Match Recap: Portland Timbers vs FC Dallas
The Portland Timbers took the lead twice, but another late lapse of concentration saw FC Dallas leave Providence Park with a point after an end-to-end 2-2 draw. Kristoffer Velde forced an own goal and set up Cristhian Paredes for his second assist as a Timber, while Petar Musa scored from the penalty spot before Anderson Julio put a deflected effort past James Pantemis in the 85 minute.
Lineups & Prematch
A win for the Timbers would clinch a play-in match and put them firmly in the driver's seat to secure a 7th-place finish with a positive result in their final two matches against Seattle and San Diego. A home match against a hungry, yet flawed, FC Dallas presented the perfect opportunity to "go for it," and Portland's lineup reflected that.
After a somewhat successful showing (at least in the first half) against the Vancouver Whitecaps midweek Phil Neville chose again to deploy a three-at-the-back formation, this time with a heavy offensive influence.
For the first time all four of Kristoffer Velde, Felipe Mora, Matias Rojas, and David da Costa were selected to start together, with the latter in a deeper position next to David Ayala at the base of midfield. If this set of attackers was unable to create chances for their striker to finish I'm not sure the Timbers have a lineup that is.
Both Juan Mosquera and Jimer Fory missed Portland's previous two matches through injury, but Mosquera was given the greenlight to return at right wingback from the start, pushing Antony to left wingback. Fory was deemed healthy enough for a spot on the bench.
Kamal Miller (scorer of golazos), Dario Zuparic, and Finn Surman once again provided the shield in front of James Pantemis' net.
Joao Ortiz was left out of the squad entirely after bright performances against the New York Red Bulls and Houston Dynamo, a testament to the play of both Diego Chara and Cristhian Paredes in recent weeks.
It was good to see Maxime Crepeau cleared to play after a nasty concussion suffered on international duty kept him sidelined for the Timbers' previous three matches.
Match Recap & Highlights
1' - Kristoffer Velde was fouled twice inside the opening 40 seconds of the match, setting up a free-kick opportunity that was recycled before the Timbers won a corner through Mora.
13' - FC Dallas intercepted a Velde through-ball looking for Antony and with two passes the visitors bypassed Portland's entire defensive structure to release Petar Musa through on goal. He missed the opportunity, but the flag was raised for offside regardless
16' Shot, POR - The Timbers won the ball back in midfield and sprung a counterattack with Velde through the center of the pitch. Velde released a through-ball to Antony down the right wing that forced him a bit wide, but the Brazilian picked his head up and found Mora in the box with a free shot at goal that the #9 wishes he could have back.
18' Shot, POR - Rojas' vision and Da Costa's off-ball movement found the Timbers near the right corner flag, and a delicious little scoop from the cheeky little chappy set Mosquera up for an outside-of-the-boot half-volley that Jacob Jackson had to save at the near post. Mosquera
23' Yellow Card, POR - Mosquera earned the first caution of the match for a late challenge on Kaick outside the left corner of Portland's penalty area.
26' - VAR stopped play after Shaq Moore went through the back of Mora inside the Dallas box to intercept an in-swinging cross from Velde, which looked like a clear penalty. Unfortunately the officiating crew disagreed, nothing given.
29' Shot, POR - Rojas clipped a cross into Antony just inside the penalty area, and for the second time in the first half one of Portland's forwards scuffed an opportunity with a first-time effort.
39' Post, FCD - Bernard Kamungo was found in acres of space from a line-splitting through-ball from Christian Cappis, but James Pantemis stood tall to save his 1v1 effort. Dallas got the ball back from the rebound and recycled it across the box to an unmarked Kaick, and again Pantemis made himself big to thwart a second chance in rapid succession. Kaick picked up the ball again and sent a cross into Musa in the box, and under pressure from Finn Surman the Croatian striker sent a header off the base of the post before the Timbers finally cleared the danger.
44' Shot, POR - Velde received the ball 40 yards from goal and unleashed a wicked, bouncing strike that Jackson scrambled to push wide for a corner.
45+1' GOAL POR, 1-0 - They huffed, they puffed, and the Portland Timbers finally blew FC Dallas' proverbial door down in first half stoppage-time. Kristoffer Velde sent an in-swinging corner toward near post defender Ramiro, and an unfortunate header from him glanced past Jackson and into his own net.
Halftime: Portland Timbers 1 - 0 FC Dallas
46' Substitutions - Mosquera could only go 45 minutes in his return to action, with Neville making a double change to start the second half. Ian Smith, Cristhian Paredes ON // Juan Mosquera, Matias Rojas OFF.
58' Shot, POR - Antony was absolutely clobbered by Shaq Moore to earn Portland a free kick outside the right corner of the box. Velde stepped up to take an in-swinger, and Mora rose to head the ball wide of goal.
69' Substitutions - Two more nice substitutions for the Timbers – Omir Fernandez, Jimer Fory ON // David da Costa, Kamal Miller OFF. Fernandez moved to the right wing and Fory replaced Miller on the left of the back three.
70' Penalty Goal FCD, 1-1 - Finn Surman brought down Logan Farrington inside the box and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Musa stepped up and emphatically dispatched after VAR summoned the official to the monitor to check for a DOGSO red card for Finn, but cooler heads prevailed.
79' Substitution - One final roll of the dice for Neville. Kevin Kelsy ON // Felipe Mora OFF.
81' GOAL POR, 2-1 - Antony drove inside off the right wing and played to the feet of Paredes, Paredes then found Velde, who produced a sublime first-time ball over the defender back for Paredes to volley home with a first-time strike into the bottom corner to restore the Timbers' lead.
85' Goal FCD, 2-2 - The visitors sent a deep cross up to the head of Musa in the box, who towered over (and maybe fouled) Jimer Fory to knock a header down to Farrington. Farrington had the wherewithal to lay the ball back to substitute Anderson Julio, and the Dallas attacker's strike took a wicked deflection off Surman to wrong-foot Pantemis on its way into the goal. Deja Vu for Portland, who never looked resolute enough to retain their late lead.
89' Shot, POR - Portland pushed forward in search of another go-ahead goal, and Antony delivered a beautiful cross to Ayala crashing the box, but Ayala's header agonizingly nestled on the roof of the net.
90+8' Shot, POR - Kevin Kelsy (Yes, Kevin Kelsy) held the ball up in the middle of the pitch before playing an inch-perfect ball to Velde on the right wing for what surely was one final opportunity to take all three points at home. Velde cut inside onto his deadly right foot and flashed a curler wide of the far post.
Full Time: Portland Timbers 2 - 2 FC Dallas
"We didn't have the courage to win the game of football. You need courage to win a game of football, courage to keep the ball, courage to take the ball to the corner, courage to keep possession of the ball with the players we've got and we didn't, and it's the second game running." said an animated Phil Neville in his post-match press conference.
"We should have six points from the last two games and we haven't, and we're crawling over the line. Playoffs or no playoffs, it's nowhere near, nowhere near the level that I want from my team. Nowhere near the expectations of these players," Neville continued.
His frustration in the room was as high as I've seen it in his ~two seasons with the club – Frustrated with his players, himself, and the officiating (Which shouldn't come as a surprise at this point, but I didn't think was anywhere near as bad as he and those in the crowd seemed to). They fell short again, just three wins in their previous 13 MLS matches, and look nowhere near good enough to make any noise in the playoffs.
A trip to Seattle (who also appear to be sputtering toward the finish line) before a decision day match at home to San Diego now loom for the Timbers, but regardless of how many points they take from those games it's hard to feel any semblance of confidence based on their recent form.
