Portland Timbers looking for 'real reaction' to snap skid in Kansas City

In a reverse Ted Lasso, this time it's a Brit heading to the Midwest with a team going back to the basics.

Here’s the thing about sports: Had the referee made the correct call on Jonathan Rodriguez in the final moments of Portland’s 3-2 loss in Vancouver last Saturday, we’re likely spinning yarn this week of a triumph. 

Sure, it wasn’t pretty — the Timbers allowed a goal in the 2nd minute, another in the 29th and then gave up a backbreaker in the 87th after coming all the way back — but Rodriguez was clearly pulled down, in extra time, in the box, and should have been awarded a PK.

That should have been the end of the losing streak.

But, because this is sports, the referee didn’t make the correct call and the Timbers lost a third match in a row. And instead of talk of a resilient effort to come out of Canada with a point, the focus this week has instead narrowed on a club that can’t seem to keep the ball out of the net. 

And it’s not going to get any easier Sunday in Kansas City.

Portland (2-3-1, 7 points), has allowed the same number of goals (7) during their three-game skid as Kansas City (2-1-3, 9 points) has allowed all season. And unless Portland manager Phil Neville has suddenly found a fix for a team that’s been prone to momentary lapses, this doesn’t feel like the matchup the Timbers need at the moment.

“They got great speed in wide areas,” Neville said of SKC. “You can have possession of the ball and you can give it away and they can really hit you on the counterattack with the players they have in wide areas.”

The counter was especially effective in SKC’s 3-1 win over Toronto FC last week, a game that saw SKC lead 3-0 through 90 minutes despite Toronto controlling possession for 62 percent of the match. “Quite devastating,” is how Neville described it, highlighting the play of 22-year-old fullback Jake Davis who struck from distance for SKC’s second goal.

“In terms of solid young fullbacks in this league, he’s up there,” Neville said. “…He's a fighter. He never gives in. That's an important quality to have as a footballer. I think when you look at talent versus effort, I always think that if you have someone who gives absolutely everything with an unbelievable attitude every day, they've got a great chance of beating the guy that's got talent that probably doesn't have the same effort or attitude. So Jake's someone that's really impressed me.”

The coach seems to be waiting to be swept up by someone from his own side.

Refibri.com

To be clear, the Timbers are scoring goals. Portland’s 10 are tied for third in the MLS, they’ve made the addition of Rodriguez and, despite the loss, Evander’s output against Vancouver ranks among his best games with the franchise. “[He] was probably the best player on the pitch,” Neville said Vancouver. It’s the success the Timbers have had up front, especially as they’ve returned to health, that makes the lapses that they’ve had all the more grating for Neville.

“A lot of what we're doing is really good. We're improving in many facets of our play. But the most important ones we've been working on this week, and that's the absolute basics — the basics that have cost us in the last two games. I want to see a real reaction from my players.”

The good news is that Portland has some reinforcements coming on the backend for once — Neville confirmed Claudio Bravo will travel and is available Sunday for the first time since undergoing knee surgery in January.

“He’s had a really good week — that’s two weeks now he’s had training with the team,” Neville said. “He’s obviously not played any minutes since the end of last season — so he’s short of match minutes — but what he lacks in match minutes he makes up in his experience, his abilities, his qualities and he’s available for selection and it’s good to have him back.”

But is it good to be in Kansas City? SKC is unbeaten in eight consecutive home matches against Portland.

But, again, this is sports.

“I think when you get out of bed in the morning,” Neville said, “there always needs to be a challenge.”

— Tyson Alger, The I-5 Corridor