Timbers ride Dallas Bulls
BY KATIE ARCHER
Providence Park shook with excite
ment as the Timbers Army anticipa
tion grew for the MLS playoff game.
There was not an empty seat in the
house and many fans stood the en
tire game.
By a shrill of a whistle, the Portland
Timbers led a charging attack against
the Dallas Bulls.
W ithout w anting to divulge too
much inform ation on their game
plan, head coach Caleb Porter said,
“We had a clear plan on how we were
going to approach them and a part of
that was predicated on who we had
healthy. ... So it was a little bit of a
different setup for us but we felt it fit
the players in the game and it also fit
playing Dallas?’
Only 28 seconds into the game,
Lucas Melano had already challenged
Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez.
“ We came out aggressively,” said
Porter. “ That was always the main
plan. Come out, press and attack. 1
also knew we could do that because
of how organized we are in the back. ”
Time after time, the Timbers would
be in a good formation for a crossing
pass to take a shot on goal. The ball
would get bounced around into an area
where no Timber player was, giving
Dallas a chance to clear the attack.
Portland would come right back
again and again with aggression.
At the 22:25 mark, Providence
Park exploded when Liam Ridgewell
finished the corner kick to the back of
the net. It was Ridgewell’s first goal
of the season.
“ No, there was no chance the
keeper was going to stop that one. It
was going in no matter what,” said
Ridgewell.
Heading into halftime, the Timbers
led 1-0.
Out by the 18 yard box, Dairon
Asprilla had time to take a shot and
the ball sailed into the upper corner of
the goal. At 53 minutes, the Timbers
were leading 2-0.
“Great goal. He got a hold of it,” said
Porter. “ He’ s capable of that. You
know, he can really hit a heavy ball.
Sometimes it not always the most
accurate or precise but I’ve seen him
in training get a hold of that type of
shot before so fortunately it came at
a good time.”
About 10 minutes later, the Timbers
would say farewell to their shut out
when Dallas player David Texeira got
a shot pass Adam Kwarasey.
Ridgewell said for some people it’ s
about scoring goals, but for him and
Nat Brochers, it’s about keeping clean
sheet.
“ We feel good about keeping a
clean sheet,” said Ridgewell. “ It was
annoying tonight they scored one
goal. That’s the way we are.”
Ridgewell did leave the game after
tweaking his calf and is confident that
he will be ready to play in their next
game.
The steadiness of the Timbers
mêlées against the Dallas defense
brought back the earlier tension of
all the nearly missed goals.
Breaking into stoppage tim e,
Borchers finished a bounced around
ball for a goal, putting the Timbers
up 3-1.
“ It was a big one for sure,” said
Borchers. “After they scored against
us we were reeling a little bit, but we
kept our composure and I think Papa
[Paparatto] did a great job to angle
that one on goal and fortunately, 1
was there to clean it up.”
Unsure if he remembers everything
that happened during his goal,
Borchers said,” I was told I had a
couple of stabs at it and kinda like
chopping a tree down, I finally got
it in.”
Having goals made by Ridgewell,
Asprilla and Borchers shows the depth
and the teamwork of the Timbers.
“We’re a team,” said Porter. “ It’s
the first thing I always say to my club
when I take over a team. It’ s not first
team, second team, its one team and
I need all of you. That’s been the case
this year.”
Speaking about the fluidity of the
team, Fanendo Adi said, “ Yeah, I
mean, that’ s what we expect from
everybody. You know, the guys have
been really working hard in training.
... The group is very motivated and
everyone is feeling the moment so
we’ll just enjoy it.”
The Timbers will be on the road to
Dallas, Sunday, Nov. 29, for the final
game between them and the Audi
MLS cup game.
“We just need to focus on the next
gam e,” said Adi. “ We just need to
focus. Enjoy this one for today but
focus for the next one.”