The Portland Timbers visited a red-hot FC Dallas team on Saturday, falling 4-1 and spoiling the debut of new Designated Player Lucas Melano. Michael Barrios scored twice in the first half, and Kellyn Acosta and Mauro Diaz each added another in the second. For the Timbers, Fanendo Adi tacked on a penalty kick drawn by Melano in stoppage time to give the game its final scoreline.
To be frank, there were not many positives to take away from this match for Portland. Diego Chara, normally among the Timbers’ fiercest defenders, was badly beaten for a goal and was generally unable to blunt the Dallas attack. Liam Ridgewell looked out of sorts all game long, missing reads and losing his mark in critical situations, as well as missing two great chances on the offensive end to get the Timbers back in the game. Offensively, Darlington Nagbe and Diego Valeri were under constant pressure by Dallas and unable to mount any sustained, effective pressure on the Dallas goal. It was a thorough and well-deserved victory for FC Dallas in what has become a troubling recent trend for the Timbers when they are away from the friendly confines of Providence Park.
Caleb Porter’s Timbers have not been perfect in his two-plus years at the helm, but they have been remarkably consistent, posting a 10-10-14 record with a +6 goal differential. But the scorelines of the last three away games in league play for the Timbers read like a horror movie for Coach Porter: 4-1 against Dallas, 3-0 against Philadelphia, and 5-0 against Los Angeles. Add in a 3-1 loss back in mid-May against Houston and that makes four multi-goal road losses in just over two months, or the same amount the Timbers had in the previous two seasons combined. After the recent slide, Portland’s 2015 road record now stands at 3-1-7 with a goal differential of -13, tied (with Seattle, of all teams) for second-worst in the entire league.
However, the Timbers’ woes may run deeper than a seeming inability to travel. The road struggles are simply the highlights of what has been a less-than-stellar July overall for Portland that included a 1-1 draw against Vancouver where the Timbers were outplayed, and a 1-0 win on a last-minute goal against a San Jose team missing two of their best players. Not since June 28th when Portland demolished a short-handed Seattle side 4-1 has Porter’s bunch put in a complete performance on both ends.
To make matters worse, Portland’s troubles on the road are rearing their head at the worst possible time. The Timbers are about to begin an absolutely critical five-game stretch that includes four games against Western Conference teams either tied with or chasing Portland in the standings. This slate includes three away games against San Jose, Real Salt Lake and Seattle, games which very well may decide whether Portland will be a playoff team this year.
With all that said, there are silver linings in the clouds now surrounding the Timbers. Team captain Will Johnson is just now regaining full fitness from the broken leg he suffered last year. Portland’s record in 2015 when Johnson plays is a sterling 5-1-1, with a total of five goals allowed in those seven games. While it might be a stretch to say that a 5-0 or 4-1 loss would have had a different result with Johnson on the field, it is undeniable that the Timbers are a far, far better team both offensively and defensively with Johnson manning his traditional defensive midfield position.
In addition to Johnson, new Designated Player Lucas Melano also showed flashes in the Dallas game of the type of skillset he will bring to the Portland attack, drawing a penalty kick with a quick, incisive run and deft first touch that few, if any, players currently on the Portland roster could duplicate. As he builds chemistry with Valeri, Nagbe, and the rest of the Timbers, dangerous runs from the wing could become a more frequent and effective tool for the Timbers’ attack.
There’s no way to sugar-coat a 4-1 loss against a top conference rival; Coach Porter and the Timbers must simply lick their wounds, figure out what needs to improve, and begin to prepare for an absolutely critical match next Sunday on the road against a San Jose team that expects to have Chris Wondolowski back from national team duty. The path to the playoffs begins in earnest now, and that path includes vitally important road games. The Timbers must improve their road performances and quickly, or they will find themselves at home watching for the second year in a row when the playoffs begin.
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