Jeremy Ebobisse had made three appearances before: a May debut against San Jose; a one-minute spell at Colorado that June; then another run-out against Real Salt Lake in July. By the time his name finally appeared in a starting XI, Ebobisse had logged only 26 MLS minutes as a Portland Timbers player. A winter spent with the United States’ Under-20 national team meant his first-team MLS career got off to a slow start.
With July 23, 2017’s derby in Vancouver, Ebobisse accelerated his timeline. Pressed into action in a team hamstrung by injury, the fourth-overall pick in that past winter’s MLS SuperDraft recorded the first goal and assist of his MLS career, leading Portland to a 2-1 win over rival Whitecaps FC.