BEAVERTON, Ore. — Before his team traveled to Kansas City for Sunday’s match with Sporting Kansas City, Portland Timbers coach Caleb Porter took some time to paint a picture of the challenge — and opportunities — his club faces over the final 12 games of the season.
The short version of that message was: The Timbers don’t need to panic or be perfect, but they need to play with urgency over the final third of the season.
“This is where the rubber meets the road. That table’s tight right now — really tight,” Porter said. “No matter what’s happened the first 22 games, it’s like almost a new season the last 12.”
The Timbers enter Sunday just below the red line, with 29 points from 22 games. Sporting Kansas City, Real Salt Lake and Vancouver are all just above Portland, and San Jose is three points back but has two games in hand. This is familiar for Porter and the Timbers, who have made a habit of living near the red line for most of Porter’s time in Portland.
Under Porter, the Timbers had a strong finishing kick. Portland has won six of its final 12 matches in each of Porter’s three seasons. In 2013 a 6-2-4 finish was good enough to put Portland atop the Western Conference and almost land the Supporters’ Shield. A season later the same record over the final dozen matches left the Timbers a point outside of the playoffs.
And last season’s run to the MLS Cup was built on a 6-3-3 last 12, a run that required three consecutive wins to finish the regular season.
This season the Timbers have seven road games and five at home over the final 12 matches. Portland has not yet won away from Providence Park this season, but Porter said that doesn’t reflect how his team has performed on the road.
“We’ve played really well on the road. Honestly, this year we’ve played in more games well on the road than any year,” Porter said.
He said if that play translates into two or three road wins in the final seven trips — as he expects — the Timbers should be in playoff position.
“If we attack like we’ve been attacking and trend upwards on the defensive side, and get a few more goals on set pieces, those are important ingredients in winning tight games and winning in the playoffs,” Porter said.
Bolstering the defense is expected to include signing a couple defenders next week, plus getting Vytas into the lineup at left back. Before those reinforcements arrive, the Timbers will try to help themselves on Sunday with an elusive road win.
