In addition to an area in the CONCACAF Champions League, players were also lured by approximately $1.1 million in reward money, including an ensured $300,000 the Timbers have won for being the last team standing. Sebastian Blanco joked later that his family was worthy of the reward money after he had been gone for 40 days.
Introducing the tournament amidst the lethal COVID-19 pandemic wasnt simple.
The Timbers routine season began in March with a win and a loss before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The group stage of the MLS is Back competition, which the Timbers ended up with 2 wins and a draw, counts toward the regular season.
The Timbers first match outside the MLS is Back bubble will be Aug. 23 versus the Seattle Sounders at an empty Providence Park.
” Im positive that we have a good plan in place,” Garber told ESPNs Taylor Twellman when asked Tuesday about the decision to host fans this season, without particularly outlining the protocols in place for fans. “Weve simply got to get begun, Taylor. Weve got to return and see if it can work. If it does, well continue and if it doesnt, well have to address it.”
Orlando has likewise been remarkably consistent. The Lions starting lineup in the final was the exact same one as the previous three matches and, of their 11 beginners, nine of them began all 7 matches of the tournament.
Disney World likes to market itself as the most magical put on earth, and fortunately for the Portland Timbers, they utilized enough of that magic to win the MLS is Back competition in Orlando, Florida.
The Timbers beat Orlando City 2-1 in the tournament final Tuesday night, topping off a Cinderella run through an unusual one-off tournament hosted in a “bubble” at Disney World where teams could avoid COVID-19.
They will then play a match every 3 days up until Sept. 6. The MLS regular season schedule has actually not been set beyond that, however Garber said he expects the playoffs and MLS Cup to be played before the year ends.
The focus now turns to the MLS regular season, which resumes Wednesday when FC Dallas will host Nashville SC– with a limited number of fans in the stands.
As the last group standing, the Timbers have actually earned a spot in next years CONCACAF Champions League and can pursue a spot to represent the region in FIFAs Club World Cup.
The Timbers were not favorites, with experts and clinical designs offering them low odds to reach the end. However the Timbers defied expectations, with Savarese telling The Oregonian/OregonLive before the last: “We do not bet the analysts, we do not bet the writers.”
Orlando matched 12 minutes later. Orlandos the majority of prominent player of the tournament, Nani, dribbled up the endline and fired a low cross to Mauricio Pereyra at the top of the 6-yard box. Williamson missed his take on and Pereyra succeeded to fire past goalkeeper Steve Clark.
Early negotiations in between the MLS players union and the league turned acrimonious, with the league threatening a lockout. The 2 sides came to terms, which consisted of quarantining players for a shorter period than the league wanted, and COVID-19 outbreaks later on required FC Dallas and Nashville SC out of the competition shortly after they got here in the MLS is Back bubble.
Entering the final, Savarese opted to stick to what has worked, making no changes from the starting lineup that beat the Philadelphia Union in the semifinal.
The monthlong MLS is Back tournament has been hosted in Orlando, where groups were sequestered at Disney World resorts and played video games in empty arenas at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The tournament was a grueling gauntlet, where groups played every few days in humid Florida heat.
” For us this is going to be a fantastic memory,” Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said of winning the competition. Who knows if there will be another competition like this, however were happy to give another trophy to Portland.”
The de facto hosts of the competition, Orlando City has actually never ever qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs considering that signing up with the league in 2015. Pareja, a first-year coach for the Lions, has changed a lineup that isnt substantially various to the one that ended up in second-to-last location last year.
” You understand, I always think that the more tough the fight is, the more beautiful the victory is,” Mabiala said. “At the end, weve been through numerous difficult video games, especially the last two against Orlando and Philadelphia. They evaluated us really hard, but the truth that weve been through this opposition revealed we have a lot of character and character.”
The unusual nature of the competition raised concerns that the gamers might not be fully engaged, but the Timbers go to the last was marked by a gritty desire to win.
MLS commissioner Don Garber said fans will be permitted to games in some markets where regional authorities allow it, regardless of health experts largely cautioning that its not safe for crowds to gather while the coronavirus is not under control. The Timbers have not requested for authorization to host fans at their first home games back.
” Theres an excellent sensation to attain a historical minute for our club,” Savarese stated after Tuesdays win. “Credit to the players due to the fact that they came here with a purpose from the minute that we got here from Portland. The mindset was to take it one video game at a time and everybody demonstrated, video game by video game, the unity we had.”
” Personally, I have three kids, 2 are toddlers, and the last 10 days have actually been really hard because I had my child calling me every morning, sobbing asking when I was going to return,” Mabiala stated. “Its been difficult. We just told ourselves that we need to make it worth it– we do not desire to be gone this long and go back to our houses without the trophy.”
The Timbers opened scoring in the 27th minute on another set piece. Valeri fired an in-swinging free kick into package and Larrys Mabiala succeeded to muscle off his defender, João Moutinho, and nod the ball into goal. Its Mabialas eighth profession goal for the Timbers.
Dario Zuparic, the center back who signed with the Timbers ahead of the 2020 season, picked a great moment to score his very first goal in MLS, notching the important game-winner. Diego Valeri served in a corner begin the 66th minute, which Eryk Williamson settled and fired from inside the box. His shot deflected off Jeremy Ebobisses foot, and Zuparic redirected the ball into goal.
Things got tense in the 32nd minute of Tuesdays last when Blanco went over to Orlando coach Oscar Pareja on the sideline and confronted him while making a hand gesture that appeared to accuse Pareja of running his mouth. The referee, Ismail Elfath, scolded Blanco and watched as Blanco and Pareja obviously settled their squabble.
— Caitlin Murray for The Oregonian/OregonLive
Earlier:
In spite of subtle vibe, stakes high for Timbers
Timbers open MLS is Back competition with win over LA Galaxy
Timbers beat Dynamo, clinch knockout spot
Timbers top Group F in MLS is Back in draw to LAFC
Timbers clinch quarterfinals after significant PK shootout with FC Cincinnati
Valeri leads Timbers to return win over NYCFC
Timbers beat Philadelphia, reach MLS is Back championship
” For us this is going to be a fantastic memory,” Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said of winning the tournament. Dario Zuparic, the center back who signed with the Timbers ahead of the 2020 season, picked a great moment to score his first objective in MLS, notching the crucial game-winner. The Timbers opened scoring in the 27th minute on another set piece. Its Mabialas 8th profession goal for the Timbers.
Orlandos many prominent player of the competition, Nani, dribbled up the endline and fired a low cross to Mauricio Pereyra at the top of the 6-yard box.
