Five Reasons You Need To See A Portland Timbers Game In-Person

The Portland Timbers were able to defeat D.C. United 1-0 Wednesday night at Providence Park on the strength of a 5^th minute goal by Maximiliano Uruti that came after a picture-perfect cross from Gastón Fernández. The win gives Portland 16 points on the season and lifts them out of the basement of the Western Conference.

With both teams playing their second of three games in seven days, the game featured a number of players who do not normally see extended minutes, with D.C. United in particular missing eight regular rotation players due to injury or rest. Portland was without regular starters Nat Borchers and Diego Valeri, with Rodney Wallace and Fanendo Adi coming on in substitute roles. The game was notable for the return of Timbers captain Will Johnson to the lineup. Johnson looked rusty on a number of corner and free kicks, but displayed his trademark tenacity and defensive prowess to the delight of the Timbers faithful. In the end, Uruti’s goal was enough to secure three badly-needed points for the Timbers.

I was fortunate enough to make this my first live Timbers game of the 2015 season, which is always an excellent experience. If you have not yet made your way to Providence Park for a Timbers game, here are five reasons to make it your next weekend night out:

1. The National Anthem – Seriously though, the singing of the national anthem is an experience unto itself at a Timbers game. Much of the crowd will often join in with the singer, and seeing thousands of scarves being swung around in the air make this unique among pre-game festivities at Portland sporting events.
2. The Timbers Army – Anyone watching a Portland match on television can hear the chants of the Timbers Army as they cheer on their beloved team. But seeing the flags wave, the people jumping, and hearing all the chants sung in perfect unison in person is a different experience entirely. The sounds of a Timbers game alone are worth the price of admission. Be aware though, if you are planning on bringing young children or are easily offended by vulgar language, some of the chants are not exactly family-friendly.
3. The Players – Anyone who has seen a Timbers match knows Darlington Nagbe is fast, or the Diego Chara is a ferocious defender. But seeing Nagbe, Chara, and all the other professionals work their craft in person is another vision entirely. Somehow, the tv camera makes the average fan take for granted exceptional skillsets that, when seen in person, are truly a sight to behold. Just seeing a Nagbe stop-and-start dribble, a Diego Valeri through pass or a crunching Chara tackle in person makes the whole trip worthwhile.
4. The Beautiful Game – Television truly does not do the beautiful game justice.  At its best, soccer is 11 men or women working in perfect harmony towards a shared goal. Unfortunately, the TV cameras often focus only on the action, with the ball constantly being followed and 80% of the field (and 80% of the players) outside the view of the audience. The shape of both teams and the different strategies each team employs to break down the other is a chess match that can only be appreciated live. Bending runs by players off the ball, four men moving in unison to execute an offside trap, and through passes that must be seen to be believed are just some of the sights that can only be seen when watching a soccer match in person.
5. The Timbers – The Timbers are Portland’s team, through and through. From the Timbers Army and the crazy fans in the stands, to the outsized characters and personalities who put on the jerseys, a Timbers game at Providence Park is a near-perfect representation of the city of Portland and its character (and characters). There are 60-year old grandmothers pleading with Adi to shoot and 29-year old hipsters cheering madly for an Adam Kwarasey save. Teachers and students, blue-collar and white-collar, old and young; all are welcome and all are equal, so long as you are cheering for the home team. With craft beers on tap and local food trucks providing the food, there are few experiences more quintessentially Portland than a Timbers home match.

Portland travels to Colorado this Saturday to complete the double-game week, then hosts New England next Saturday before earning a much-needed bye week. A difficult three-game slate awaits the Timbers following the bye to finish out June, including back-to-back games against Los Angeles and Seattle in a four-day stretch.