A stalemate snatched from the jaws of victory.
The Portland Timbers’ lead disappeared and they had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Austin FC on Saturday at Providence Park thanks to a headed goal from Will Bruin conceded by Portland in second half stoppage time.
“I thought we played well,” Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said. “I thought we had a good game against an Austin team that changed a bit the way they played in regards to their system. I thought we played well and had opportunities, but we couldn’t close the game out. We left the game lingering, and at the end, one cross towards the last minute of the game found Bruin and he scored.”
Throughout the night, the Timbers (3-5-3, 12 points) were sparked by dazzling play in the midfield from first-year designated player Evander. His two assists — finished off with finesse by teammates Dario Zuparic and Claudio Bravo — carried the Timbers in what could have been their second consecutive victory. But the late concession took the air out of the building.
“We can all concur in the fact that every game he is getting better,” Savarese said of Evander. “We’ve seen, he’s getting more comfortable and he’s moving better. He’s looking more for the ball and wants to be more of that person who is dictating the ball and managing the situations a little bit better. We see he’s adapting to the league, and we saw a couple moments, also, that he found spaces toward the end in order to hurt them and increase opportunities.”
Pregame, the Timbers brought out Atticus Lane-Dupre, who 10 years ago had his wish granted by Make-A-Wish and the Timbers when his soccer team — the Green Machine — played against the Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field and won, 9-8. Lane-Dupre was flanked by Timbers players from the time including Jack Jewsbury, Ryan Johnson and Futty Danso.
On the field, the Timbers started the match on the front foot, playing wide and with patience as they sought quality opportunities at goal.
The first chance of the night was a take in the ninth minute from Juan Mosquera, who jumped on a loose ball and fired one from right to left that missed wide.
In the 16th minute, Cristhian Paredes played a ball in for Franck Boli, who couldn’t quite settle the ball at his feet as he sought contact.
Boli had another opportunity in the 19th minute, this time fed in by Evander. A dangerous cross floated tantalizingly across the frame of goal, but Boli wasn’t able to find the angle after a deflection off an Austin defender.
After a handful of solid chances for Austin, the Timbers finally broke through in the 33rd minute. A lethal ball crossed into the box by Evander met the head of Zuparic, who put it home to put the Timbers up 1-0.
“I didn’t know how to celebrate,” Zuparic said. “I’m happy, but unlucky that we conceded that goal at the end. … I don’t care about my goal. I don’t like scoring goals. I just closed my eyes and scored the goal. I don’t do that too often, but it happened.”
Before half, Boli picked up a yellow card in the 40th minute after tossing Austin defender Julio Cascante to the turf following a disagreement.
Evander kept his foot on the gas pedal and remained impactful in the early moments of the second half. His cross was the catalyst to a strong attacking buildup in the 53rd minute, which ended with a curling take by Paredes which was saved.
Bravo picked up a yellow card in the 56th minute for the Timbers.
Austin found its equalizing goal in the 59th minute. After a bad turnover in their own end by the Timbers, Austin defender Jon Gallagher found himself unmarked in the box and put home a header to even things at 1-1.
Portland brought on Yimmi Chará for Marvin Loría moments later in a previously planned substitution.
The Timbers recaptured the lead in the 71st minute on a stunner. Bravo’s low, left-footed strike found the back of the net on the assist by Evander — his second of the night — making it 2-1 Portland.
Boli had a golden chance in the 74th minute as he worked through two Austin defenders to get on the ball, but his left-footed strike sailed above the frame of goal.
The Timbers brought Jaroslaw Niezgoda and Dairon Asprilla on for Boli and Paredes in the 78th minute, hanging on to a one-goal advantage.
Aljaz Ivacic — a steady presence throughout the match for the Timbers in goal — saved a shot by Emiliano Rigoni in the 81st minute that had some pace.
Zuparic — facing heavy physicality all night long including a collision that left him bloody — picked up a yellow card in the 87th minute.
In the dying embers of stoppage time, Bruin bodied Timbers center back Larrys Mabiala through the box and put home his header, stunning the Providence Park crowd and sending Portland to the locker room with a sour taste in its mouth despite what was previously a strong performance.
“Did Mabiala get pushed? Definitely,” Savarese said. “Could the referee have called it? Maybe. But the reality is that we have to be more pragmatic to finish the game. And we’ve been pragmatic in the way we have been playing, but unfortunately today we allowed that moment to come in. Now it feels like a loss instead of something more, because of what we did.”
The Timbers’ next match is at home Wednesday against Real Salt Lake in the U.S. Open Cup round of 32. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Providence Park, with a live stream available on the B/R Football Youtube page.
— Ryan Clarke, rclarke@oregonian.com, Twitter: @RyanTClarke
