I feel a special kind of sorrow when I don't write about the Timbers after every game. I'm sure no one minds, yet I feel like I'm letting down the club and my fellow Army denizens who so proudly and voraciously promote the Timbers and associated causes.
I feel especially bad for not covering the six weeks or so of the season, for some amazing things have happened.
First was the Timbers vs. Seattle US Open Cup match, which was epic! The Sounders escaped with a win thanks to Nyassi getting away with being far offside, but the Timbers performed well and the Timbers Army made headlines around the Nation with this:
The Timbers followed up their USOC Disappointment (and only their second loss of the season) with a string of great results:
Win over Bayern Munich II (2-0),
Draw @ Minnesota (1-1)
Win @ Austin (2-1)
Draw then Win @ Miami (1-1, 3-0)
Draw with Burnley of the English Premier League (2-2) one of their players got fined for having a pint in the Beer garden during the match!
Draw @ Minnesota (1-1, ref assisted goal for Minnesota)
This past Friday we beat Vancouver (1-0) to win the Cascadia Cup!
The Cascadia Cup is a Supporters' Group organized competition between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver (though Seattle didn't compete this year fully, as they didn't play Vancouver at all). The Cup goes to the team with the best overall record against the other two.
Sunday, the Timbers scored a decisive win over the (then) league leading Charleston, 3-1, to put us at the top of the league! Bonus awesomeness from this game: tiny Alex Nimo, a local kid who played at Benson High, scored his first assist AND Goal in the Green and White!
The appropriate response, if you haven't been paying attention, is HOLY SHIT! Here's why:
— The Timbers have not lost a league game since the very first game of the season! the streak is at 20 games, a league record.
— The Timbers are at the top of the league, at 11-1-9 (11 wins, 1 loss, 9 draws).
— The Timbers have a +21 goal differential (# goals we score - # of goals scored on us).
— Statistically, we have the best offense and defense in the league.
— Keita is all alone atop the top scorers list, with 20 pts this season (1 pt for assists, 3 for goals)
The bandwagon is idling in the PGE parking lot, heading for away matches @ Montreal 8/12 and @ Rochester 8/15, then the Timbers return home for Puerto Rico on 8/22! Get on board!