PORTLAND, Ore. — Following a 1-0 defeat in Seattle at the end of May, Timbers coach Caleb Porter said it was the best his club had played on the road against Seattle.
"That doesn’t make anybody feel any better," Porter said following the May 27 meeting, "but in moving to the next game, that means not a lot needs to change."
In the 14 matches since then, the Timbers have scored at least one goal in each game, the longest active streak in MLS, and are 4-1-1 leading up to a three-game road trip that begins with an encounter with the Sounders on Sunday (9:30 pm ET | FS1; MLS LIVE in Canada).
"We dominated possession and chances," Porter said following the Timbers' 2-1 midweek victory over the visiting Colorado Rapids, a game that saw Portland set club records for passes and passing accuracy in a single match. "It felt less convincing than we wanted though, but that’s soccer.
"We certainly should have scored several other goals to make the margin bigger, but if you are around the game you know that happens."
Porter did, however, find a silver lining despite winning by just one goal.
"I think we've evolved," he said, "because that’s the type of game we’ve drawn several times this year and in some cases we’ve lost that game this year."
Porter cited his team's improving ability to close out games as a plus, especially since they will go on the road to face two opponents, Seattle and New York City FC, that are at or near the top of their respective conference standings.
"I believe we are evolving as a team because we won a game tonight that we couldn’t win several times this year," Porter said. "I was really pleased with how we dealt with the crosses at the end of the game, the set piece at the end of the game. Those were moments that, like I said, we couldn’t weather in other games."
Porter added that he's pleased to see Portland ramp up the intensity as the postseason draws near. The club has won four times in its last six matches, and lost just once.
"We are getting mentally better at closing out games. That’s great to see," he said. "This is hopefully a pattern that will continue and as it continues, I think we will play a bit more convincing too."
It also helps that key members of the team are returning to form. While Fanendo Adi and Liam Ridgewell did not make the 18-man roster for Wednesday's clash with Colorado and are questionable for the weekend, left back Vytas looks to have regained his form after missing several games with leg injuries. He contributed two assists and created a game-high four chances vs. the Rapids, and, like Porter, thinks the Timbers took a massive step forward in holding onto the victory.
"Back in the season where we were making so many mistakes that led [to those games slipping] in the end," said Vytas. "Now I think we’re showing that we’re in the right moment to grind and take the three points.”
