In a hard-fought and closely contested match, Edgar "RCTIDThiago" Guerrero lost 1-0 to FC Dallas' AlanAvi in the 2019 eMLS Cup Western Conference Semifinals. Avi, who had two shots all game, scored in the first half on a shot that Portland goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois got an arm to but the ball agonizingly dribbled past him into the back corner of the net.
Pressing for an equalizer, RCTIDThiago came close in the 78th minute with a mad scramble in front of the Dallas net that Avi managed to clear and then, in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, Cristiano Ronaldo had his breakaway shot saved by Dallas' own Courtois to deny Guerrero.
“I think I played well and I had the better game,” Guerrero said after the match. “He just got ahead early in the first half and then it was difficult once he started to hold the ball a little bit more. I didn’t put away my chances. I had one at the end to tie it and send it into extra time but it didn’t happen so it was a difficult game.”
Earlier in the day, Guerrero bested San Jose Earthquakes Alan “CaliSCG” Ortega with a come-from-behind 3-1 win that saw him score one of the most inventive goals of the tournament. After going down 1-0, on the ensuing kickoff, Guerrero used Luka Modrić to loft a ball from midfield all the way down into SJ’s 18-yard box where Cristiano Ronaldo headed it in for a quick equalizer. Portland went on to win 3-1 and RCTIDThiago’s playing style throughout the tournament kept opponents on their toes with his unpredictable style of play.
The day capped a 2019 eMLS season that saw RCTIDThiago finish the regular season in third place, saw him make a Grand Final appearance at League Series Two in Dallas, and tie to have the best record in the day one play here in Boston. For Guerrero, it was a year that showed him that he could compete with top players.
“I’ve improved a lot,” he said. “It took me time to adapt to the different style [of this game]. To having to defend using the whole defense and the whole team. But, I’m right up there with the best now.”
