Timbers v Caps game 1 - Timbers hit by perfect storm in Burnaby (original) (raw)
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The "Bermuda Triangle" that is Swangard Stadium struck the Timbers on Thursday night, as the Caps dominated game 1 by winning 2 to 0. The Timbers face a huge challenge to advance to the next round of the playoffs, but there's still hope and 90 minutes of soccer on Sunday night at Merlo Field to decide their fate.
The set up for Thursday’s match between the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps seemed almost perfect. The weather hadn’t turned for the worse up north, and with a win and draw in their last two visits to Swangard Stadium, it seemed that maybe the tables were turning just a bit for the Timbers. The team has also played some of their best soccer late in the season, going unbeaten in their last 10 matches by earning key results when needed. Unfortunately, the vortex that is Burnaby struck back, and whatever could possibly go wrong for the Timbers happened.
Because of technical difficulties, Fox Sports Northwest was late in joining the Shaw Cable feed from Canada, so many Timbers fans didn't see the first few moments of the match. However, this was a good thing, as the Caps earned a corner kick in the game's first minute and they made the visitors pay dearly. Midfielder Philippe Davies struck the ball and in the ensuing scrum, it fell at midfielder Gershon Koffie's feet. With time and space, Koffie beat Timbers goalkeeper Steve Cronin with his shot, and the hosts struck first. Eleven minutes later, Caps midfielder Blake Wagner and Timbers midfielder Kalif Alhassan tangled in the Timbers penalty box, and the center official deemed the contact worthy of a penalty kick. Veteran Caps midfielder Martin Nash stepped up to take the kick, and while Cronin guessed the right direction, the ball slid just past him and the Caps extended their lead to 2 to 0.
The Caps then put the pressure on with ball possession, frustrating the normally disciplined Timbers out of their game plan. The defense, so good through the past 10 games, missed marks all game allowing Vancouver countless chances to add to their lead. The midfield, which excelled at distribution and game tempo, looked lost and confused. The forwards, whose physical presence Vancouver struggled to contain at times, played impatiently and squandered chances with poor touches and misguided shots. The team that played so effortlessly for the past few months was turned into a slow, plodding, reckless and frustrated team. Whatever momentum the Timbers had gained during the regular season was lost in a 15 minute span in the chill of Burnaby. It’s unfortunate that outside of Bright Dike, Steve Purdy and Kevin Goldthwaite in a late substitute role that most of the Timbers played easily their worst match as a group all season.
As badly as the team played, I don't feel they are completely out of this series. As dominant as the Caps were on Thursday, they missed many chances to extend their lead and they gave Portland opportunities to get back into the match. I can imagine the Timbers were completely awestruck at the bad start, and pressed to try and regain some positive results. However, it's important for teams to remain composed and relaxed even in a comeback, and it seemed the Timbers just couldn't get over the hump. I've watched enough soccer over the years to realize that nothing is over until the full series is played, and Portland certainly is capable of playing as dominant as the Caps did on Thursday.
The task for the Timbers is daunting – they must score two more goals than Vancouver in game two to put the match in extra time, and scoring three or more means advancing. It's not an impossible task, but the Timbers must return to the style of play that got them here – consistent defense in the back, tempo and quality passing in the midfield, disciplined challenges throughout the pitch, and giving the forwards excellent scoring chances. With standout defender Mamadou Danso in Gambia playing for his country, the challenge looms even greater.
Being a fan means having belief in your team no matter the situation, and supporting them in even the direst of circumstances. While the result was disappointing to me, I was more let down by the team's play. I know what they are capable of accomplishing, and if they put forth the effort that was shown over the past few weeks, I firmly believe this series is just getting started. I might be overly optimistic, but sometimes, you have to believe beyond reason because you just don't know what might happen with a bit of hope and a dash of luck. Based on results from the other playoff matchups in game 1, the Timbers aren't the only higher seeded club facing the same situation in game 2 of the playoffs.
There are still a small number of tickets available for Sunday’s match through the Portland Timbers box office or by visiting the Merlo Field box office on game day. Come on, Timbers, come on!
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