The Portland Timbers didn’t get much time to celebrate their success during Leagues Cup group-stage play.
The Timbers wrapped up their 2-0-1 showing against Liga MX clubs on Wednesday night, but they’re right back into the thick of MLS action with Saturday’s visit to FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas.
With 10 matches to go in the regular season, Portland (10-7-7, 37 points) enters with a healthy roster despite playing three Leagues Cup matches in an eight-day stretch.
“I don’t think anyone’s going to get a rest for Saturday,” head coach Phil Neville said. “David Ayala’s fit. He will be fit for Saturday. I think with (10) games to go, the rotations have gone. I’ve rotated the last three games in the Leagues Cup to make sure that when we come to Dallas, we’re all fresh.”
Those extra matches continue the momentum Portland carried out of league play with four points in their last two MLS matches, with only one goal allowed. The Timbers defeated LAFC 1-0 on July 25 thanks to a goal by Cristhian Paredes in the 45th minute.
Meanwhile, FC Dallas must adjust to the end of the brief Luciano Acosta era. After acquiring the MLS 2023 MVP from Cincinnati in the offseason, Dallas moved on Friday by transferring the Argentine midfielder to Fluminense in Brazil for $4 million. The veteran midfielder provided five goals and one assist in 21 matches.
In any case, offense hasn’t been the issue for FC Dallas (6-11-7, 25 points). Their last match — a 4-3 defeat against NYCFC on July 25 — was another reminder of the defense’s struggles.
“We’ve got to figure out why we’re giving up these needless goals, because you just scored three goals (in) back-to-back game(s),” head coach Eric Quill said. “This is about collective communication, organization, caring, competitiveness, fighting for every moment together, engaging each other, talking from behind, talking next to you, everybody understanding what togetherness is when you’re in the lead and what you need to do to be the winner of the game.”
Despite the defeat, second-year pro Logan Farrington scored two goals for Dallas before NYCFC wiped away two deficits to claim the win.
Dallas scored multiple goals in each of its last three matches, but had only four points to show for it (1-1-1) heading into the two-week Leagues Cup break.
FC Dallas’ defense got a little lighter during the break, too, when defender Marco Farfan was transferred Wednesday to Tigres UANL of Liga MX.
–Field Level Media
