The Portland Timbers failed to pick up a win on the road in their first five games of the 2018 season. It wasn’t until the Timbers returned to Providence Park for their home opener on April 14 that the club finally earned that first victory with a 3-2 win over Minnesota United. That win was the start of a 15-game unbeaten streak that lasted until August.
But Portland can’t wait until its first home game to turn things around this year.
The Timbers, who have picked up just one point and conceded a discouraging 10 goals in their first three games this season, are playing an MLS-record 12-straight games on the road to open their 2019 MLS campaign, due to construction at Providence Park. The club won’t return home until June.
“It’s difficult because when you play on the road the other team is the one that’s pushing, they have their home advantage,” Timbers defender Jorge Villafana said. “Then, there’s the travel. You travel, then you train here for three days, then you travel again. So, it’s hard. We knew that it was going to be hard, but I think we just need to get that win and get things organized.”
Clubs in Major League Soccer enjoy a big home field advantage. Last year, home teams earned an average of 1.83 points per game, while road teams earned an average of just 0.96 points per game. The challenges of traveling in MLS contributes to the home field advantage. MLS teams take commercial flights, travel long distances and have to deal with significant changes in field conditions, climate and altitude from game-to-game.
But the Timbers need to find a way to overcome those obstacles if they want to avoid a collapse in the first half of the season. While Portland will close out 2019 by playing 11 of their final 12 games at home, the club still needs to be within striking distance of playoff position when they return home in June if they hope to have a reasonable chance of getting back in the playoff race.
“We know the task ahead of us,” Timbers goalkeeper Jeff Attinella said. “We know we’re going to get a win on the road. That’s not an issue. It’s just about fixing these little things that we’re doing wrong in the back. Once we get one win, then the confidence will be restored and things will get rolling again. It’s 12 games on the road. So, the first three games aren’t officially time for everybody to panic. It’s time to learn a little bit about ourselves.”
Despite the difficulties of starting a season with 12-straight games on the road, the Timbers (0-2-1, 1 point) had what should have been promising opportunities to pick up wins early this season and start things off on the right foot away from home.
Portland opened 2019 against a Colorado Rapids side that finished second-to-last in the Western Conference in 2018. Both clubs had to deal with difficult weather conditions in the game. It was just 18 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff and snowed steadily throughout the match. Still, the Timbers held a one-goal lead heading into second half stoppage time and were playing up a man. They should have been able to grind out the win. Instead, Portland conceded the equalizer moments before the final whistle and settled for a 3-3 draw.
The Timbers then went on the road to face a difficult LAFC team in their second game of the season. Portland remained firmly in the match until the 65th minute before conceding two goals in quick succession and falling 4-1. Last week, the Timbers had arguably their worst performance of the season so far as they lost 3-0 to expansion side FC Cincinnati.
“It’s always more difficult definitely when you play away from home," Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said. "I think it’s also more difficult when you get into a situation, like the one we are in now. Like I said, if we had won in Colorado, it would have been the first win and we would have been in a different situation. But I think these moments make you learn more about things maybe you take for granted and I think it’s maybe important for us to go through these moments and dig deeper in ourselves.”
The Timbers will have to dig deep if they hope to earn their first win of the season against a tough LA Galaxy side in their next game on March 31.
Los Angeles (2-1-0, 6 points) has gone 2-0-0 at home so far this season and the Galaxy are hopeful that star forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has been dealing with injury, will be able to make his return against the Timbers. Portland’s game against the San Jose Earthquakes on April 6 could be an easier match for the Timbers to pick up their first win. San Jose has posted three-straight losses and conceded nine goals so far this season.
But after three disappointing results to open the year, the Timbers can’t afford another poor performance. Portland won’t play this weekend due to the international window and the break should give the club an opportunity to regroup and refocus ahead of the match against the Galaxy. The Timbers need to prove that they are better than what they’ve showed so far this season.
“It’s not good enough for us and it’s not good enough for the fans," Savarese said. “But I have complete trust in this group and I know the group is working hard to make sure we make things better.”
-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com
503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg
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