The Portland Timbers’ 2021 MLS campaign began with a thud, as they dropped a dispiriting away contest against the Vancouver Whitecaps by a score of 1-0. Lucas Cavallini connected with a Cristian Gutierrez corner unmarked at the back post in the second half, and Portland couldn’t make up the deficit.
Portland fielded the same lineup for the third conseutive match, with their bench options limited by the continued injury absences of Jeremy Ebobisse and Sebastian Blanco. While still an away match, rather than play in BC Place, this game was played in Rio Tinto stadium in Sandy, Utah, which is serving as Vancouver’s US “home base” due to pandemic-related travel restrictions between the United States and Canada.