Portland centerbacks Liam Ridgewell and Nat Borchers exploited FC Dallas on corner kicks and Dairon Asprilla scored a great goal as the WesternConference regular-season champion went down to defeat, to the Timbers 3-1. FCD got a goal from David Texeira but need to overturn a two-goal deficit at home in the second leg onSunday.
Here are three takeaways from the first leg match at a typically frenzied Providence Park.
1.Porter gets selections and tactics right.
Portland prevailed in the first leg, 3-1, despite the absences of playmaker Diego Valeri andwinger Rodney Wallace. Faced with thorny decisions in a crucial situation, Timbers head coach Caleb Porter got his selections and tactics right.
To replace Wallace, Porter chose to start Lucas Melano, who had started the first two games of the playoffs before giving way to Asprilla up front for the second game againstVancouver, and added Jack Jewsbury to the midfield mix in tandem with Darlington Nagbe and Diego Chara. Jewsbury brought enough savvy and work rate to complement Chara’sholding attributes and Nagbe’s acumen of connecting front to back.
Nagbe slipped a through ball in the opening minute that Melano failed toconvert but that early chance signaled overpowering momentum for the home team. Asprilla and Melano carried much of the play and won the battle of the flanks for the first hour of match, which limitedthe opportunities for Fabian Castillo and Michael Barrios to attack the Portland back line.
Nagbe swung over a pair of corner kicks FCD couldn’t deal with. Asprilla got his head to one midway through the firsthalf and Ridgewell, storming through the goalmouth, ran through the bouncing ball to force it into the net. In stoppage time, with the score, 2-1, Nagbe’s corner kick was headedhard at goal by Norberto Paparatto, who had replaced an injured Ridgewell, and when FCD keeper Jesse Gonzalez couldn’t smother it, Borchers poked it into the net.
Asprilla started only 10 of 26 games in the regular season and scored just one goal, but early in the second half he blasted an incredible winner. Zach Loydtracked down a ball intended for Adi but then played it straight to Asprilla, who pushed it forward and struck a wickedly swerving shot that glanced off the underside of the crossbar on its way intothe side-netting.
2. FCD can’t follow up on quick goal after Ridgewell departure.
After Asprilla’s goal, FCD managed to apply some attacking pressure and when a leg injury forced Ridgewell out of the game in the 61st minute, FCD scored right away when Texeiracut in front of Paparatto to nick in a cross from Je-Vaughn Watson. But as Portland scrambled to regain its equilibrium, FCD squandered several chances at a second goal.
The awaygoal offers FCD a chance to advance by winning the home leg, 2-0, which would tie the aggregate at 3-3. It beat Portland, 4-1, at Toyota Stadium in July.
3. Family tragedy shakes FCDallas.
Preparations for the first leg in Portland were disrupted Thursday when Martha Pareja, mother of head coach Oscar Pareja,passed away in their native Colombia.
Pareja left the team and didn’t return until late Saturday. The team had traveled to Portland withouthim on Friday. Shortly before kickoff, Pareja and the Timbers’ Porter shook hands and briefly embraced at midfield.
TRIVIA. Borchers’ goal in the first minute of stoppage time is the 20th, including playoffs, scored by Portland this season in the 76th minute or later. Max Urruti talliedin overtime in the knockout round match against Sporting Kansas City, and Chara scored in stoppage time of the Timbers’ 2-0 defeat of Vancouver in the conference semifinals. Toronto FC and NewYork City FC were the other teams to tally 17 goals in the last quarter of an hour (plus stoppage time) during the regular season
Nov. 22 in Portland,Oregon
Portland 3, FC Dallas 1. Goals: Ridgewell (Asprilla, Nagbe) 23, Asprilla 53, Borchers 90+1; Texeira (Watson, Diaz) 62.
Portland — Kwarasey; Powell, Borchers,Ridgewell (Paparrato, 61), Villafana; Chara, Jewsbury, Nagbe; Melano (Johnson, 90+3), Asprilla, Adi (Urruti, 85).
FC Dallas — Gonzalez; Watson, Hedges, Loyd, Hollingshead; Acosta, Ulloa,Barrios (Akindele, 85), Castillo; Diaz, Texeira (Perez, 77).
Yellow cards: Portland – Villafana 38, Chara 78; FC Dallas – Acosta 86.
Referee: Ted Unkel.
Att.: 21,114.
I don’t understand it, watching that vine of Asprilla’s goal. There are 7 players on the pitch, all ball-watching. Poor, poor advertisement for MLS.
Have watched Asprilla play in several regular contests…how this guy is in the MLS is mind-boggling…poor executions, giveaways, wrong decisions, etc., the guy brings zero to the table…a lucky goal against Dallas has no redemption for consistent incompetence.