The Portland Timbers snagged their first road win since last July with yet another dramatic late goal, this time from Alex Bonetig. Kevin Kelsy opened the scoring with a wonderful solo effort in the first half, only to see it canceled out by an Anders Dreyer penalty kick five minutes later. Bonetig struck off a corner kick in second half stoppage time, and James Pantemis made some magnificent stops to preserve the three points for Portland, and tallying their first ever regular season win over San Diego FC.
Lineups & Prematch
Desperate to spark some sort of offensive fire in his side after an abysmal showing in a shutout in Minnesota, head coach Phil Neville made two key changes to the starting lineup. The backline and midfield remained the same, but in came Alexander Aravena for Antony and Kevin Kelsy for Felipe Mora.
It was easy to see why the changes were made: Pipe had a rough go of things in St. Paul, and Antony appeared to be allergic to using his left foot. Both of those factors combined for Portland's second shutout of the season last weekend.
And so, in comes what may be Portland's strongest starting XI to date.
Entering the match, the Timbers were once again playing in a stadium they have never won in, tallying a draw and two losses in their three trips to Snapdragon Stadium (MLS regular season & playoffs combined). The interesting bit was that the home side hadn't been winning much there either – San Diego was on a six game MLS winless skid entering Saturday night.
Recap & Highlights
The opening stages of the game were some real "MLS Sicko" hours. That is to say, they were quite... dull.
That did appear to be by design, from the perspective of the Timbers. Portland maintained a rather high defensive line, but their coordination between the lines made it tricky for the hosts to play balls forward. It appeared that the only way San Diego would find purchase or room attacking was off of Portland turnovers, which thankfully weren't too egregious in the opening 15 minutes.
On the other hand, Portland couldn't muster even 20% possession in those minutes. But again, it appeared to be by design. The Timbers were looking to hit San Diego on the counterrattack via playing balls direct and long after winning possession. And that pattern was how they produced their first mildly dangerous moment in the attack.
16' Chance POR – Kelsy & Da Costa
The Timbers played through David Da Costa quickly after winning the ball back, and a quick one-two with Jimer Fory sprung Da Costa along the left wing. The midfielder whipped in a great inswinging cross, but Kelsy was a touch late with his run and just missed the ball with his head.
Those were the types of chances that Portland had to do better with if they were to ask questions of San Diego on the night. Because my goodness could last year's top finishers in the Western Conference ask them right back.
23' Chance SD – Dreyer
A long ball overt the top bypassed Portland's defensive line, and Brandon Bye couldn't fully clear the ball. San Diego drove forward in waves, and a cross on the deck was saved and fell to the dangerous Anders Dreyer. He skied his chance, and the flag went up for offside anyway.
The danger was cleared, however it was a testament to the penchant the hosts had for blitzing you out of nowhere.
But do you what else the hosts have had a penchant for in recent weeks? Hitting the self-destruct button and allowing a well-timed challenge from a forward to feast on their mistakes.
Which is exactly what Kevin Kelsy did.
26' GOAL TIMBERS! – Kelsy (0-1)
San Diego possessed the ball along the backline, and Kelsy was able to pounce on a loose touch to wrestle control of the ball away. He immediately drove towards goal and took a deft touch to cut past the scrambling defense. The big forward hit the ball strongly and cleanly, rolling it past the SD 'keeper and into the bottom corner for his second goal of the year.
Big Kev had been threatening to do exactly that with his pressure all half, and it was a nice validation of both his inclusion in the starting XI and Portland's tactical setup to see him score like that.
What followed after the goal was a flurry of attacks from San Diego. It felt like Portland had poked the dark blue (navy?) bear, and were caught on their heels when SD surged forward.
It resulted in the match being drawn level just four minutes after Portland put their noses in front.
31' PK Goal San Diego – Dreyer (1-1)
Portland couldn't clear their lines after repelling a San Diego attack, and key counter pressing from the hosts won them the ball right back. A cross from Portland's right flank hit the hand of Brandon Bye, and the center official made no hesitation to point to the spot and award a penalty kick to San Diego. Bye did his best to tuck his arm in, but his hand was clearly outside of the frame of his body and did block what would have been a dangerous ball.
San Diego's talisman Dreyer stepped up to the spot and made no mistake, slotting home after sending James Pantemis the wrong way.
It was not an unjust equalizer from SD, as they were threatening to do so from basically kickoff after Kelsy's goal. Still, it was a bummer to see Portland hold the lead for barely five minutes.
What wasn't a bummer was the way that Portland responded, and how they darn near grabbed a second goal about 15 minutes after their first.
42' Chance POR – Aravena
A great bit of attacking play down Portland's right flank resulted in Bye lofting in a ball for an unmarked Alexander Aravena, who hit it on the side volley towards the near post. It produced a great flying save from 19-year-old San Diego 'keeper Duran Ferree.
Despite now being pegged even, the Timbers did not shrink as the first came to a close. There were multiple times that they came oh-so-close to breaking out on the break, but couldn't pull it all together.
HALFTIME: San Diego 1, Timbers 1
San Diego predictably dominated possession and the one-all scoreline felt fair, but crucially it also felt like the Timbers were very much squarely in the game.
I actually found myself excited to watch Portland as the second half kicked off, a rarity for an away match this year. With their composed structure I thought they could – oh my god did they just concede literally two minutes into the half.
46' Overturned Goal San Diego – Ingvartsen
Thankfully, the Timbers didn't. But they were very close to. A free kick launched in Dreyer found Ingvartsen at the back post to stab it home, and it was initially ruled a goal. After a video review, it was judged that Ingvartsen was in an offside position and so the goal was chalked off.
Still, it was one hell of a shot across the bow for the Timbers. It was way too easy for Ingvartsen to wiggle free past Brandon Bye, and Portland were very nearly caught with their pants down to start the half.
But again, credit to Phil Neville's side for composing themselves and getting right back into things after that warning shot. And they gave San Diego a warning of their own, and incredulously were denied a goal.
54' Chance POR – Aravena & Kelsy
A sublime long ball over the top from Da Costa was right to the feet of Aravena, who raced past the aggressively high line from San Diego. San Diego's 'keeper Ferree flew off his line like a lunatic, botching his clearance and colliding with Aravena in the process. But as Kelsy pounced on the rebound and sent it into an open net, referee Joe Freemon blew for a foul... on Aravena. The goal didn't count and somehow the ref judged that Aravena was the one who impeded Ferree and not the other way around.
That call in that situation certainly was... a choice. It really felt like either Kelsy's goal should have stood or Ferree should have been sent off for denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity.
Instead neither happened.
After that moment, the chances came flying thick and fast at both ends.
56' Chance SD – Verhoeven
A very well worked move from San Diego saw them carve open Portland's defense, and the ball fell to Oscar Verhoeven at the back post. He looked to have a clear shot at goal, but Fory came flying in to block his effort at the last minute.
66' Shot POR – Bassett
Cole Bassett came inches away from opening his Timbers account after he uncorked a shot from just outside the box. The ball dipped and headed for the bottom corner, and were it not for another flying stop from Ferree Portland would have had the lead.
In the 68th minute, Velde skipped past his defender and looked like he was pulled down in the box while trying to get onto the loose ball. But VAR giveth and it taketh away I suppose, as no foul was called and no intervention was made.
The game got chippier and sloppier as the half wore on, and midway through Portland made their first sub of the night.
73' Sub POR: Antony ON//Aravena OFF
Portland brought on the speedster Antony to see if he could pounce on any late game counter attacking opportunities. He seemed to be the one player on the roster that those chances would be tailor made for (subtle foreshadowing).
79' Save POR – Pantemis
San Diego kept coming with vigor, buoyed by substitutions of their own. Lewis Morgan, freshly on the field, raced into Portland's box with the ball and looked to have a chance from a tight angle. Pantemis did well to fly off his line (decidedly not like a lunatic) to stonewall the shot.
Four minutes later, the Timbers were gifted a golden opportunity to take the lead and potentially steal three points. I cannot emphasize enough how golden of a chance it was – and cannot emphasize enough how loud the noise of disappointment I made was when it was somehow squandered
83' Chance POR – Antony
Antony pounced on a poor pass and was off to the races, with almost the entirety of San Diego's players at the other end of the field. Ferree raced off his line and whiffed, with the Brazilian forward easily slipping around him. With the goal wide open and only Manu Duah for company, Antony took his shot from 20 yards out and he... missed. Agonizingly, infuriatingly, and incredulously, Antony pulled his shot just wide of the far post.
We will move on to talk about the rest of this crazy game, but dear reader, I swear I almost quit watching soccer right then and there after Antony missed.
84' Chance POR – Da Costa
Undeterred by the wasted chance, Portland came again. This time it was Da Costa who had a hit, but it took a deflection on the way through and sizzled wide of the goal.
86' Sub POR: Diego Chara ON// Cole Bassett OFF
The Captain entered the match with it entering its dying embers, but still very much teetering on the knife's edge. Either team had grounds to fashion themselves as likely to go grab a winner, but based on the balance of play quite honestly it felt like Portland was actually the likeliest.
87' Offside goal POR – Antony
Antony must have felt like the universe was against him tonight, as he befell even more misfortune. Ferree, who sprinted off his line all night like he was trying to qualify for the 20-yard dash or something, raced out to deny an entry ball from Portland, and the chance fell to Antony. This time he did not miss... but the flag went up for offside in the buildup. On replay it looked extremely tight, and on another night perhaps the linesman keeps his flag down and the play goes to VAR but doesn't get overturned.
But, like I said, VAR giveth and taketh.
As the match entered an extensive nine minutes of added time, Portland kept having chance after chance. And yet they couldn't turn any of them home. While they played well, it did feel like this was going to be one of those nights where Portland rues their missed opportunities.
But in the final minutes, on their sixth corner kick of the night, the script was flipped upside down by the man from Down Under.
90'+6 GOAL TIMBERS!! – Bonetig (1-2)
The Timbers had come close on corners before, as headers were blocked and follow-ups were missed. But on this one, they found paydirt. Velde swung in a ball that Fory got a head to, only for it to be blocked. Kelsy completely missed on his volley attempt, but after some bouncing the ball fell to the feet of central defender Alex Bonetig. With everyone seemingly frozen in their tracks, the Aussie thumped the ball towards goal and into the bottom corner.
With what was his very first professional goal as a professional soccer player, Alex Bonetig had restored Portland's lead deep into stoppage time.
But the drama wasn't done yet. San Diego threw everything they had at Portland trying to rescue a point. And it was James Pantemis (plus Finn Surman's face) who put on the superhero pants to protect the three points.
90'+10 SAVES POR – Pantemis & Surman
A last gasp of pressure from San Diego elicited three massive saves from the Timbers. First, Pantemis denied Dreyer with a strong save. Pantemis then kept his composure to read a looping follow-up from Bryke Duke and push the ball away. Finally, Finn Surman put his body on the line to dive in and block another shot from Dreyer, denying the reigning MLS Newcomer of the Year at the death.
Moments later, the whistle for full time blew and many Timbers bodies fell to the grass in exhaustion and exultation. For the first time since last July, the Timbers had won a road game. And for the first time ever, they tasted victory at Snapdragon Stadium and beaten San Diego FC.
FULL TIME: San Diego 1, Timbers 2
Anyone who calls this Timbers team boring is a straight up liar. Tonight marked the fifth time a goal in the final ten minutes had changed the result of a Timbers match. Two of those had been losses, but tonight – just like two weeks ago agaisnt LAFC and on opening night against Columbus – it rescued a win for Portland.
Unlike perhaps the win against LAFC however, I think Portland earned this one. They played San Diego straight up from kickoff, and for large stretches of the match were the better side and actually controlled the play. The win was a just reward of what might be Portland's best 90 minute performance of the year so far.
The most encouraging part was how they implemented a successful tactical plan. Portland's high line & selective pressure kept San Diego mostly at bay in the first half, despite conceding almost all possession. In the second half they added more offensive verve, and in reality they probably should have scored and put the game to bed well before Boentig's dramatic winner.
All in all, Portland tasted victory on the road for the first time since last July. It was earned, it was well-fought, and it could be huge. For the second time in three weeks, the Timbers have a chance to use a win as a springboard to launch their season. They failed at their first chance. We will see if they will be able to do so on their second next weekend when they travel to Utah to face Real Salt Lake.
