PORTLAND, Ore.—Everything seemed to be going from bad to worse for the Portland Timbers on Saturday night against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Already missing six players due to injury, the Timbers watched two more key players go down: starting goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey and striker Darren Mattocks.
The circumstances suggested that the Timbers, playing in their third match in seven days, should be in trouble. But they defied the odds, routing San Jose in a resounding 3-1 victory.
“This was a gut-check time and the guys responded like they always do,” said coach Caleb Porter. “We had guys dropping off like flies and they kept fighting, kept grinding.”
Saturday's win follows a rough 3-1 loss to FC Dallas just three days ago; after that game Porter said he wouldn’t let the team’s injury woes serve as an excuse. Yet the team then learned defender Alvas Powell needed wrist surgery, one more injury.
The rash of sidelined players meant some newer Timbers, depth pieces and offseason acquisitions, were asked to step up on Saturday. New acquisition Jack McInerney scored the game's impressive first goal, which Porter credited with changing the match in the Timbers' favor.
The group of guys on the field didn’t quite look like the one that won MLS Cup last year, but Porter said he thought Saturday showed real progress with his new group.
“I counted and there were only five players on the field to start the game from the championship game,” Porter said. “This is a new team, and this is a new year."
“We have new guys that are wearing the uniform. New guys that are feeling the positive pressure that you get at home. New guys that are bleeding on the uniform. It takes time for guys to get comfortable in this locker room and get comfortable grinding for this club.”
The Timbers will have to continue to manage the absences of key players. Starting playmaker Diego Valeri earned a red card Saturday, meaning he won’t be eligible for an April 27th match in New England.
Porter did not have an immediate recovery estimate for Kwarasey, who may have torn a finger ligament, or for Mattocks, whose specific injury was not known after the match. Powell will be out 6-8 weeks recovering from surgery.
