Timbers Knock Off Top-Ranked Dallas
A sunny day, two great teams, an amazing atmosphere and a brilliant goal made Saturday at Jeld-Wen field a day to remember as the Timbers beat a great FC Dallas team.
The game was full of life as the Timbers passed the ball around a Dallas team that was capable of stifling any threat at goal. When the Timbers did split the Dallas defense Raul Fernandez was there to frustrate the Rose City time and time again. After the first half it was clear that it was going to take something special to win, and that is what Darlington Nagbe provided in the 2nd half. Scoring what he calls his best goal of his career.
The scoreless first half was full of action as Ricketts and Fernandez were on the top of their game. Fernandez made a great recovery save on a corner kick. After leaving his goal wide open, Diego Chara snapped a right-footed shot to the opposite side of the goal. Fernandez was able to scramble, sprawling to his right, to claw the ball from going across the line. At the end of the half Ricketts made a great save to his right after Jackson, center midfielder from Dallas, wickedly struck the ball.
The first half (and the whole game) was tainted with terrible officiating. A head butt from Benetiz, Dallas’ left back, on Piquionne went unpunished and a couple flops from Dallas were called as fouls. The crowd burst into life every time and used that energy to carry the team through the half when it was obvious frustration was setting in. The Timbers Army was in full voice the entirety of the match, which isn’t unusual but this time it had a role to play.
A chess match was being played by two teams as the second half seemed poised to continue on in the same vein. Then seven minutes after the restart Nagbe showed his talent as he received a leading ball from Kalif Alhassan in the opponent’s 18-yardbox, took one touch going the opposite direction that he was running, and with his back to the goal struck a shot with his right foot to the far post.
From my position in the Timbers Army I immediately thought “what a bad idea” by the time that thought hit my mind I was already cheering with the Army. Nagbe had no right to score that goal, it should be impossible, the best in the world would be in disbelief if they scored that goal.
After that, Portland imposed itself on Dallas, giving Chara a couple more chances to tie the game up but Fernandez and the Dallas defense stayed resilient as their offense continued to let them down. When the whistle blew the terrible officiating only made the victory that much better.
The Timbers are now stand just two points behind Dallas in the standings and tied with Montreal for the third spot. Thirteen games unbeaten, we now have a team in our city that has forgotten how to lose.
