Photo by Diego Diaz
Wednesday, Aug 3, 2022
It was an absolutely gorgeous night in the Rose City as the Portland Timbers hosted Nashville FC for their first of two home matches this week. The Timbers, undefeated in the last eight matches, had to get strategic with tonight’s line up due to key players Diego Chara and Dairon Asprilla being out with yellow card accumulation and Eryk Williamson, Claudio Bravo, Cristhian Paredes, and George Fochive out with injuries.
The Timbers started the first half with purpose driving most of the action with Yimmi Chara, Marvin Lorea, #10 Sebastian Blanco, and Santiago Moreno making attempts on goal during the first 20 minutes. Nashville earned a corner kick in the 20th minute that resulted in a Teal Bunbury goal after a short volley in the box.
It didn’t take long for the Timbers to respond. In the 27th minute the Timbers’ forward Santiago Moreno sent a straight shot to the back of the goal off of a corner kick to even the score. Nashville SC tried to reclaim the lead but two back to back saves in the 41st and 43rd minute by Timbers’ keeper Aljaz Ivacic kept the match tied at 1-1. The first half ended with Nashville’s Walker Zimmerman yearning a yellow card for a bad foul on Jaroslaw Niezgoda.
Nashville SC started the second half in the same way they ended the first with a yellow card to Hany Mukhtar for simulation. Aggression on the pitch continued to grow as both teams fought for command and control of the game. In the 58th minute, Sebastian Blanco had an attempt on goal that went wide and in the 65th minute, Bill Tuiloma’s shot off a free kick sailed over the goal. Nashville’s Bunbury earned Nashville’s third yellow card in the 67th minute for arguing with head referee,Silviu Petrescu.
The Timbers tapped into their depleted bench in the 81st minute substituting Nathan Fogaça for Blanco and Zach McGraw in for Yimmi Chara. Fogaça quickly tried to make his mark with a header towards the center of the box with an assist by Loria in the 89th minute. McGraw was shown the only yellow card for the Timbers in the 90th minute with a bad foul. The Timbers continued to fight for the full three points with Niezgoda, Tuiloma, and Blanco all with shots on goal in the last minutes of stoppage time. The match finished 1-1 with the Timbers maintaining their unbeaten streak.
