Cascadian Three Star Challenge: Week Three

0

by Steven Agen & Matt Hoffman

 

How it works: Each week, Prost Portland, Prost Seattle, and Prost Vancouver will select three standout players on their team and players will get 1,2,3 or three starts. We’ll track this all season long to name the Cascadia Etihad Gatorade Amway Depends Windex Player of the Year presented by the all-new, all-reliable, very loud Dodge Hellcat.

Portland Timbers

Record: 3-0-0; 9 points

Result: 4-2 win vs. the Houston Dynamo

? ? ? Diego Valeri wore the Captain’s Armband whilst scoring the 40th and 41st goals of his storied career with the Portland Timbers.  He also spent considerable time in the second half on the left flank where he and Nagbe forcing Houston to gravitate towards them and opening up the middle. 
? ? David Guzman did not play played despite the shoulder injury that forced him to leave the Galaxy-Timbers tilt the previous week. He was back with a vengeance. Directing traffic, grabbing his first goal and assist as a Timber and completing 58 passes on Houston’s side of the field. Guzman capped off his weekend with a call-up to the Ticos.
? Sebastian Blanco will one day have a stat named after him. The right winger doesn’t fill up the stat sheet, but brings so much to the team. Little things that just keep possession alive. Thrice Blanco kept plays alive by fighting to keep the ball to create a corner kick. Blanco’s play out right is the ballast that allowed Valeri to switch to the left and wreak  havoc on a Houston team that was outshot 13-1 in the second half.

Seattle Sounders

Record: 1-1-1; 4 points

Result: 3-1 win vs. New York Red Bulls

? ? ? Joevin Jones is quickly becoming one of the best outside backs in the league. His two assists in Seattle’s win on Sunday were no more than he deserved after an outstanding evening of bombing down the wing. Jones provided the spark that propelled Sounders to their first multi-goal performance of 2017.
? ? Jordan Morris scored his first goal of the year after winning the penalty that led to the game’s opening goal. Morris’ pace troubled the Red Bull back line throughout the match. Truth be told, he was unlucky to not put away several other chances. His performance was better than what his stat line will show, and the stat line looks alright to start with.
? Cristian Roldan found himself playing right back for the Seattle Sounders yet again after Oniel Fisher subbed off with a hamstring injury. He not only filled in, he did well in his auxiliary position. All this after putting in a good shift next to Alonso in the midfield for most of the match.

Vancouver Whitecaps

Record: 0-1-1; 1 point

Result: 2-0 road loss at Toronto

? ? ? Spencer Richey made his MLS debut on Saturday. His first-ever save in the league was a real beauty, and neither of the goals were his fault.
? ? Fredy Montero made his full MLS debut for the Whitecaps, and came close to connecting with an audacious back heel on a Sheanon Williams cross. It wasn’t to be on the night but there will be many other good ones for Montero in Vancouver.
? Nicolas Mezquida was arguably the most dangerous attacking player for Vancouver on the day. It was a pretty miserable day.


 

Share.

About Author

Comments are closed.

Shares