Portland collected 3 points at home over the New York Red Bulls

Portland Timbers head coach, Phil Neville’s, opening remarks in the press conference after they defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-1 at home in Providence Park:

“What I’ve just said to the team in there is that I think we can play miles better. I think our levels need to be better. I think the big thing is two things, really. If we go in at halftime 3-0 up, we win the game easily. We go in at 1-0, 1-0 is a really horrible scoreline in the second half ‘cause they have to go for it… We have to turn into a team that’s ruthless.” 

Portland started off strong and looking like the ruthless team Phil wanted to see. Joao Ortiz collected the ball at midfield in the 11th minute, passed to new acquisition, Matias Rojas, on the right. Rojas to Mora, back to Rojas, who sent the cross in to Velde at the center of goal. Velde, another new acquisition for Portland, put the ball past Red Bulls’ keeper, Carlos Coronel, but was ruled offside. 

 Kristoffer Velde and Red Bull’s midfielder, Ronald Donkor by Diego G Diaz.

In the 17th minute, Velde took service on a free kick for the Timbers after Juan Mosquera actively pointed out being fouled by Mohammed Sofo. Velde placed the ball on the right side of the line where Felipe Mora connected with a header that went just right of the goal. 

Finn Surman was in excellent form on the back line for Portland and made big defensive plays throughout the match including in the 21st minute, when he read the play between Wiki Carmona and Peter Stroud and blocked a shot on goal and denied James Pantemis a save. 

Jimer Fory and Kristoffer Velde played a back-and-forth pass along the left touch line in the 28th that put Velde in position to send a pop-up pass to the center of goal from almost out of bounds.  Matias Rojas was there with a header and his first goal in front of the home crowd. 

Matias Rojas celebrating his first goal in Providence Park by Diego G Diaz.

The Red Bulls quickly tried to retaliate with an attempt by Wikelman Carmona in the 31st that was caught in the center of the goal by Pantemis. 

The first yellow card of the match was given to Velde in the 36th minute for a foul on Tim Parker that did not seem strong enough to warrant the caution from referee Joe Dickerson. NYRB had their first caution two minutes later when Peter Stroud clipped Ayala from behind. 

Surman and Pantemis shut down an attempt by Mohammed Sofo in the 40th minute. Finn’s size and blocking allowed James time to read the play and make the save. Carmona tried again for the Red Bulls in the 45th minute but his shot was blocked by Fory. 

Eric Maxim Choupo-Monting was given New York’s second yellow in the 45+2 for kicking Dario Zuparic in the head. Portland’s free kick was unproductive, ending the first half with Portland up 1-0.

Phil Neville was correct in saying that a team down at halftime by one will play with an intensity to win. The Red Bulls made two substitutions during the half replacing Stroud and Edelman with similar players, Donkor and Berggren, and played with a sense of urgency. 

Portland Goalkeeper James Pantemis by Diego G Diaz.

Sofo took a right footed shot on goal in the 52nd minute that was blocked by Surman that was followed in the 53rd by a missed attempt by Emil Forsberg.

Phil made his first substitutions of the match in the 57th minute, bringing on Kevin Kelsy for Felipe Mora and David Da Costa for Matias Rojas. Post match he said, “We lost momentum. That’s why I made the early two subs. And to be honest with you, Roca and Pepe didn’t deserve to come off. I really didn’t, I just really wanted to change the momentum with something.”

Fory earned a familiar yellow card in the 61st for a foul on Carmona, who was later subbed out in the 64th minute for Julian Hall.

Velde tried it again to put the ball in the back of the net in the 68th minute with a shot that was saved by Coronel. New York retaliated on the following play and were able to even the score with a goal that seemed to be obviously offside. 

Forsberg took a right footed shot directly in front of the goal after a pass was sent to him through a collection of bodies. Pantemis raised his arm for offsides immediately, but the goal counted after a look from VAR and a deflection off of Ortiz kept Forsberg on. 

 New York Red Bulls at Portland Timbers by Diego G Diaz.

That equalizer seemed to be what the Timbers needed to get motivated. Kelsy, Da Costa, Velde, and Da Costa again all took shots in the 72nd minute that were saved or blocked by New York. It was Antony who was able to make the fast break in the 73rd to collect a cross from Mosquera for the go-ahead goal.

Diego Chara and Christian Paredes entered the match in the 75th, relieving Ortiz and Ayala. 

Pantemis made another big two part save in the 76th when Raheem Edward took a left footed long shot from outside the box with Choupo-Monting there to collect the deflection and shoot, before he was eventually called offside.

Kevin Kelsy winning the header by Diego G Diaz.

Both teams made their final substitutions of the match in the 81st minute. Portland’s Ari Lassiter came on for Velde and Sofo and Edwards were replaced with Ngoma and Morales. 

After a botched heel kick that went nowhere and led to a turnover, Kevin Kelsy tried for a header goal in the 81st minute that was saved by Coronel. He tried again in the 87th with a shot that missed over the crossbar.

The final whistle blew after 7 extra minutes of stoppage time with the Timbers collecting all 3 points for the first time since July 25th.