Hello, World. Meet Juan David Mosquera.

The Timbers, after what has seemed like years of waiting (it’s been 4 days since the game was postponed, I love how dramatic this fanbase can be) have finally opened the 2023 MLS season. A 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City is a welcoming result. After a shocking 6th minute opener from right back Juan David Mosquera (more on him later), the Timbers seemed content to sit back and weather attack after attack from the visitors. This did not feel like a new Timbers team with a new star player. I blame myself for letting my expectations get this high, this early. This is still a team that needs to learn how to work through their new star, and that will take time to do. I am very satisfied with three points, and so should other Timbers fans. If this was a 2022 Timbers game, we are drawing that 8 times out of ten. However, two players who are now Sharpied in starters helped to change that. 

Juan David Mosquera showed flashes in his short spell with Portland last year. Tonight, however, a star was born. He did it all. Attacked with decisiveness, defended with aplomb, covering all of the right flank from box to box. If the Timbers were attacking, Mosquera was high up on the right. If they were defending, he was constantly hustling back to cover. He looked like the best player on the pitch and a top tier right back in MLS. He is still only 20 years old, and unfortunately he will not be here for long. We have to enjoy him while we still can, given Tom Bogert’s reports on European scouts already coming to see him play. 

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All of last year, fans (myself included) were begging Giovanni Savarese to start Zac McGraw. He also showed flashes last year, including a solid run of starts at the beginning of the season and a Man of the Match performance against Seattle. Given all the defending the Timbers did tonight, it is no surprise McGraw shined once again. He was the sergeant of the backline and was constantly helping them keep their shape. It also helps that he was an absolute terminator. He won all of his ground duels and 6 out of 8 aerial duels, imposing his will on SKC’s William Agada. The backline is his now, and it feels a lot safer with him in charge. His development will only keep improving with Liam Ridgewell coaching him up. 

There are a couple more players I want to give some flowers to before I delve into the pressing issues surrounding tonight’s performance. Dave Bingham had a tough job to do tonight, and performed brilliantly. I saw shades of his San Jose tenure when it was so frustrating playing against him. Eryk Williamson is fully healthy again, and he was doing a great job helping to spring attacks while making it look completely effortless. If he can stay healthy, he’s a true number 8 that significantly improves this team’s creative ability. Justin Rasmussen is now the new King of Vibes now that Josecarlos Van Rankin has returned to Mexico after his loan spell. He put in a wonderful display tonight, locking down Khiry Shelton and putting himself in great positions to win back possession. 

There was one thing I was begging for Savarese to do tonight, and it was to give Nathan Fogaca the start over Jaroslaw Niezgoda at the striker position. I believed Fogaca’s energy would translate itself better to this game than whatever it is Niezgoda is doing at this point. Niezgoda is not playing like the focal point of a contender. He really hasn’t been moving the same since his injury, and you have to wonder how much his own confidence is playing into that. He’s still good technically, but his movement makes me wonder if he is actually healthy. That’s how he looked on the field tonight. Fogaca came in and immediately began pressuring, creating a chance for himself through his pressure that culminated in a good save in a 1v1 situation by John Pulskamp. He was a good substitution at the right time and it looked like he should’ve been on the field from the opening kickoff. 

People are going to rush to judge Evander on his performance tonight, but I saw a player that just needs more time to build chemistry with his new team. There is no doubt he is immensely talented. Kansas City swarmed him whenever he had the ball and worked that part of their gameplan to perfection. Even with all that attention committed to him, he was still able to dribble his way out or look for a pass. There were some moments where I could tell he had the vision, but his teammates weren’t on the same page. Hopefully it won’t be long until they are in those spots he’s trying to play them into. You could tell during the second half he was getting frustrated with his teammates, and for good reason. Marvin Loria had multiple chances to pass him the ball in the attacking third and ended up skying shots over the crossbar instead. He seemed invisible at times because his teammates were just not getting him the ball. His set piece deliveries also looked very good. Evander is a player that makes the team better, but they have to learn to play together before they can see the results.

Savarese also confirmed in the postgame press conference that winger Yimmi Chara will be out for a few weeks with a hamstring injury after leaving the game in the first half. The Timbers now have Santiago Moreno, Marvin Loria, and Diego Gutierrez available to play out wide. Moreno was the substitute for Yimmi, and played well, even though he was mostly defending. Loria got the start ahead of Moreno tonight, who was dealing with visa issues for the latter half of the preseason. Marvin the Martian played a typical Marvin game: hustle, several good passes/dribbles, a bit of defensive action, and two shots were nowhere close to the target. We don’t exactly know what type of player Gutierrez will be at the MLS level, as he was injured for the majority of last season. He played center forward in college, but might have to be moved to the wing for the Timbers. Loria will get more game time with Yimmi out, and I hope that he isn’t rushed back. I am begging for a Timbers player to have an injury heal properly. 

All in all, it was a frigid and stressful night at Providence Park. Savarese won his first season opener as Timbers head coach, and it was his 69th overall win in Portland. The Timbers now have a short turnaround as they head to LA next week to play victim to a team raising a banner (recent history says they will not be the victim, however). Winning your season opener is a good thing, especially if your less experienced players step up and play like veterans. The youth were going to have to lead the way this year in order for Portland to contend, and this was an excellent way to signal that. That’s three points and on to Shiny Chivas USA.

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