PORTLAND — This is new territory for the Portland Timbers and their first-year coach — a chance not only to clinch a playoff spot but to push for a championship. But Caleb Porter understands that opportunities such as the one presented today don’t come around annually.
A win or a tie against Real Salt Lake at Jeld-Wen Field and the Timbers will secure a playoff spot for the first time in their three Major League Soccer seasons. Win today and Portland can realistically dream about finishing as regular-season champions.
First, though, there is the matter of a good start.
In three previous matches this year between Portland and Real Salt Lake — including a U.S. Open Cup clash — early goals have told the story.
In the Open Cup semifinals, RSL got a seventh-minute goal from Alvaro Saborio. In a 4-2 RSL win 10 days later, it was two goals for Salt Lake in the first 15 minutes that set the tone.
The 3-3 draw at Jeld-Wen Field on Aug. 21 is remembered for the visitors’ stoppage-time equalizer. But that game, too, was shaped by early goals as Rodney Wallace put Portland ahead early only to see RSL lead by halftime.
“We’ve got two teams that want to play dominantly — both teams trying to push the game and attack,” Porter said. “When that happens you get clashing styles. I think to some extent we played into their hands a little bit by trying to overplay early in the game.”
Porter said the lessons learned in those losses at Salt Lake — and a poor start to a draw at Chivas — produced adjustments that have helped shape his team’s surge to the top of the Western Conference standings. He said the coaching staff became more specific about players’ jobs both with and without the ball — especially during the first 15 minutes of a match.
“I think it’s starting the game better,” Porter said, pointing to more cohesiveness among his back six players as one improvement. “I think it’s at times being a little bit more compact and pragmatic and that’s why we haven’t given up many goals, and yet we’re still playing the same (attacking) style.”
Since the 1-1 draw at Chivas on Sept. 15, the Timbers have scored first in each of their four matches — including three consecutive 1-0 wins in home matches.
But 1-0 scores don’t fit the pattern when Salt Lake and Portland get together.
In three games against the Timbers, RSL has scored nine goals. This against a team that has allowed the second fewest goals in the league (33).
Not counting the three goals RSL scored at Portland, the Timbers have allowed only eight goals in their other 15 home matches. Take away the three New York scored on opening day, and the other visitors to Jeld-Wen produced a paltry five goals in 14 games.
The Timbers have posted four consecutive home shutouts. Cole Grossman’s stoppage-time goal to earn RSL the 3-3 draw at Portland on Aug. 21 was the last goal scored by a visitor to Jeld-Wen Fied.
“There’s no secret,” Real Salt Lake captain Kyle Beckerman said. “We’ve gotten lucky. I think we’ve played well (in Portland), and hopefully we can continue it. But it’s nothing like we know the recipe or anything. It’s going to take a lot of hard work.”
