The Portland Timbers travelled to Colorado for a contest against the Rapids, and put together a performance to be embarrassed by – The hosts scored twice on either side of the break to cruise to a 2-0 lead, before a red card to left-back Jimer Fory in the 77th minute sealed any hope of a comeback (not that there was much hope of one).
Prematch
Phil Neville opted for an unchanged starting XI after his side took down the Columbus Crew 3-2 on opening night at Providence Park one week ago, leaving the likes of Kevin Kelsy, Kamal Miller, and Ariel Lassiter on the bench. Trey Muse was selected ahead of Hunter Sulte as James Pantemis' backup on the day, and Joao Ortiz missed out on the matchday squad due to "personal reasons" – Neville revealed that Ortiz's wife went into labor on the team's bus to PDX International and was given the match off.
Interestingly, neither Noah Santos or Eric Izoita were called up to the squad from T2, meaning that both Chara and Bassett would have to go the full 90 for a second straight week with no midfield substitutes on the bench. Neville also revealed post-match that by the time the club realized Ortiz wouldn't be available to play it was too late to bring another T2 call-up along for the match. Furthermore, Eric Izoita hasn't been signed as a T2 player yet so couldn't have been called up regardless.
Bassett, of course, makes his return to DICK'S Sporting Goods Park for the first time as a Timbers player in what will no doubt be an emotional day for the 24-year-old Colorado native.
Match Highlights
3' - What a return it could have been for Cole Bassett just three minutes into the match! The midfielder made a darting run to the near-post and got a glancing header to Kristoffer Velde's corner, forcing Rapids 'keeper Zack Steffen into a reaction-save planted on his goal-line.
6' - The Timbers' backline was caught out completely from a well-worked Rapids set-piece routine, and a world-class stop from James Pantemis denied a WIDE open header from former Arsenal defender Rob Holding near the six-yard box.
7' Goal Colorado, 1-0, scored by Hamzat Ojediran (Jackson Travis assist) - The Timbers lasted a minute longer in not conceding than they did matchday 1, but Ojediran's strike from distance took a wicked deflection off of Finn Surman and passed Pantemis in net. It's the second week running that the Timbers have conceded a goal from outside the box because nobody was willing to close down the strike, and because of it they once again had a mountain to climb at Altitude.
22' - After two previous late challenges, former Sounder Josh Atencio was finally shown a yellow card for a cynical foul on Felipe Mora from behind.
26' - The Timbers created their best opportunity from open play in a prototypical buildup from back to front. Alex Bonetig received the ball and stepped passed the pressure from Rapids' forward Rafael Navarro to find Mora in the middle of the pitch. Mora released Bye down the wing, and the full-back put a great cross into the box that was just inches in front of an on-rushing Guerra in front of goal.
39' - A 'howler of the year' contender from Kristoffer Velde, who should have equalized for the Timbers under minimal pressure inside the box. Guerra gave every ounce of effort he had to make a sliding cross back into the center, Mora let the ball run, and Velde got cute with the entire goal to aim at. Horrible effort on the finish, had he put the attempt hard and low it would have likely gone in regardless of a touch on the line, instead he tried to make it pretty. Not good enough for the lone DP on the pitch.
Halftime: Colorado Rapids 1 - 0 Portland Timbers
The Timbers were pretty comprehensively out-fought and out-worked in the first half to a Rapids team that's not going to be very good in 2026. There was so much wrong with the performance, but the wing play from Velde and Antony stood out in the worst possible way. Both looked sluggish, slow, and showed poor body language throughout the opening 45'.
50-52' - Bonetig had his pocket picked by Navarro as the last man back, but Surman somehow covered a huge amount of ground to get back and block the shot before it could even reach Pantemis in net. Moments later Alex Harris was sent through 1v1 on goal, but Pantemis denied his effort with a world-class save.
53' Goal Colorado, 2-0, scored by Lucas Herrington (Dante Sealy assist) - The goal had been coming for the Rapids, who doubled their lead via set-piece. Sealy rose like a salmon over Bassett at the far post with Pantemis flapping his arms and legs in no-mans land as the ball went past him in slow-motion.
68' Substitution - Kevin Kelsy ON // Felipe Mora OFF
69' - Kelsy made an immediate impact upon entering the pitch, holding the ball up for Chara to find Bye on the right. For the second time in the match Bye put an incredible cross into the box for Guerra, who got a foot to the ball but was denied a great goal by a shoulder-save from Steffen.
73' - James Pantemis came way off his line to challenge for a 50/50 ball against Reggie Cannon, but got it all wrong and fouled the right-back pretty egregiously. There were a few players back for the Timbers between Cannon and the goal, but I've seen red cards given to goalkeepers for challenges like that many times.
74' - Another massive set-piece chance for the hosts cannoned off the crossbar from the head of Holding.
75' Substitution - Ariel Lassiter ON // Gage Guerra OFF
77' Red card, Jimer Fory - Fory made a late, but standard challenge on Aaronson to stop a counter attack, but Jair Marrufo unfathomably brandished a straight red to the Timbers left-back. First horrendous PRO decision of the season to go against the Timbers, but it won't be the last.
83' - Yellow Card shown to Diego Chara, which equals Kyle Beckerman's MLS record for most yellow cards received in league history.
84' Substitutions - Kamal Miller, Ian Smith ON // Diego Chara, Antony OFF
85' to Full-time - Colorado proceeded to pepper the Timbers' net with shots and exploit the man advantage following Jimer Fory's red card.
Full-Time: Colorado Rapids 2 - 0 Portland Timbers
Reaction
I'm not sure if the altitude translated through the TV, but I feel sick having watched that performance from the Timbers. It's as collective a loss as it was a comprehensive one – Aside from Guerra, Chara, and Bye, there isn't a single player who should come out of that game feeling good about their efforts.
The Rapids abused the Timbers from corners and free-kicks, dominated a disjointed midfield, and shut down the likes of Velde, Mora, and Antony for the entirety of the match. Portland was ultimately undone by a lack of urgency in closing down a shot from distance, and conceding a sloppy goal off a corner. If that sounds a lot like what we saw from the Timbers in 2025, that's because it was.
To their credit, neither Neville or Bassett made any excuses about the altitude, officiating, or being on the road early in the season:
"For me there shouldn't be any difference between playing away from home and playing at home," said Bassett. "I don't think we looked like the Portland Timbers today."
"I felt we never got started ... Performance levels were nowhere near what we saw at Providence Park last week," said Neville. "We looked nervous and rushed in possession of the ball ... Our best players didn't put the ball in the back of the net, which is what we pay them to do."
The Timbers will have to lick their wounds and go back to the drawing board before an even tougher test next weekend – A home clash with the Vancouver Whitecaps for the first Cascadia Cup match of 2026. If they play like they did today in that match, the score is going to be a lot bigger than 2-0.
