Colorado Rapids 2-Portland Timbers 3
A win on the road is somehow a welcome sight, especially for the Portland Timbers. With back to back wins in places like Avaya Stadium in San Jose and now Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. After seeing the Portland Timbers staging an all-around revival after their win over Minnesota in Providence Park back in April 14. All of a sudden, this squad is playing one mind-blowing football. Still there are some positives and some negatives for manager Giovanni Savarese to fix. Still the levels of confidence in this 2018 Portland Timbers is always amazing.
As they are finally taking over their last campaign oddities and with a formidable six game winning streak. The challenges ahead for this squad will be a handful. If the Colorado game was a contested one let us wait for the ones against their biggest nemesis, LA Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City.
Going back to the match back in Colorado, the Portland squad did deliver in the clutch and in the opportune moment. As the positives in Samuel Armenteros delivering a double has sealed a starting spot in the Portland initial eleven. This new philosophy brought by first year manager Savarese has brought the competiveness in all of these squad players. Look at the positive results that is bringing.
In addition, to highlight one of Portland dynamic duo in its attack in Sebastian Blanco and Diego Valeri the Timbers one two punch in its offensive attack and the latter one responsible of scoring the go-ahead goal and game winner. Unfortunately, one of its bright points playing for the better was the defensive backfield that a couple of mistakes almost costed the match in Colorado. Still the errors that lead to the local squad to grow its confidence in the first half OG by Julio Cascante, exposes many frailties the Timbers still need to work on to exercise a strong defending.
Despite that game-tying goal, the defensive game stood its ground despite several tries in the first half by the Rapids. In the second half its here when the Colorado game got a boost after Portland scored its third goal. The locals started exercising a withstanding pressure and with success, the Portland squad handled it very well. However, for Portland keeping his errors to a low will be the ideal formula for their continued success. This afternoon for Julio Cascante his blunders in the OG and the penal that would not be contested in the VAR. Is somehow a bad day but the lad has potential to see a continuance of his game that caught the attention of many in the Timbers organization.
As I always state a win is a win and every match for Giovanni Savarese is a learning experience to build in the next one a more impacting strategy. Still for him seeing how his defense is stepping up and despite two goals by Colorado and one that was disallowed thanks to the VAR technology.
This squad is showing off in each one of his players a determination and all around confidence not seen. Accompanied it with the discipline and unity in the field this squad for sure will bring us many memorable afternoons. As that Ringo Starr song states it does not come easy for these Portland Timbers (6, 3, 2, 20 points) all of a sudden these are playing like a top rated squad and getting an image of a serious competitor in all of MLS circles without incurring in millions of dollars of expenditures to build a strong squad, with a players that is in his last stages in his career. For now these group will do and bring us top of the line results.
Colorado Rapids
Portland
