that not every player is passionate when they take the field.
During the first half of the game against FC Dallas last night, it was another dominating performance by the Timbers as they controlled possession throughout the first forty-five minutes, but, on the scoreboard; it was a 2-0 lead for the visitors. The Timbers took eleven shots during the first half; however, it did not translate to a goal. It was another defensive breakdown that allowed FC Dallas to convert two counter-attacks into a lead going into half-time.
The second half began as once again, the Timbers took control of the play and pressed their dominance over FC Dallas. Dallas keeper, Raul Fernandez, faced nineteen more shots for a total of thirty throughout the match as Dallas could not push Portland out of their end of the field.
In the 88th minute, Portland was finally able to get the ball by Fernandez with a penalty shot by Timbers Captain Will Johnson. The fans were showing their support and it seemed to energize the Timbers that much more as they kept control of the ball and deep within stoppage time, Pa Modou Kah found the back of the net to even the score at two goals apiece. It was another dramatic comeback by Portland and a stunned FC Dallas team saw victory ripped from them by a determined Timbers club.
The draw with FC Dallas brings the Timbers record to 4-4-8 and twenty points, which is good for sixth in the Western Conference. Portland may be sitting out of a playoff spot as of now, but, they are only a point behind Vancouver for that coveted fifth spot.
Major League Soccer is now on a World Cup Break, but, Portland still has a game to play as they welcome Orlando City U-23’s to Providence Park on June 17th for a Fourth Round match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. MLS play for the Timbers will resume on the 27th of June as they welcome Sporting KC to the Pacific Northwest.
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