A Great Escape

Win and get in. The Portland Timbers entered Decision Day with one objective in mind. If they were able to claim victory in Austin, Texas, they would be in the playoffs.

And when the final whistle blew, the Timbers were victorious. They had taken care of business with a relatively straightforward 2-0 win. As they head home with their first road clean sheet of the season in their back pocket, the preparation begins for the long-awaited quest for a second MLS Cup.

Recap

The first 15 minutes were just what the doctor ordered.

It only took 3 minutes for the Timbers to take the lead. A forward pass to Ariel Lassiter from Ronald Hernandez was tapped by Lassiter to Vincent Janssen on the right wing. The Costa Rican winger immediately began to run in behind as the Dutch striker found him with a perfectly weighted through ball. 

This is where Lassiter received that through ball. Austin’s defense had completely shifted to the far side of the field, and Janssen’s pass split two Broccoli center backs. Lassiter was able to charge forward into the open green meadow and square his hips to fire the ball past Brad Stuver at the far post. It was the perfect start, and the Timbers jumped from 8th to 7th in the table. They would stay there for the remainder of the regular season.

In the 8th minute, the Timbers tried to add to their lead. David Da Costa’s hopeful switch was cleared, but Joel Waterman was on hand to immediately win the second ball. The Canadian international moved it to Kristoffer Velde, who cut inside and found Eric Izoita at the top of the box. The academy graduate tried to curl it into the top corner, but Stuver was able to leap and secure the swerving shot.

But things would be a lot less comfortable for Portland during the remainder of the first half. In the 13th minute, Ilie Sanchez (who was playing in the middle of Austin’s 3-man backline) launched a ball down the left wing for Jon Gallagher. The Irish wingback took a touch off his chest before firing a half-volley from a tight angle. James Pantemis was able to get a hand on it, and the ball bounced off the bottom of the crossbar and out of the goal. A close shave, no doubt.

This chance began a period of Austin dominance. The Timbers couldn’t escape their own half, and solid midfield rotations allowed the Broccolis to break down Portland’s defensive shape and force them to defend deeper. To create chances, Austin turned into a second-ball offense.

Every cross that was sent into the box was met with the intent to keep the play alive, not to put a shot on target. So a cross to the far post would be headed into the space vacated by Portland’s retreating defensive line, where it would be met by a charging Austin attacker. That’s a pretty ingenious way to attack a low block that you’ve created through your own pressure. One of those second-ball attacks ended with a key Joel Waterman block on a 28th-minute Jorge Alastuey shot.

However, some of those crosses were played to be attacked instantly. In the 40th minute, Micah Burton sent one of those attackable crosses towards the top of the box. It was met by Christian Ramirez with a fierce volley. This shot was right at Pantemis, who parried it with his legs. The rebound fell to Gallagher, whose shot was blocked by Finn Surman. The first half ended with Austin having 63% possession and outshooting the Timbers 6-3. But only one of those shots was on target.

The Timbers really needed an insurance goal in the second half to fully secure their lead. Based on the way that they opened the second half, it looked like Austin was bound to equalize. Portland was still having trouble putting their foot on the ball. However, the first major chance of the half fell their way. A 52nd-minute Lassiter corner kick was headed to Velde outside the box. The Norwegian winger dribbled into the penalty area and struck a low shot towards the near post, which Stuver easily fielded.

Austin’s veteran goalkeeper immediately threw the ball out to Ervin Torres on the right wing. It looked like the Timbers were about to get caught in transition again. But 9 players were behind the ball by the time Torres switched it to Guilherme Biro on the left.

Guilherme Biro would try to test Pantemis from distance in the 61st minute, but the diving Quebecois was able to push the ball out for a corner. This chance was created by Portland’s inability to get out in transition through a long ball. The resulting corner was headed away, and Austin got a throw-in. Gallagher launched the throw-in into the box, and Surman got onto his knees to head the ball out of the penalty area. Torres settled it for Alastuey, who fired a laser that Pantemis bounced to himself to secure.

Portland would then launch an attack in the 63rd minute, but it ended with Ronald Hernandez’s cross being cleared. Then it was substitute Przemyslaw Placheta’s turn to try and make an impact. The Polish wingback was able to keep a 67th-minute long ball alive in the corner, before releasing the ball to Alastuey. A quick pass to Ramirez resulted in Waterman breaking up the play, but Placheta flew in and fired a volley that forced Pantemis to make another save in the blink of an eye. The Timbers were searching for their second goal. It was about to find them.

In the 69th minute, Velde stole the ball from Janssen and drove into Austin’s half. He found Lassiter on the right wing, and received the return pass in the center of the box. However, he couldn’t get his feet right, and Austin was able to clear. That clearance was only as far as Jose Caicedo, who quickly moved the ball to Cole Bassett. The American midfielder opted to take a shot from distance with his left foot, but it was blocked.

Now the clock has ticked over into the 70th minute. The rebound from Bassett’s shot is still alive, and Bassett was able to collect it. He found his lifelong friend Ian Smith after securing possession, and Smith was able to find Velde in the channel with another short pass. Velde sized up his marker (Torres), cut inside, and absolutely walloped the ball. It streaked towards the top right corner of the net as Stuver could only kneel and watch it go in. 2-0 Timbers, 70th minute. Insurance spectacularly achieved.

The result was now secured. All that was left to do was see out the game and keep the shutout. Pantemis would have to make a save from a Myrto Uzuni half-volley from a corner kick in the 73rd minute. A 78th minute Ramirez cross would be collected and recrossed by Uzuni only for Surman to clear it. Torres would win the ball from that clearance, and the second-ball offense resumed. Placheta’s far post cross was headed by Gallagher to Uzuni, who exchanged a pass with Alastuey before hitting a curling shot that Pantemis easily caught. Austin’s final chance came in the 85th minute when Gallagher found Uzuni in the box with a slip pass. The Albanian DP’s shot was pushed over the bar by Pantemis. The final whistle blew after 3 minutes of stoppage time. A rather uneventful game, but a win nonetheless. And a result that pushed the Timbers out of the Wild Card spots and directly into the First Round of the playoffs. 

Passivity?

The Timbers went into Texas, got a clean sheet, and won 2-0 to secure a spot in the top 7. So why am I leaving this game with more worry than optimism?

I think it’s going to be important to separate the small picture from the larger picture when talking about this game. Because while the big picture is filled with grandiose thoughts, the smaller picture is littered with concern. This was a game that the Timbers should have won. And they made it a lot harder than it needed to be.

The overarching concern regards reactivity, which is another word for passivity. Those two words do not share the same dictionary definition, but they are similar. I think the Timbers were set up to be protagonists tonight, regardless of game state. Unfortunately, they were unable to find control except for brief spells.

It’s not the worst thing in the world to be utterly game-stated on the road after taking an early lead through an opportunistic transition attack. In fact, the exact same thing happened against LAFC back in August. The main difference between that game and this one, besides the win, was the vast gulf in squad strength. Although LAFC has been struggling down the stretch, their roster is still chock-full of difference makers with Denis Bouanga and Heung-Min Son acting as the force-magnifiers. No one on this Austin team can come close to the threat that either of those LAFC stars possess.

So while it’s widely encouraged to celebrate this result (I know I am), it’s also worth taking a second to understand how much easier this game could’ve been. The Broccolis constantly had the Timbers on the back foot, especially when it came to winning second balls in Portland’s half. The disorganization of Portland’s block was exploited quite often tonight, especially when it came to tracking runners. Austin’s second-ball offense would not have been so effective if the Timbers were able to gobble up those second balls instead. In another similarity to LA, it took a humongous performance from Pantemis for tonight’s game to remain competitive. That’s a serious worry with the playoffs on the horizon.

So was Portland’s rather turgid play at times due to reactivity or passivity? I began this section by comparing the two words, and I think “reactivity” is the more important one to focus on. I didn’t see a team that wasn’t trying. Far from it, in fact. I saw a team that seemed overwhelmed. Tonight’s game was a de facto playoff game just due to how high the stakes were for the Timbers to qualify. They had to weather a fair amount of blows between their two haymakers. 

The big question for the playoffs: how can they stand their ground in the midst of a hailstorm of fists? They won’t be facing depleted teams with their season already in the trash can anymore. The Timbers were able to get the win tonight. They did it by making the moments count instead of putting a stranglehold on their opponent like they did against Charlotte, St. Louis, and Houston. 

Each of those wins has a distinct flavor from the others. Charlotte was mostly desperation, St. Louis was off-ball nullification and direct transition attacks, while Houston was the most complete performance of Marti Cifuentes’ tenure on both sides of the ball. A slight regression in total team performance is definitely outweighed by the result. Which is the same story as the LAFC game.

Domination/Duels

I want to start with the duel numbers because they illustrate game state and the tactical gameplan far better than anything I could type.

The Timbers kept dropping back, which precluded a majority of their front-footed defending from being wholly effective. They also didn’t want to open a ton of gaps in their midfield, so their press wasn’t as all-extensive and -intensive as it has been since the turnaround began. Lots of free second balls and poor positional discipline is the main cause of this, especially when the main disparity is ground duels. 

Not only did they lose the duel battle, the Timbers were handily defeated in box tilt. Austin finished with a 24-18 Domination advantage, which matches the eye test. In fact, the Futi app gave Austin a 51% deserved win percentage while the Timbers only registered 12% in the same metric. If the Broccolis matched Portland’s level of clinicality around the box, there’d be a vastly different story I’d be telling right now.

Player Ratings

James Pantemis: 9.6

But that hypothetical story will not see the light of day primarily due to the exploits of Portland’s Canadian shot-stopper. With tonight’s unquestioned Man of the Match performance, Pantemis set some club records.

Let’s begin with the easiest number to track: minutes played. Pantemis became the first player to be on the pitch for every single minute of a Timbers league season. That number is 3,060. After two years of flip-flopping with Maxime Crepeau, Pantemis was Portland’s unquestioned starting goalkeeper. That’s an accomplishment in and of itself.

But since the Timbers always had Pantemis in net, he had to face every single shot that an opponent took against them. That number is 483, the 6th-highest mark in the league. 186 of those shots were on target, per OPTA. Pantemis made 138 saves this season, which is a new Timbers record. I wish he didn’t have to make so many saves. I bet he thinks the same thing. But a record is a record, and his performance tonight was paramount towards Portland’s playoff clinch.

My personal favorite save of his from tonight’s game was the 61st minute diving stop on Biro’s shot from distance. Oddly enough, it was only his second save of the game at the time. He’d go on to record five more across the final half hour of the match to keep his 3rd clean sheet of the season. 

But I’d like to add one more to his tally, because the 13th-minute crossbar save isn’t counted by the stats. “A lot of the guys said I didn’t touch it,” he explained post-game. He did, so Pantemis gets an 8th save and the new single-season Portland record is now 139. 

These individual records probably pale in terms of team success, and that’s the context that Pantemis used to speak about these two achievements. “One of the reasons why I came to this club was the fact that I knew what I was able to give and what I was able to do on the field. They believed in me and I’m able to repay the organization and the fanbase with putting out a performance and playing every single minute. And I’m doing what I can to help the team. I think it’s really special because this club’s been great. It’s a great, great ride so far.”

I don’t want to get into the nitty-gritty of this response, but ending his answer with “so far” stands out. It’s a pretty open secret that Pantemis’ contract expires at the end of the season with free agency a definite possibility. Is that phrasing his way of saying that he’s going to sign an extension with Portland? Based on performances like tonight’s, the price is probably going up. I think the Timbers can find a way to get it done.

Ronald Hernandez: 7.3

The Venezuelan fullback wasn’t great with the ball at his feet, as he only completed 34/43 of his passes. Four of those incompletions were long balls, and he did give the ball away in Portland’s half a couple times. However, he was outstanding defensively. He won 7/9 duels (including 3/4 in the air) and tallied 3 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 4 ball recoveries. His defending did the talking tonight. 

Finn Surman: 7.9

It felt like Surman was back to his pre-injury self tonight. He routinely threw himself in the direction of crosses and shots, totaling 1 block and 7 clearances. By the way, the consecutive Supporters’ Player of the Year winner is quite proficient in both of those categories. Per OPTA, his 46 blocks are 13 more than any other player in the league. Surman also finished the year with the 6th-most clearances. Getting a healthy Surman back into the team for the playoffs was crucial. However, he’s not going to be able to celebrate the playoff berth for long. He’s got some unfinished business with the national team.

At least he gets to go home this time. 

Joel Waterman: 8.1

Extra points have been added for this block. I haven’t seen a red-haired Timber block a shot like this since Nat Borchers.

The left center back job is his. No use beating around the bush. I’m really happy with how well Waterman and Surman complement each other. They complement each other so well, in fact, that they’re both going on international duty!

Not as much travel for the British Columbia native. But he’s getting some competitive fixtures. It’s unclear how much game time he’ll see. I’m just upset that his two Canadian teammates aren’t joining him. Jesse Marsch can be a real *REDACTED*.

Ian Smith: 7.7

Velde’s goal was actually assisted by Smith, not Bassett. It’s Smudge’s first goal contribution of the season. Awesome.

Although Smith only played 748 minutes throughout the regular season, his per-90 stats are incredible. He’s winning an average of 8.3 duels (96th percentile), 3.85 aerials (97.6th percentile), and blocking 0.84 shots (96th percentile) per 90. And he’s still learning how to play left back in Cifuentes’ system. Players like Smith are trademark floor-raisers. A college star who came to MLS and will be a very important squad player for years to come.

Jose Caicedo: 7.5

Guess what? Jose Caicedo had another excellent game!

There’s one moment I’d like to highlight first. In the 73rd minute, Austin drew up a play to get Uzuni isolated at the top of the box for a free shot on a corner kick. Pantemis was able to make the easy save. But look at what Caicedo does after the ball is safely in his goalkeeper’s hands.

No, this is not a T-pose. He’s issuing the “Tranquilo” instruction. Caicedo was already pretty vocal when he arrived in Portland. It was one of the first things I noticed about him during his debut in Vancouver. Back on Wednesday, he told me about how he views himself as the heir to Diego Chara’s throne. Not just in terms of the position that he plays, but in how he expects himself to lead. These little moments are always present in every game Caicedo plays.

And you could make the argument that Portland’s consistent second-ball failures in their own half were directly related to Caicedo not getting on the ball during buildup as often as he probably should have. He only registered 55 touches tonight, with the majority of them occurring outside of Portland’s initial buildup phase. The key to regaining some control in this game was to use Caicedo as the metronome. Austin did a good job of marking him, I’ll admit that. Now he’s heading into the playoffs as the starter in the most important position on the pitch. Awesome.

Just one last Caicedo thought before I move on. The first Austin game (you know, the one they embarrassingly lost at home) was partially defined by Caicedo dropping into the backline and leaving space for Broccoli midfielders to move the ball at will. I didn’t notice him drop deep in tonight’s game until a cross came into the box. He was constantly patrolling the space above the backline. Without those drops, the Timbers would have been much more competitive on second balls.

Eric Izoita: 6.7

Giving Izoita the start in tonight’s game is a pretty big deal, but it didn’t shock me when the lineup came out. The academy graduate is part of Portland’s “protagonist” lineup, which is the group of players that start when the intent is to score the first goal. He is the player who offers the most balance in the midfield by becoming the sun in Portland’s right-wing solar system. All of the action on the right side rotates around him. And tonight, he was pretty invisible.

That’s not a knock or an excuse. He’s 19 years old and tonight was his 5th start with the first team. It was also his first on the road. However, he did manage to pop up with two shots from outside the box. One of which sailed over the goal, and the other was slightly troublesome for Stuver. It was a good idea to sub him off at halftime, but not because he was having a poor game. Every Izoita minute is extremely valuable. He did deserve a start tonight, but closing out this game required more experience. 

David Da Costa: 7.4

Portuguese Dave finished tonight’s game with a grand total of 0 chances created. That might sound bad, but let me bring something to your attention: after Lassiter’s goal hit the back of the net, off-ball runs in the final third were severely lacking.

So it was left to Da Costa to do the majority of the running himself. As a result, Portland’s attack looked like it had regressed slightly from the three previous wins. Were these conditions something to get concerned about?

I don’t really think so. Yes, it is worrying to see some of that “reactivity” re-emerge in the attack, but it doesn’t cast a shadow over the future. The Timbers needed to get a result tonight. They didn’t properly adapt to going up 1-0, but it all worked out in the end.

Part of the reason they were able to keep a clean sheet tonight was because of Da Costa’s defensive work.

This map doesn’t exactly “light up the world” like One Direction, but he was very active at closing down passing lanes. He held his own on the defensive end despite some underwhelming contributions to the attack. Nothing to be worried about. Portland’s DP creator finished his second full season in Portland with 7g/9a in 30 games. He’s quietly been on a tear since mid-September, tallying 7 of those 16 total goal contributions since 2026 entered its final trimester.

Ariel Lassiter: 8.1

One year ago, on this field, Ariel Lassiter scored an early goal against Club America. As a result, one of the coolest photos in recent Timbers history was snapped by an unknown photographer.

Since Lassiter arrived in Portland, he has risen from late-game sub to rotation option to spot starter to one of the most crucial players on the team. I rarely defer to MLS stats, but I’m going to in this instance. Lassiter has enjoyed a career year in 2026, notching 8g/7a in 29 games. 4 of those assists are primary. Not only has the Costa Rican winger set a new career high in goals, but he’s also broken his career high in total goal contributions. That statement is still true even with the secondary assists taken out.

So when he made one of his trademark perfectly-timed runs down the right side in the 3rd minute, the result was going to be inevitable. The only question was whether or not he’d score it himself or provide for his teammates.

It wouldn’t have been a bad idea to cut it back to Velde here. Both choices would result in a crucial early goal for the Timbers. But Lassiter is a man in form, and the man in form takes these himself. He’s the spiritual Supporters’ Player of the Year. The Timbers literally wouldn’t be in 7th place without him.

Kristoffer Velde: 8.2

Did I forget to put a clip of Velde’s goal in here? How silly of me. Just don’t speed it up. The ball is already traveling at the speed of light in normal time.

When the season is over, I’m going to go through every single Velde Goal of the Season contender (if Apple lets me). It might be the longest article I’ve ever written. The Norwegian Demon (talk about a nickname) only took two shots tonight. The first was his weak-footed effort in the 52nd minute that Stuver saved at the near post. But his second bite of the apple was even more sweet. That’s the shot that they put in the dictionary next to the phrase “postage stamp.”

Meanwhile, it’s time to get into some Velde stats. He finished his first full season in Portland with 12g/6a in 33 games. That makes him Portland’s top scorer. And 4 of those goals have come in the last 3 games.

But I want to talk about my favorite Velde stat. OPTA tracks basically everything, and the Norwegian winger has been involved in the most ground duels out of any MLS player in 2026. The number is 424, which is 44 more than the guy in second (NYCFC’s Nico Fernandez Mercau). Velde has three objectives when he steps on the pitch: win the game, score a goal, and get stuck in. And after all three of those objectives are completed, he opens his phone.

Vincent Janssen: 7.8

Vinny did not register a shot yesterday. But he used his superpower and created the opening goal.

Janssen’s drop into space pulled two Austin defenders with him, which freed up Lassiter to make the run in behind. Of course the Dutch striker was able to register his 3rd assist in 2 games when the sea parts for him. And this pass was far less complicated than the one he launched to Velde against Houston!

Portland’s front three are in blistering form, and Janssen’s connectivity with his teammates is a huge reason why. He’s still very impactful when he isn’t even doing his primary job (shooting).

Cole Bassett: 7.2

Bassett didn’t just enter this game at halftime. He became the left-sided 8.

This spot has always been Da Costa’s since Cifuentes took over. Aside from the St. Louis win (where Da Costa played up top) and the Dallas loss, Bassett hasn’t gotten a lot of time on his preferred side of the pitch. Was he brilliant tonight? I wouldn’t say so. But he looked really good!

The American midfielder was only one pass short of a Nagbe (24/24 pass accuracy) and made Velde’s goal possible by getting his own rebound. His defense still needs some work (dribbled past twice and 1/5 on ground duels) and it’s clear that Cifuentes is still trying to find the way to get the best out of him. 

Jimer Fory: The Interruptor

Fory wasn’t cleared to play the full 90 after his concussion against St. Louis (per the broadcast), but he still managed to help secure the win and clean sheet after entering in the 77th minute. His lone defensive action (recoveries don’t count, for some reason) was an 86th-minute interception.

OH MY GOD! DO YOU HEAR THAT MUSIC? IT’S TIME FOR ANOTHER STAT! Jimer Fory ends his second full season in Portland with the 2nd-most interceptions in the league. This stat is usually dominated by defensive midfielders and center backs. But Fory’s 62 picks (you can join the Jets if you want Jimer, I wouldn’t recommend it) are quite astounding. Opposing teams have been testing Portland’s left side all season, and Fory has been making them pay. Despite his 16 minute cameo, he did find a way to get into the box and provide a cross. It got cleared, but who cares (in this moment, at least). 

Alexander Aravena: So Close

Aravena continues to come so close to making an incredible play in every appearance this season. Either the finish isn’t struck right, or the pass just misses, or something of that ilk. Today’s moment is an 80th-minute attack that ended with Aravena putting a shot wide right instead of passing it to an unmarked Da Costa to his right. He’s literally so close. I don’t know how else to describe it.

Omir Fernandez: Throw-In Winner

In the second minute of second-half stoppage time, Omir Fernandez won a throw-in. That’s the only note I have aside from some touches in buildup. I think it’s pretty cool that he’s one of Da Costa’s best friends on the team. 

Diego Chara: 3 Perfect Touches

The club captain entered the game in the 90th minute and nearly assisted Da Costa with his first touch. His two other touches were completed passes. For the first time since 2021, he celebrated a Decision Day victory with the Timbers. Sweet.

Coach Rating: 7.5

The concept of a Great Escape isn’t familiar in American sports. That’s because promotion and relegation doesn’t exist in American sports. With livelihoods on the line, some international soccer teams are able to summon powers far beyond their control and somehow escape relegation. This act is called a Great Escape, and it can be celebrated with the same fervor as a trophy under the right circumstances.

Those circumstances were present for West Bromwich Albion in 2005. The Baggies were bottom of the Premier League on Christmas, and remained on the bottom on the final day of the season (the English Decision Day). They took care of business on English Decision Day, beating Portsmouth 2-0 at home. Then they had to wait. Their destiny was not in their hands. But the nervous crowd roared to life when Charlton equalized against Crystal Palace. They were safe. An improbable comeback to survive the drop. Fans poured onto the field. Despite an utterly dismal season, those players were heroes that day.

Leicester’s 2015 Great Escape also deserves a mention. They were bottom in March but rattled off 7 wins in 9 to stay up. That Great Escape was immediately followed by a Premier League title. And without that Great Escape, Marti Cifuentes would not be in Portland, Oregon, masterminding one of his own.

Sure, the stakes aren’t the same. “Missing the playoffs” doesn’t compare to “relegation” in the slightest. But this is MLS, and America, so forgive me for moving the goalposts. A failure to make the playoffs this year would provide some level of pain, though not as much as relegation would. But for the Portland Timbers, making the playoffs every year is an expectation. “We all agreed that the Timbers should always be a club that make it into the playoffs,” Cifuentes said post-game. “Some weeks ago, it was an ambitious target, but we kept believing.”

Those other Great Escapes relied on other teams to fall in order for the Escapees to rise. Portland’s 3rd-minute goal elevated them into 7th place, yes, but an RSL goal 7 minutes later allowed the Timbers to get a little bit of comfort with their new spot in the table. Was Cifuentes aware of this when it happened? “It’s part of my philosophy to not be focused on what other teams are doing, but just to be focused on our job today, and our job was to win the game.”

So the Timbers won their game and let the chips fall in their favor. But winning this game wasn’t an easy task. Adjustments had to be made. Part of the reason the Bassett-Izoita halftime sub was made was to adjust the defensive structure. Lassiter was charged with marking the opposing wingback (Gallagher, in this instance). This change worked. Cifuentes also wasn’t a big fan with how deep the Timbers were dropping throughout this game. There’s always more to improve. The coach said it himself.

But tonight’s win is a result that speaks louder than the performance. They had a job to do, and it was accomplished. Their own Great Escape was completed. After being left for dead on October 14th on the Great Plains of Carson, the Timbers immediately rattled off a 5-game unbeaten run, doubled their amount of clean sheets, and scored 11 big goals to resurrect themselves and keep their season alive. The other shoe never dropped. No Wild Card Game. Directly into the first round, as the soccer gods intended.

But those gods only made Portland’s run possible. They still had to finish it on their own. “They kept believing all the time because they are the guys, at the end, who are making the difference.” That confidence and belief wasn’t apparent on the field until recently. A string of bad results will do that. But now, as the results are starting to provide proof of effort and commitment, it’s beyond clear that the Timbers have earned this. In recent seasons, they would’ve kept sliding. The 2026 Timbers got hot at the exact time that they needed to. And now the fruits of their labor will be rewarded. 

Table Time

We’re going to start at the bottom. CONGRATULATIONS to Sporting Kansas City for NOT winning the Wooden Spoon. A late Andre Luiz penalty proved to be the deciding factor against an already-eliminated San Diego. Hello, Los Plasticos, welcome to second-season syndrome. Austin had to wait a 3rd year for theirs to settle in, and they haven’t been able to fully climb out of it yet.

Vancouver had already clinched the top spot in the West. St. Louis was able to rise into 3rd place following a stoppage-time game-winner from naughty boy Lukas MacNaughton. That goal dropped Houston into 5th. Somehow, that’s still too high.

Now we get to the main fireworks. The LA Galaxy entered tonight’s trip to RSL in full control of their destiny and on the back of a 4-game unbeaten run. Their dreams died in Sandy, and that 2-1 scoreline could have been a lot worse. The Timbers know what that feels like (2022, May of this year). Minnesota went behind early but summoned their comeback spirit again to beat San Jose 3-1. It wasn’t enough. Unfortunately for them, the Seattle Sounders cannot stop getting away with it.

Albert Rusnak was the first Western Conference player to find the back of the net in the 1st minute of Seattle’s regular-season finale against LAFC. Cabral Carter’s suicide pass was intercepted at the top of the box and the Sounders walked it into the goal. Yuck. A deflected Sebastian Gomez shot found the back of the net in the 31st minute. Vomit. The Sounders didn’t register a shot in the second half, and LAFC missed chance after chance as the match ended 2-1. The Sounders made it above the red line at the expense of Minnesota.

Colorado had their opportunity after Morgan Whittaker gave them the lead in the 47th minute. This was a dangerous goal for Portland, who needed to surpass Colorado on goal differential to maintain their tiebreaker advantage over the Rapids. And then Colorado capitulated to Dallas, allowing 3 goals in 17 minutes to lose 3-1 and end their season. Dallas moved up into second place. And they will face the Timbers in the first round of the playoffs.

Directly into the First Round. No Wild Card Game. It’s beautiful. Now it’s Seattle’s turn to sweat on a weeknight against RSL. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Eastern Conference’s Wild Card representative. CONGRATULATIONS to Evander, who threw a fit after finishing in 9th place with Portland in 2024 only to finish in 9th place two years later with his new club. If Cincinnati is able to advance past an Orlando team that scores at will (but can’t defend), they will meet the Nashville buzzsaw in the first round. The same Nashville team that beat Cincy 2-0 tonight to claim the MLS regular-season points record.

These matchups are set. Two games against Dallas have been confirmed. An opponent that the Timbers have playoff history with. And a Colombian number 10 at the center of the storm. Buenos dias, Santi. The grass isn’t always greener. Sometimes the turf pellets can never leave your shoe.

Final Whistle

I think I’ve said enough about tonight’s game. The Timbers weren’t great, but they did enough in both boxes to win. In some ways, it emulated a playoff game. The result was all that mattered, and 3 points are on the plane back to Portland. It’s their 4th win in a row, and it’s the reason why the Timbers are leaving the Wild Card Game in the rear-view mirror. Such a dramatic turnaround and reversal of fortune still begs a serious question: what was the turning point from certain death to resurrection?

The most famous resurrection in human history involved a certain Christian prophet who was definitely real and definitely died for our sins (do not smite me, James Talarico). But the Timbers have their own Christ-like figure. His name is Diego Chara, and he has a gift for prophecy as well. His teachings (like “love thy neighbor,” “tackle your neighbor if he has the ball at his feet,” and “never stop smiling”) will last far beyond the time that the whistle blows on his career next May (hopefully longer). But after a severely disappointing loss against Atlanta on September 19th, the prophet was at his pulpit (the post-game media room at Providence Park). He knew the significance of the words that I’m about to repeat. Those in the room did not. But sometimes, you have to dig in order to find the answer you’re looking for. And as soon as I re-read another lesson from the Book of Diego, it clicked. “I think after we get the first clean sheet, I think it’s going to be so different for this team.”

Bookmark that. The Timbers would go on to concede a goal in their next 3 games. 3 concessions in San Jose followed by 3 more concessions in Kansas City and 2 gut-punches in Carson. But then the Timbers were back home. And they literally fought the Colorado Rapids for a 0-0 draw. 

I will point to Velde’s 42nd minute scuffle with Whittaker as the moment that the resurrection truly began. The remaining 10 field players converged on the spot to defend their teammates, who sometimes they wanted to kill. Now it was their time to kill for him. That’s when the Timbers became the united force who stepped onto the track to playoff salvation. And their efforts paid off with the second clean sheet of the season.

That was the foretold clean sheet from Portland’s deity. Now the prophecy needed to be fulfilled. Charlotte came to town one week later. The Timbers fell behind within the first 3 minutes, much like Austin did tonight. But now they were ready for battle. They fought back to take the lead, and kept fighting until Aravena appeared at the doorstep to clinch the three points in the most dramatic of fashions. Three wins would follow, including the one they achieved tonight in Texas to rise above the Wild Card. Diego Chara is always right. He may have never been more right than he was on September 19th, 2026 in the Providence Park media conference room. It was spoken into existence and followed through by his teammates.

Now the Timbers have prophecy on their side. They must harness the spiritual power with their own earthly powers to keep fighting until the clock runs out. Their next opponent is a familiar foe. The regular-season clashes have usually ended in disappointment or embarrassment, but it’s an entirely different story when Portland and Dallas meet in the playoffs. Sometimes disappointment does follow, as it did in 2020 courtesy of a US reject. But that light does shine on the Timbers more often than not. Halloween free kicks. Magical goals delivered by playoff heroes in the most spectacular of ways. And now, another chapter in the Portland-Dallas playoff rivalry might be defined by the player who didn’t expect to see the team he betrayed so soon. All flights, even those to South America, always come with a round-trip ticket.

The Timbers will get an international break to prepare for this series. Surman and Waterman will be with their national teams, but the evolution must continue. Portland is entering the playoffs on fire again. As James Pantemis said: “If I’m not mistaken, I think in the past when this team has had a lot of success, they’ve finished, you know, as a 7 or 8 seed, and they got hot at the right time. So why not? Why not us? Why not us now?”

The goalkeeper knows. The entire organization knows. The stadium knows. Records go out the window. It’s an entirely new campaign with different rules. The Portland Timbers have had to survive since the World Cup break. For the first time all year, sensible stability is present. They proved the doubters wrong. Time to keep climbing. The quest begins.