A Deflating Result

Even though I was feeling really nervous in the days leading up to the Sounders-Timbers match, I was actually pretty calm on the drive down Saturday Night. For whatever reason, I just wasn't thinking about the end result, but rather was excited for the atmosphere. I had heard that we should get there early because the team had something planned that we would be talking about for months afterwards. I expected their to be a buzz in the stadium and some electricity in the streets.

We got downtown and of course it started to rain, at times hard. I could hear the ESPN announcers saying how fitting it was that the two Pacific NW rivals were playing in rain...I tried to fight off my anger with the late start time since it was so beautiful during the day. We got to our seats and suddenly the rain didn't bother me. I was too busy soaking it all in.
The first thing I noticed was actually how loud the Timbers Army was. Look, I hate giving the scum any sort of credit, but it has to be said. They were loud. They were active. They looked really good. Now it should also be said that my seats are much closer to the away section than to ECS so of course it sounds louder. Sometimes I wish we were closer to ECS so we could join in all their chants, but after the teams walked out the tunnel and the anthem was sung, I realized another reason why our seats are great - we get an amazing view of the Tifo displays.

After a minute I realized what the team had been talking about when they said to come early. if you were not in your seats, you missed an amazing display: a 9 part Tifo display. First, honoring the MLS Sounders, a Fredy Montero banner. Then representing the USL Sounders, Marcus Hahnemann and Presto Burpo banners. Finally (or at least we figured), representing the NASL Sounders, Jimmy Gabriel and current assistant coach Brian Schmetzer. If that wasn't enough, from the top of the stadium a banner of with a fist crushing the Timbers and two banners that read 'Decade of Dominance. Finally, a banner of Timbers' killed Roger Levesque, was lifted using the field goal nets. It was an AMAZING site and one that made me feel like we had one-upped the Timbers Army. "How you like that?" I quietly smirked. I had goose-bumps.

And then the game finally started. It was sloppy to begin. The Timbers had the better of the possession and were dangerous on the flanks where Kalif Alhassan and Darlington Nagbe were running our our backs with ease. Keller made key saves on shots that easily could have found their way past him given the slick conditions.

In the 38th minute, Brad Evans went down with a groin injury. He came back on for a few minutes but re-tweaked it and had to be subbed out. We figured Friberg would take his place, but then saw The 'Stache warming up. I know Roger is a Timbers' killer, but there is no way Sigi thought going to Roger with a full half left was a better option than Friberg (it wasn't until after the game I realized Friberg and Rosales were both out). I love Roger but didn't feel good about him being in the game so early.

In the 52nd minute, Alvaro Fernandez found himself with only the keeper to beat after a fairly lucky deflection off a header...others may have panicked, but El flaco played in a World cup Quarterfinal. I know he was in the doghouse earlier in the year, but there was no way he wasn't putting it away. When I think about it, I would have wanted no other Sounder in that position. He calmly beat Perkins near post with a volley and the stadium went nuts. I participated in my first jump hug (luckily with The Wife and not J-Will). Things were good.

Ten minutes later, something happened. Portland got a free kick close to where they scored from last week. I'm not sure anyone else felt it, but I was nervous every time they took a free kick - we had cleared all of them previously, but it never felt like we were totally in control. Jack Jewsbury hit it into the box, Futty Danso got up, put a head on it and beat Kasey Keller who had come off his line. The stadium suddenly went into shock. The Timbers Army was freaking loud - it was a decibel level I had never heard before. Obviously they weren't as loud as ECS or the rest of the Qwest faithful, but considering how many fans they had there, it was really loud. I have to give them props.

After that, both teams traded opportunities but neither could score. We walked out of the stadium frustrated. I mean, we had just blown a 1-0 lead to the Timbers. Maybe we didn't deserve to win after the first half, but surely we played better in the second half and should have closed the deal. In the end Portland converted on their one excellent chance and head home to Portland feeling really good about themselves.

It wasn't a loss, but it sure felt like one. The best way to describe it - it was deflating.

So now the game is over and we need to move on. It won't get an easier as we will have 3 games in 7 days beginning this Saturday. With Zakuani out for the season and Friberg, Rosales and now evans nursing some injuries, our midfield depth is completely gone. El Flaco, Carrasco and Alonso are still available, but the right side will be a problem if we need to start Roger there for any extended period of time.

A few final random notes:

• Poor Lamar Neagle looked LOST out there. I hate to say it, but he was terrible.
• I am surprised that Sigi didn't throw Fucito out there for 5 minutes at the end of the game.
• El Flaco was amazing. It's easy for me to say that considering he scored, but he was amazing way before that. He was crushing Jeremy Hall all night and reminded us all of the player he could and should be.
• I hate Jack Jewsbury.
• I don't remember Jhon Kennedy Hurtado being so awkward with the ball at his feet...luckily his marking is solid and his reading of plays was top notch on Saturday.
• Kenny Cooper was looking to draw fouls but really should have just used his size more. He should have been a handful all night but didn't seem into the game much.