In a game that had fireworks left, right, and center — four goals, six yellow cards, and three reds in the final ten minutes — the Timbers, missing their most essential player in Diego Chara, put on a show of rollocking, epic proportions.
Diego Valeri scored perhaps the single most thrilling goal of his illustrious career, Christian Paredes nabbed a brace in a coming-of-age performance, Steve Clark made another pair of near-unconscious saves, and the Galaxy were left trying to pick up the pieces.
The Timbers have enjoyed a great number of memorable wins in this city over the last number of the years. But to beat a team of the LA's caliber so thoroughly, without Chara, on a night when Brian Fernandez was kept off the scoresheet, is an accomplishment for this team possibly without parallel.
It was a blast. It was a blast because of the soccer the Timbers played, expansive and expressive, the commitment they played it with, and the noise that rung around the old stadium time and again in appreciation.
It was also a blast because of what it augurs for the future. Paredes was sensational, but he wasn't the only young player who shone. Renzo Zambrano turned in a wonderfully tidy performance of his own in central midfield, missing just three passes all night, while Jeremy Ebobisse's characteristically dogged, intelligent shift ended with a deserved goal.
For the first time in club history, the Timbers have a collection of young players capable of establishing themselves as upper echelon MLS players for years to come. That alone is worth applauding. Throw in an improved middle of the roster and the elite attacking talent, and you have the makings of a special group.
At the beginning of this game, though, 4-0 looked a long ways off. LA, coming off of that 3-2 derby win over LAFC last week, began this match well: moving the ball and applying pressure quickly in midfield, as well as advanced areas, limiting the Timbers' ability to play out.
Paredes and Zambrano both picked up early yellow cards, but as soon as they began to settle into the game, the Timbers began to find their footing.
Valeri was especially bright, and the Timbers had a decent chance on a lightning-quick counter after just more than 20 minutes, but Fernandez's low, tight-angle shot on the end of it was tipped away by David Bingham.
The game remained tight and competitive as the half edged towards its conclusion when, in fairly unusual circumstances, the Timbers took the lead.
As Portland played the ball down its lefthand side, Jorge Villafaña was knocked to the ground by Galaxy winger Julian Araujo. The Timbers played on, even as Villafaña writhed on the turf, and worked the ball to Jorge Moreira — who sent in a deep cross that Paredes, making a late run, was knocked in to make it 1-0.
The Paraguayan's reaction was one of surprise, but his timing and direction of his run were impeccable — into the space in the middle of the box just vacated by LA's center backs who had been drawn away by Fernandez's movement towards the near post.
The truly decisive sequence of the half, though, and the one that will live on in Timbers' lore for years to come, came three minutes later.
LA recovered the ball, but the second phase of their attack fizzled when Paredes and Moreira combined to win it and then loft it towards Valeri, who, found a first-time pass for Paredes, who knocked it into the path of Blanco, who swept it towards the Maestro galloping down the left.
The rest was a highlight reel. Valeri took the ball in space, isolated against Daniel Steres, dribbled into the box, dinked it through his legs with the outside of his right foot, and curled it into the far side netting.
It was an electrifying goal, and, even so, Valeri's reaction to it was almost equally memorable: after his initial celebration, he ripped off his shirt and started walking towards the center circle holding it aloft to the crowd, teammates mobbing him, before dropping it to the floor and pointing to the sky.
Whatever sparked the celebration, whether it was the whispers earlier this year about his slowing down, the quality of the goal he just scored, or both, or something else entirely, the message was clear: this is still his team and his world — and no one should forget it.
The crowd roared its approval, and, soon thereafter, the Timbers walked off of the field to at halftime to thunderous ovation. 2-0 down, the Galaxy were going to have to commit players forward in the second half, and, undoubtedly, open themselves up even further on the counter.
LA, though, continued to build solidly and threaten going forward. Clark made another terrific save early in the half on a shot through traffic by Favio Alvarez, but his very best effort of the night would come much later, with the margin still at two, and the Galaxy looking to mount a final push.
With just more than 15 minutes to play, substitute Efrain Alverez sprung Ibrahimovic who rolled a pass across the face of goal for an unmarked Antuna — only for Clark to, once again, fly towards the ball and sprawl out to erase what should have been a tap-in.
The Timbers nearly went right back up the field and scored as Clark raised his arms in triumph at the opposite end, but, soon enough, they'd make the result secure.
Just past the 80 minute mark, Villafaña ran down the left and cut the ball back to Paredes — who trapped it on the bounce, waited out another bounce, and then roped a fantastic shot into the upper right corner of Bingham's net.
Again, Paredes' reaction was understated. But there was no ignoring the nature of his finish or the composure of his performance, especially considering that so much of it came on a yellow card. Club América may well be disappointed they ever let him go.
There was one more goal in it, several minutes later. Villafaña would again play provider, getting to the byline and arching a lovely cross to the back post that Ebobisse, now playing center forward with Fernandez out of the game, rose up to meet and arrow past Bingham.
In the interim, Efra Alvarez was sent off for blasting a dead ball into Marvin LorÃa's head. Just after the final whistle, two more players, Dairon Asprilla and Diego Polenta, would receive their marching orders. Of the six yellows, Ibrahimovic's was — shockingly enough — for dissent.
The Timbers, thanks to Clark along with adept performances from Cascante and Larrys Mabiala, kept the Swede at bay. The Galaxy didn't play poorly by any stretch, but they certainly couldn't run with the Timbers. When they play like they did on this night, no one can.
Heading into Wednesday night's All Star game, Portland is above the red line for the first time all season. They're not going back. The only question remaining is how high they can climb.
