Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese
On tonight’s match...
“We’ve been doing very well, we felt that we wanted to finish strong the last two games of the season, trying to reach the highest position possible in the table to put ourselves in a great spot. We’re still in a great spot. I think even though we created chances, had good possession, we moved the ball in some moments very well to find some good areas, we didn’t show the best versions of ourselves. We lacked a little bit of sharpness in the decision at the end, passing across and the finishing, that could’ve put this game away earlier. Then when you leave a team in a scenario like the way the game was, they can find a moment and score the goal that they scored, which we didn’t close some of the spaces that we should’ve, and unfortunately we found ourselves losing this match in which I think it was in our reach to be able to win.”
On Colorado’s defense and how the shut the Timbers out...
“I think it was more that we didn’t find the spaces that we should’ve found. Nevertheless, we were still able to be dangerous, even in the first half, and it was more about the decision to put the ball earlier in behind or connecting a little bit better through the middle. Those little things that I think could have made us be a better team and I think the fact that we didn’t get the result today was more about not being the best version of ourselves than anything else. Nothing to take away from Colorado, because I think they worked very hard to get the result that they got. They sacrificed and they understood the importance of winning this game, but I think it’s more about what we didn’t do and that we didn’t show them the best side of us. Nevertheless we created chances, and at the end we almost tied, but in the same way we cannot concede a goal like that, in which we allow them to be able to get into some spaces that we should’ve closed a little earlier.”
On where he sees the team setting up in the standings...
“Right now, we have to analyze this match, look at some things, look at the guys, we tried to make some rotations today in order to make sure that we utilize the players in the best possible way. It’s also good for some players to get minutes, because we’re going to need everybody, and now we will prepare for LAFC, which is our final match and another difficult game that we have to try to give everything we have in order to get three points.”
On the strategy of going into a game without the usual starters...
“We have a principle way of playing, and we tweak with every team what we want to do, and within the game sometimes you have to find some areas and change some things in order to get that edge. The assignment for the guys to work earlier in the game was similar to the second half. I think when we came back into the locker room, the most important thing that we spoke about was that we needed to be sharper, quicker, we needed to want it a little bit more, because we created chances. We had our moments, but mostly we have to give credit to Colorado because they really wanted to get this result, and they took advantage of the moment that we gave them in order for them to be able to score.”
Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Chara
On what made it difficult for the team to find a goal tonight…
“I think today was a difficult match. We created a few opportunities to score, we [weren’t] effective. And on the other hand, Colorado gets in the second half the opportunity and they did it. It think [it was] the difference in this game today.”
On not being able to play the final regular-season match due to yellow card accumulation…
“Always it’s difficult for me to watch the game from outside of the field. But I believe in my teammates. I think we have a lot of talent and I feel players are waiting for the opportunity and again, I feel Sunday is going to be a great match for us.”
On the importance of having a high seed entering the MLS playoffs…
“I think when you have the opportunity to finish the regular season in the high seed, that gives confidence to the team and now we have to wait for the results to have the opportunity. But the thing is again, we have to be ready during this game and I think we have a great team to make it in the playoffs.”
- The match was the home finale for Portland in the regular season. The Timbers conclude the regular season with a home record of 5-4-2.
- Entering as a substitute in the 55th minute, Diego Valeri led all players with five chances created. Valeri is the second Timbers player to create five or more chances as a substitute, joining Brian Umony (Oct. 19, 2011 at D.C. United).
- Dairon Asprilla made his second appearance in 2020 and his first in 247 days since he played in the club’s season opener on March 1, 2020.
- Bill Tuiloma made his 50th regular-season appearance for the Timbers in the match.
- Diego Chara, Yimmi Chara and Eryk Williamson each made their 20th appearance of the season in the match. They all join Diego Valeri (21 games) as Timbers players to appear in at least 20 matches in 2020.
- The match marked the first time Portland has played Colorado in 2020, which was its 10th different opponent of the season.
