The Portland Timbers 2022 season got here to an unceremonious finish as they misplaced 3-1 to Real Salt Lake on Decision Day. The Timbers wanted any form of certain outcome to make the postseason for the 6th immediately yr, however as a substitute they crashed with an absolute thud. Dairon Asprilla pulled a objective again overdue, however the Timbers nonetheless allowed a crew that had received simply two times since mid-July put 3 previous them, and snuff out their postseason possibilities.
Recap
After every week ruled via off-box information, on-box the Timbers have been with out the important thing face of Diego Chara because of a gastrointestinal factor he skilled previous this week. In his stead, younger David Ayala stepped in subsequent to Cristhian Paredes in Portland’s midfield.
Per a Timbers supply: Diego Chara was once admitted and launched from the health center previous this week with critical stomach ache. Gastrointestinal factor.
He didn’t shuttle with the crew and received’t play nowadays vs. RSL. #RCTID
— Ryan Clarke (@RyanTClarke) (*1*)October 9, 2022
Zac McGraw slotted in for the suspended Dario Zuparic and Dairon Asprilla turned around again in at ahead, and Jaroslaw Niezgoda was once relegated to the bench.
The hosts got here out dominant within the first part, controlling ownership and generating the lion’s percentage of objective scoring alternatives. One of the ones paid off within the nineteenth minute, as Jefferson Savarino curled an effort previous the arm of Aljaz Ivacic and into the again of the web.
The Timbers seemed unorganized and listless within the opening body, offering little or no on-ball power defensively and conceding acres of area in vast spaces to RSL’s attackers. It went from unhealthy to worse for Portland as McGraw went down with a non-touch harm to his left hamstring halfway during the first part, forcing a shift in Portland’s formation.
Despite conceding likelihood after likelihood and generating virtually not anything themselves, the Timbers went into the locker room down via simply the one objective.
The 2nd part began, someway, worse than the primary. Real Salt Lake added a 2nd objective by way of former Beaverton, OR resident Rubio Rubin 4 mins after halftime. The Timbers, wanting an pressing reaction, confirmed little or no indicators of reviving their season in the second one part, appearing little offensive urgency.
RSL added a 3rd by way of Bode Hidalgo overdue in the second one part to successfully finish complaints, in spite of Dairon Asprilla pulling a objective again for the Timbers even later.
The ultimate whistle blew a couple of mins after, finishing the fit — and Portland’s 2022 marketing campaign.
Highlights
3’ The first giant likelihood of the sport fell to RSL, however Jefferson Savarino was once a mile offside, in order the ball hit the again of the web the flag went up.
8’ Sergio Cordova despatched a shot simply vast of Portland’s objective, as Ivacic was once rooted to his spot.
11’ First likelihood of the sport for the Timbers. Some candy passing interaction between Yimmi Chara and Paredes on the most sensible of the field just about sprung in Yimmi in the back of— however the more youthful Chara sibling opted to cross as a substitute of shoot, and the risk was once cleared.
19’ Goal Real Salt Lake 1-0. Savarino lower previous Paredes on the most sensible of Portland’s field, and curled a great thing about a ball previous McGraw and the outstretched arm of Ivacic into the again of the web to make issues 1-0 in desire of the claret & cobalt.
23’ Marcel Silva just about doubled the host’s benefit, as he flashed a header simply vast of the objective off a nook kick.
27’ David Ayala was once proven a yellow card for a mistimed take on on an attacker.
34’ Zac McGraw went down with what looked to be a non-touch harm to his left hamstring. The defender needed to be helped off the sector
35’ Jaroslaw Niezgoda subbed on for the injured McGraw, moving the Timbers from a again-3 to a again-4 gadget in the course of the fit.
The first part ended with the Timbers trailing 1-0. It may have been some distance worse, as Portland were given outshot 8 to a few within the first 40-5 mins. Still, they went into the locker room with a one objective deficit, wanting to show issues round to save lots of their playoff hopes.
In want of a reaction in the second one part to save lots of their season, the Timbers as a substitute wilted in virtually instant model.
49’ Goal Real Salt Lake 2-0. Rubio Rubin, who hails from Beaverton, Oregon, doubled RSL’s benefit. Rubin ghosted off of his defender and get at the finish of a move into the field. He hit a low shot against the objective, and it took an unpleasant deflection off Bill Tuiloma and sailed previous Ivacic into the ground of the web.
54’ In want of 2 targets to stay their season alive, the Timbers subbed on… Josecarlos Van Rankin and Marvin Loria. They changed Claudio Bravo and David Ayala.
60’ Not learn to surrender simply but, Ivacic made a flying forestall to palm away a deadly taking a look move proper in entrance of his objective.
64’ Rubin just about slammed the door closed, as despatched a shot simply vast of the web.
69’ Yimmi Chara slammed the put up with a shot, after what was once a pleasant passing interaction with the Timbers. It was once via inches that he was once denied Portland’s first objective.
74’ Sebastian Blanco after all made his lengthy-awaited creation into the sport, changing Santiago Moreno.
As the sport entered the overall quarter-hour, the Timbers didn’t glance to any extent further more likely to ranking than they did within the 75 mins prior. The crew nonetheless confirmed little urgency, concord, or impotence to take a look at to battle again into a very powerful recreation of the season.
80’ Niezgoda was once a step gradual to get to an excellent low whipped ball in from Asprilla, and may just handiest get a toe to it to ship it feebly vast of the objective.
83’ Goal Real Salt Lake 3-0. Bode Hidalgo simply raced previous Van Rankin and smashed a robust effort from the center of the field into the web, smartly and actually finishing Portland’s season.
87’ GOAL TIMBERS 3-1. Dairon Asprilla hammered a shot from the highest of the field against the objective, and it took a deflection off an RSL defender. The deflection despatched it previous MacMath, and salvaged one objective for the Timbers.
The whistle for complete-time blew, and the Timbers’ 2022 season got here to an finish by the hands of a crisis of a 3-1 lead to Sandy, Utah.
There might be time for remonstrations and entire post-mortem of the 2022 season for the Timbers. But for now what may be very transparent is that at the ultimate day of the season, within the greatest recreation of the season, the Timbers merely failed to turn up.