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Relief, but who knows for how long. The Portland Timbers now need to become a little more consistent with their play and hopefully the return of their captain will help with that. With a full three points earned the contributors to this site could pick from a few more players for Man of the Match honors. Here is who they picked:
Chris G. - Will Johnson
Tough call this game - many players had superb games and while Maxi Urruti got the goal and Asprilla was absolutely electric on the right side (the Timbers coulda penetrated more there I thought) - I have to go with Will Johnson - simply stated he stayed the rot and stayed the course for seventy odd stellar minutes of box-to-box play. When not working to take the ball away from DC United he was tireless in making sure the back-four stayed connected with the front four... my oh my - it's great to see Will Johnson play again!
Will - Will Johnson
The captain came back and put in a strong shift, showing Timbers fans what they have been missing for the last six months. He organized and he encouraged. He shot, tackled, and passed. He maybe wasn't the best player on the field, but he was the definite Man of the Match.
Ryan - Gaston Fernandez
La Gata was able to play in a more natural role as a withdrawn striker and this lead to some good things out on the field. Gaston was able to quickly distribute from a higher position than previous games and he was more effective with his passes. His first half shift was the best this season and it helped create numerous chances for the Timbers, including the lone goal of the game. Portland will need more of this La Gata to earn points while Diego Valeri is recovering from an ankle knock.
Chris R. - Maximiliano Urruti
On a day with a number of solid (if not quite excellent) performances, Urruti stood out most to me. Sure, he scored a goal. So, from a #GOALZ perspective, this is easy. But Urruti also looked sharper in the buildup than he has been this year and was his usual active self in pressing the United backline in possession.
Who do you have?