Leagues Cup Match Recap & Highlights: Portland Timbers vs Club America

The Portland Timbers fought back to equalize in the first half, but ultimately fell 3-1 at home to Club America on matchday 2 of Leagues Cup action.

Lineups & Prematch

As both teams came out of the tunnel for pregame warmups, the Timbers were boo'd and Club America cheered by a stadium that looked ugly as sin in yellow. The Liga MX giants' supporters outnumbered Portland's by a staggering majority, something I'm not sure I've ever seen in all my years watching and covering this club.

But the game isn't played in the stands, it would be played by Jack Cassidy's first-choice XI (minus James Pantemis, who didn't clear concussion protocol) in his final match in charge of the first-team as interim head coach:

No surprises in the starting XI, but notable Alex Bonetig did not make the bench – Throughout the Puebla match on Thursday, Bonetig could be seen grabbing his shoulder and wincing. That meant a first appearance in a Timbers matchday squad since September 24, 2025 for center back Zac McGraw.

Freshly signed striker Vincent Janssen received his player visa on Saturday, meaning for the first time in Portland he was available off the bench behind Kevin Kelsy.

Recap & Highlights

6' Goal Club America, 1-0 – A cheap foul from Ari Lassiter gave away a free kick from 20+ yards out, and former LAFC winger Brian Rodriguez hit a screamer into the top corner to open the scoring. Nothing Trey Muse could have done in net, not really sure any 'keeper in the world could have got to that one.

19' GOAL TIMBERS, 1-1 – A terrible giveaway from Rodolfo Cota in Club America's net fell right to the feet of Kristoffer Velde in the box. The winger sat down two defenders with a cut back onto his left, and calmly slotted the ball into an empty net to equalize for the Timbers.

39' – Guess who picked up a yellow card for the Timbers? Capitano.

45' – Two minutes of first half stoppage time

Halftime: Portland Timbers 1 - 1 Club America

The visitors had a flurry of chances to end the half, but none that troubled Trey Muse in net. At the break the Timbers were level on shots, and had earned one more corner than Club America. Credit to the team for playing as well as they did in a strangely hostile home match, but for a worldy free kick conceded early the Liga MX giants looked fairly pedestrian with the ball.

46' – The Timbers attack the North end.

59' – Jimer Fory was booked for a late challenge right in front of the benches.

63' Goal Club America, 2-1 – Rodriguez was able to cut inside Bye again to have a shot from outside the box, which took a wicked deflection off Finn Surman onto the post, and allowed Isaias Violante to smash home the rebound.

66' Substitution – Antony ON // Ariel Lassiter OFF

In the several minutes that followed, Antony was easily dispossessed three times.

69' – Brandon Bye won a great tackle against Rodriguez, hit-sticking him in the process, and for some reason the referee whistled play dead with the Timbers, and Velde, on the counter.

88' Goal Club America, 3-1 – A long ball went up toward the strikers on the halfway line with Finn Surman the only player near it. The Timbers' center back got the header all wrong, going backwards for Oscar Perea to pounce on and run the length of the half before slotting past Muse in net. With that goal, the Timbers are all but knocked out of Leagues Cup 2026.

Full Time: Portland Timbers 1 - 3 Club America

At the end of the day, Club America is a better team, with higher quality players than the Portland Timbers. That's not up for debate, it just is what it is. Having said that, the first half was really promising for the team. They scored a thunderbolt free kick, a rebound off the post, and off of a mistake from the best defender on the team who's hardly put a foot wrong for club and country all season.

It's also worth pointing out that Leagues Cup is a cash-grab tournament in which only a handful of teams qualify for the knockout stages after group play. On the MLS side of the table eight teams already have more points that the Timbers, and six of those teams are perfect through two matches. It's not official, but the Timbers are effectively eliminated, making Thursday's contest against Club Tijuana a dead rubber.

It is however, going to be Marti Cifuentes' first match in charge, so if nothing else worth watching for that fact. Hopefully in the future the league includes Leagues Cup matches with season tickets, or at least gives season ticket-holders first right of refusal for tickets, because that was a joke tonight. Here's Kristoffer Velde on the atmosphere inside Providence Park tonight:

"Shit, shit, shit, shit. All of the yellow [jerseys], incredible. I've never seen this in my life. I don't understand how it's possible."