Colorado Rapids 0 - 0 Portland Timbers: Match Recap & Highlights
A match that took eight days to finish ended the exact same way that it started.
After being delayed by eight days due to a weather postponement, the Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids played to a scoreless draw at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. Franck Boli hit the cross bar and forced a good save, but neither team could find the back of the net.
Recap
In perhaps the strangest situation of a Timbers game in recent memory, the Portland Timbers restarted this match in the 46th minute against the Rapids after it was delayed at halftime back on July 4, with the teams tied at 0-0.
The Timbers, as per MLS rules, started the same XI that were on the field (or in the locker room, rather) when the game was postponed. The only change was the absence of Santiago Moreno, who recently was reported as requesting a transfer from the Timbers and was reportedly at home in his native Colombia during the match. Dairon Asprilla replaced him on the bench.
Notable in the starting XI, and not to be lost in the weather shenanigans, was the continued first start for Timbers2 loanee Victor Griffith, who started in the midfield next to Diego Chara and Cristhian Paredes.
After a few minutes of the players finding their footing, the game sped up in a hurry. The Timbers actually found themselves with the better quality of chances, and all of their early ones were to the feet of Franck Boli. Boli forced a save, hit the crossbar, and missed a spectacular scissor attempt all in a six-minute span.
Ultimately though, Boli wouldn’t find the back of the net, as he was subbed off with 12 minutes left in the game.
Knowing that this match was at altitude, and that his team had to play another game in just three days time, Giovanni Savarese pulled the trigger on substitutes early, introducing Sebastian Blanco and Dairon Asprilla in the 70th minute and Felipe Mora eight minutes after that.
Overall, for most of this bizarre second half the Timbers showed a greater intensity and energy. You could argue that they generated the better offensive looks, and that they were the team that deserved a goal.
As the half drew to a close though, the Timbers had to endure a renewed push from the Rapids. Cole Bassett had a chance to win it for the hosts at the death, but he put his header over the bar.
Seemingly right after it began, the game ended the exact same way started it over a week ago: scoreless.
Portland leaves Colorado with a point, we have a kind of cool highlight of Franck Boli hitting the crossbar, and everyone watching might be wondering why this whole exercise needed to happen.
Highlights
46’ Eight days after the referee blew for halftime… the game got back underway.
51’ First bit of danger from the first half for the hosts, as the ball fell to the feet of Darren Yapi right in front of the Timbers goal.
55’ Nathan Fogaça heads over Portland’s first real chance of the half, sending a cross from Marvin Loria well over the cross bar.
58’ Franck Boli registered Portland’s second shot on target of the match (they had one back on July 4) when he stung William Yarborough’s gloves with a hard shot that was parried aside.
61’ Boli again was active, as he nearly beat Yarborough from a long ways out with a dipping shot. It just clanged off the crossbar instead.
64’ For the third time in a short span, Boli was again the danger man for the Timbers. This time he got on the end of a cross at the back post after a quick Timbers counter, and attempted an acrobatic scissor kick. The ball was too behind him however, and he shanked his effort well off-target.
70’ 25 minutes into the restart, the Timbers made a pair of subs. Savarese brought on Sebastian Blanco and Dairon Asprilla, replacing Fogaça and Loria.
78’ Felipe Mora made an appearance, as he came on for the final twelve minutes of the game, replacing Boli.
90’+1 Cole Bassett had a golden chance to win it, but the Rapids midfielder sent his header over the bar.
FULLTIME: Rapids - 0, Timbers - 0.
Well that game… happened. It got interesting for a stretch in the second half, but in the end the match ended scoreless.
The Timbers return home to face Columbus Crew SC at Providence Park on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. PT, where they will honor one of the all-time Timbers greats by inducting Diego Valeri into the Ring of Honor.
not sorry I watched the US match instead. You had a week long halftime to prepare and the best you could muster was a 0-0 draw against one of the worst teams in the league? You're just not that good of a team are you? To be fair this applies to both teams in this case.
Your pre match prediction was scarily accurate: 0-0 draw, more yellow cards than shots on goal, and a waste of time for anyone that actually watched it. If you had called the weather delay I would say that Marty McFly wants his sports trivia book back.