MOTM Portland Timbers at Vancouver Whitecaps

Between the two boxes there were so many good performances put in by the Portland Timbers. However, when the ball approached the Vancouver Whitecap's box it was as if the ball was filled with helium or the air was some how thinner only in the box. What a gut wrenching way to lose a game after finally breaking through. Sigh. With the bitter taste still in all of our mouths here are the picks for Man of the Match.

Kevin McCamish - Darlington Nagbe

Had some good moves out there tonight. And even though he won't get any assist on the play his perfectly weighted through ball is the reason we got a goal and had some hope that we'd at least get another draw.

Well, Powell continued his streak of absolutely torching the Whitecaps today, even if his crossing was generally ineffective on the night. Still, he was strong on defense and a terror in the attack, likely giving Sam Adekugbe something to worry about between now and the two teams' next meeting. If Powell can keep bringing performances like this one to bear then the Timbers have at least one positive to take out of the game.

He makes his presence known on his flank and that was clear. He needs to shore up his accuracy when moving into attacking situations, but he lacks no issue with motivation or tenacity. He is just a little off the hip when get sets people up and it ends up losing us possession. Overall though very powerful performance on the wings for him and in general.

Tough loss that was - completely gutted - yet a silver lining glimmers through as Nagbe simply slithered and sliced with silky smoothness and superb on-the-ball strength in a new system tonight.  I offered the combination of Adi and Urutti earlier this week and with Nagbe in a much more free role he showed his guile.  Truly incredible team attacking display that should do nothing but get better.  Bottom line - the Timbers paid dearly for two mistakes but the where-with-all of Nagbe making players around him better should bode well with 30 games to go...

Darlington Nagbe was terror all night but Adi scored the lone goal. While many will lament the miss late in the game Adi deserves more praise then blame. Adi not only scored the loan goal but he tracked back defensively and banged against two of the more physical CB's in the league.

Darlington Nagbe - I love watching Nagbe play the Whitecaps for one reason: Darlington turns Matias Laba - the best ball-winner in MLS, for my money - into a traffic cone. Everything worked through Nagbe on Saturday evening and the 'Caps were mere spectators as Nagbe put together a touches chart that looks like this: