One timely stab from Nat Borchers changed the complexion of this Western Conference final.
Portland entered second-half stoppage time with a narrow 2-1 advantage and those lingering pangs of regret about those squandered opportunities. Borchers popped up at the far post in the dying embers of the game to secure a 3-1 victory over FC Dallas on Sunday.
Borchers’ goal proved a fitting conclusion on a night driven by Timbers center backs. Liam Ridgewell opened the scoring on a set piece after 23 minutes. Dairon Asprilla added the second shortly after halftime, but Ridgewell left the Timbers exposed when he exited with a leg injury just after the hour. David Texeira punished the uncertainty moments later to give FC Dallas a critical away goal, but Borchers restored the advantage by prodding home a rebound in the final moments.
The late intervention completely changed the outlook of the tie. Portland now heads to Toyota Stadium with a two-goal advantage, though Ridgewell’s fitness is now a massive concern for Timbers coach Caleb Porter. FCD must summon another resounding home display to overturn the deficit and rectify the errors on this frustrating night at Providence Park.
All of the energy inside Providence Park fueled a bright Timbers start and unsettled the youthful visitors. Jesse Gonzalez produced a fine block on Lucas Melano inside the opening 30 seconds to tip the issues ahead for FCD.
Melano proved a constant thorn in those early stages without making FCD pay for its frailties. His diagonal runs created space and provided angles for the influential Darlington Nagbe to exploit, but the end product did not follow.
The pressure increased until the Timbers finally broke through after 23 minutes from a set piece. Portland pounced as FC Dallas stood flatfooted. Asprilla flicked at the near post without a challenge to distract him from the task. Ridgewell ghosted free in a similar fashion at the back post and trundled past Gonzalez to send him onto the turf.
Ridgewell’s opener provided the Timbers with a foothold and shocked FCD out of its early haze. Mauro Diaz started to find the ball more frequently, while Fabian Castillo took those rare opportunities to sprint into space. Those forays were few and far between as the Timbers managed the space well with Ridgewell and Borchers leading the line well.
Those efforts ensured the Timbers entered halftime with a deserved advantage and paved the way for further improvement after the break. Portland forced another save from Gonzalez at the start of the second half, but Asprilla eventually procured the second with a sweeping finish shortly thereafter.
FCD precipitated its own demise with a poor clearance. Asprilla collected inside the attacking third and darted past his marker. The extra yard of space allowed Asprilla to whip his shot toward the far post. The dipping effort caught Gonzalez flatfooted and ducked inside the far post to stake the Timbers to a two-goal cushion.
Asprilla’s second left FCD stunned and underscored the potential peril for the visitors. The danger passed right around the moment when Ridgewell tweaked his leg during a routine pass at midfield and walked off the field gingerly. His subsequent withdrawal paved the way for the critical away goal moments later.
Je-Vaughn Watson collected Diaz's ball on the right and picked up his head at the ideal time. Texeira cut across the static Norberto Paparatto in the spot Ridgewell usually guarded and flicked Watson’s service inside the far post to slice the deficit.
Both teams pushed forward in the final 20 minutes. It looked like those efforts would end for naught until Paparatto atoned for his defending on Texeira’s riposte from a set piece to alter the series in the final moments.
Paparatto rose highest at the far post to meet Nagbe’s swirling corner kick. His downward header forced an initial save from Gonzalez, but Gonzalez failed to corral the rebound. Borchers prodded home to send the home crowd into rapture and stake the Timbers to a two-goal advantage ahead of the decisive second leg next Sunday.
