Portland’s Surge Towards Play-Offs Continues

When you’re on a great run of form, it can be easy to forget about the bad times that come with the world of football. In equal measure, when you’re on a bad run of form, all you want to do is picture what it’s like to be on top of the world. That kind of contrast is never more evident than when you examine American sports, and more specifically, Major League Soccer.

The Portland Timbers often give off the impression of being a team that has one of the most passionate fans in all of the MLS, and upon further examination, we feel as if we can confirm the truth in that.

Portland, as a whole, is a great sporting city, but up to this point of the season they haven’t really had all too much to shout about in regards to the Timbers. Now, though, as reported by Oregon Live and MLS Soccer, they’re really starting to hit their stride as a team in more ways than one.

Here we go again

In front of more than 25,000 fans this past weekend, they were able to tear through LA Galaxy in one of the most impressive performances of the season so far. Yes, the late red cards on both sides of the ball may have soured the opinion of fans just a little bit, but the overriding fact is this: they won 4-0 against a team that is capable of winning the MLS Cup this year.

Cristhian ParedesParedes got the party started just before half time, after the kind of first half that leaves you with your heart in your mouth. By the time the game had come to an end there was 37 shots between the two teams, and that kind of attacking force was evident throughout the course of proceedings.

Diego Valeri made it two not long after, as Galaxy started to look a little bit weary. As the game went through into the latter stages of the second half, their frustration was starting to grow, because they just couldn’t break Portland down.

The next step

When they were at their best they still couldn’t find their way through, and then in the last ten minutes, Portland ensured they would be walking away with the three points as Paredes got his second goal of the game. Jeremy Ebobisse made it four, and now all of a sudden, it feels like the Timbers are on their way back towards some big things.

They now look like a real contender for the play-offs, which didn’t seem quite as likely just a few short weeks ago. They are the definition of a franchise that isn’t willing to give up and that kind of spirit and determination is rare.

They lost in the MLS Cup Final last year to Atlanta, and this time around, they’ll want to build up as much momentum as they possibly can – especially given how good some of the teams at the top of the West and the East are looking.