BEAVERTON, Ore. – When the Portland Timbers’ began conceding too many goals during the team’s preseason, head coach Giovanni Savarese said his team’s emergency defending needed to improve. But as that facet of Portland’s game continues to falter, another reality has emerged: The test the Timbers have given that defending have proven too harsh.
“As much as we did create opportunities, we moved the ball well,” Savarese began on Wednesday, when discussing his team’s 3-1 Sunday loss to visiting Minnesota United FC, “we were not disciplined enough to be able to close spaces, to prevent some situations from happening.