The Clackamas print., June 03, 2015, Page 7, Image 7

JUNE 3.2015 -CLACKAMAS PRINT
There is no place like home fo r a team. After going 1-2
on three road games, the Portland Timbers came home
to Providence Park to host D.C. United fo r a Wednesday
evening game on May 27.
D.C. United was ranked first in the Eastern Conference
and th e Portland Timbers w ere ninth in th e W estern
Conference. This was a big game fo r th e Timbers.
W ith the excitem ent from th e Timbers Army, no tim e
was wasted in getting a Timbers goal. Forward Gastón
Fernández delivered a superb cross fo r forw ard Max­
im iliano Urruti to score around th e fo u r-m in u te mark
o f th e game. A fter th e game, Urruti com m ented th a t
the goal was 50 percent his and 50 percent Fernández.
“Our goal was to come in aggressive and w e scored
a goal four minutes in and th a t was th e difference in
th e m atch,” said head coach Caleb Porter, d u rin g a
post-gam e press confrence. He th o u g h t they probably
should’ve had a couple more goals as th e Timbers kept
threatening th e D.C. defense. Impressive saves by D.C.
goalkeeper, Bill Hamid, kept th e Timbers to one goal.
One goal was enough fo r th e Timbers to defeat D.C.
United. “You can lose energy w hen you’re n o t getting
results and w hen you do th a t you’re dead in th e water,"
said Porter. »
Team captain W ill Johnson, w ho had been o u t w ith a
broken leg, made is debut, adding a Cinderella element
to th e game. Being a part o f a w in was huge and w h a t
m attered was th e w in itself.
“ It’s not about me, it’s about three points fo r this club.
We needed it badly to get going in th e rig h t direction
quickly,” said Johnson. “We spoke a bout urgency this
w eek and I th in k th a t’s w h a t you saw a t th e sta rt o f
th e game."
Across the street from Providence Park, is the Cheerful
Bullpen. Bar manager Amy Hart said, “The Timbers Army
is really funny. They are super loyal customers and they
come out every single game no m atter w hat. Dedicated
is th e best way to describe them .”
Even w ith th e game across th e street, Hart has ex­
perienced a crazy loud bar during games w ith only a
couple o f people w atching a t th e Cheerful Bullpen. A
Timbers w in only creates a more exciting atm osphere
at the bar.
however, the Army was not afraid to show th e ir dis­
con te n t fo r th e lackluster perform ance o f th e ir team
so far this season w ith a few large banners. One read
“Same as it ever was” under a red line. A nother stated
“ Keep calm ali w e really w a n t are some goals.” The last
tim e th e Tim bers finished above th e red line was in
2013 w hen they were first in th e W estern Conference.
7
W hen asked if this discontent was concerning, John­
son said, “ No, it w ould be concerning if It wasn’t there.
Nobody in this locker room has ever p u t th e ir hand up
and said where we are rig h t now is good enough.” The
team knows th e ir fans deserve better.
The Timbers faced a quick turn around as they travled
up in elevation to play th e Colorado Rapids on Satur­
day, May 30. In preperation fo r Saturday’s game, coach
Porter rotated five o f his players during the D.C. game
so the team w ould have fresh legs against the Rapids.
In the 38th minute, Fernández scored his first goal of
the season w ith the assist from Urruti. The Timbers kept
th e ir 1-0 lead until th e Rapids scored in the 8 9 th m in­
ute. W ith three minutes o f stoppage tim e, the Timbers
refused to settle fo r a tie as defender Jack Jewsbury
scored th e game w inning goal in th e th ird minute. The
goal was th e latest road goal, during a game, since the
Timbers became a MLS team.
The Timbers first game as a MLS team was in Colorado
back in 2011 and Saturday was their first win at Colorado
as a MLS team. The w in also launched th e Timbers into
sixth place in th e W estern Conference, boosting them
over th e red line.
The Timbers next game w ill be at Providence Park on
June, 6 at 7:30 against New England.