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Timbers point to defensive performance after bounce-back win over NYCFC

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Photo by Brad Penner/USA Today Sports

By FRANCO PANIZO

NEW YORK — Fully aware that New York City FC had played on Thursday, the Portland Timbers expected the expansion club to try and pour on the pressure in an effort to get an early lead that it could sit on.

NYCFC attempted to do just that, but the Timbers withstood its blows en route to picking up three points in a narrow but big bounce-back victory.

Portland went on the road and defeated NYCFC on Sunday night, using a deflected 79th-minute goal from Dairon Asprilla to grab a 1-0 win. That the Timbers were even in a position to nab some points that late was down to their defensive showing, which was much improved from last week’s discouraging 2-0 home loss to Orlando City.

The Western Conference team still gave up a several chances and lost the possession battle for prolonged stretches at Yankee Stadium. But the Portland back line was able to bend without breaking, especially in a first half that saw NYCFC aggressively attack from all areas.

“What I liked was that we were able to absorb and not give up a goal,” said head coach Caleb Porter. “Even when we were not on the ball as much as we wanted or playing as well as we wanted, whereas last week when we weren’t playing well we conceded the goal. Good teams, even when they’re not playing well, they need to be able to manage the game and not concede a goal.

“I thought that was a real key in the first half: being able to weather the storm, absorb a little pressure at times, and then as the game wore on I thought our fitness – they played on Thursday – would play a part if we could get through the first half. We thought we’d be the team with a bit more energy in that second half, and I thought that did show in the game and was a factor.”

Dealing with New York City’s waves of attacks tired the short-rested and injury-ravaged hosts, and allowed Portland to find its feet. The Timbers started to show signs of life in the attack in the final quarter of an hour in the first half, and that momentum trickled over into the second stanza.

Portland looked more and more dangerous as the game wore on, though the club was equally sloppy in the final third. Lone forward Fanendo Adi struggled with his shooting, including on one great look in the second half that he took too long to pull the trigger on, and fellow attackers Ishmael Yartey and Asprilla also weren’t at their best.

They did not need to be, however, because all that was required of them this week was to help keep the game tight. That kept NYCFC off the board and left the door open for the type of fortunate goal that came 11 minutes from the death when Asprilla fired a low shot off Kwame Watson-Siriboe’s feet and past goalkeeper Josh Saunders.

Pretty? No. Pretty effective? Absolutely.

I knew I’d get a good response from them and a good performance,” said Porter, referencing last week’s defeat to Orlando. “The biggest thing I asked for was for everybody to do their job, put in a good shift, and perform at a level that’s on par with their potential as players. Typically, a professional puts in a seven out of 10, week in and week out. Maybe it’s an eight some weeks or a nine if you’re lucky, but it’s never a six and I thought we had far too many guys last week that were below their level.

“Today, I thought we got a good performance across the board from everybody. We certainly can play better, there’s a lot of little things that we can do better, but ultimately we’re going to take the three points and get back to work.”

A date with Cascadia Cup rival the Seattle Sounders awaits the Timbers, who admitted to needing to rack up wins in order to build momentum. Portland is still near the bottom of the West, having claimed only nine points from seven matches thus far.

The club is still plenty encouraged by what it did on Sunday. After all, grinding out results has not exactly been Portland’s forte in 2015.

“We played better earlier, (but) I think we just need to win sometimes,” said goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey. “Not only play sexy football and not get any points.”

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