It was the first time since the season’s second game that the Portland Timbers went into a match’s final quarter-hour chasing multiple goals, a fact that serves as perspective on both the last four months as well as Wednesday night’s result. D.C. United was going to be tougher than their last-in-the-East record implied, but being down 3-1 after 68 minutes, though? Clearly, something went wrong.
What went wrong was the Timbers blowing the lead they took in the 35th minute through Samuel Armenteros, a goal that capped a muted if controlled first half hour.